Primary target group
The primary target group – the research-intensive small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from the 31 member countries – must be the main applicants in the consortium, handling at least 51% of the project. Find out more about the EU’s current definition of an SME and the special rules that apply.
Primary target group
The primary target group – the research-intensive small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from the 31 member countries – must be the main applicants in the consortium and handle at least 51% of the project. Find out more about the EU’s current definition of an SME and the special rules that apply to enterprises in the primary industries here.
Primary target group – the small and the not very big: The SMEs…
The Eurostars programme supports project applicants from the 31 Eurostars countries through joint funding of research, development and demonstration activities which are carried out by cross-national consortia led by research-intensive SMEs. As the primary target group is research-intensive SMEs from the 31 member countries, a research-intensive SME must be the main applicant and the research-intensive SMEs participating in the project must handle at least 51% of the project. Universities, knowledge institutions and larger corporations are also able to participate, but their share must not exceed 49% of the overall activities in the project.
Photo from the kick-off meeting between the parties working on the SESS project in Risø, January 2009. Photo: Lars Christensen.
What is an SME in a Eurostars project?
A research-intensive SME (small and medium-sized enterprises) is defined as an SME spending at least 10% of its turnover on research and development where at least 10% of employees are involved in R&D activities.
SMEs follow the EU’s definition of an SME, i.e. the enterprise must have no more than 250 employees and it must not have an annual turnover of more than EUR 43 million which is the equivalent of approx. DKK 322 million. Special rules apply to SMEs that are subsidiaries in larger groups.
To ensure that the greatest benefit is obtained from the Eurostars subsidy it is assumed that the participating Danish SMEs at the time of application meet the requirements of:
- being a research-intensive SME
- having at least two full-time employees
- being able to document that they have the resources – in terms of both knowledge and finance – to contribute their part of the Eurostars project
- the hours spent on preparing the pre-project application are reasonable in relation to a standard working week, the number of employees in the enterprise and the date on which the final application must be submitted.
Special rules for enterprises in the primary industries
Cf. the Commission’s Regulation no. 800/2008 of 6 August 2008 Article 34 on certain forms of subsidy’s compatibility with the common market’s general group exemption scheme. Certain special rules apply to enterprises in primary industries such as agriculture, fishery, horticulture and forestry, which may limit the extent to which the enterprise can participate in Eurostars projects.
If you are interested in obtaining more information about applying and other practical advice, please visit:
