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Cross-border
economic
development 34 Practical guide : promoting projects
France has put in place several
aid schemes that are exempt
from the notification requirement
for the 2014-2020 period.
In addition to the aid schemes
that are not subject to
notification, the European
Commission also allows the
granting of de minimis aid. The
de minimis regulation covers all
categories of companies and
authorises aid of up to €200,000
per company over a three-year
period. All types of expenses
may be covered by a de minimis
grant.
Subsidies awarded under 2014-
2020 cross-border cooperation
programmes must comply with
regulations on state aid. Given
that aid schemes exempted
from notification are established
nationally, it is necessary to
ascertain the existence and
compatibility of schemes
put in place by neighbouring
countries that are part
of the same cooperation
programme. Subsidies may
thereafter be granted to
companies as part of cross-
border projects.
One of the schemes put
in place by France that is
exempted from the notification
requirement, No. SA.40646,
relates to aid covering the
costs of cooperation between
SMEs within European territorial
cooperation (ETC) programmes
and came into force on
16 January 2015.
It is important to disseminate
information on state aid
schemes at all levels (European,
national, regional, programme
and local), through publications,
seminars, etc.
Information materials describe
the types of projects for which
companies may be granted
European funding.
E x a m p l e :
Through the publication of
documents clarifying the main
principles of aid schemes exempted
from notification requirements,
France’s General Commission
for Territorial Equality (CGET)
aims to make the use of these
schemes more transparent at
national level.
Seminars or training sessions
are designed to inform support
structures so that they can
direct companies to the
appropriate financing channels.
E x a m p l e s :
The CGET organises information
and training seminars for French
structures on this subject for the
2014-2020 European programming
period.
INTERACTorganises events on
state aid for the 2014-2020 period
for all European cooperation
programmes.
Networks of experts update
and circulate the information
continuously and efficiently.
E x a m p l e :
The CGET is developing a
network of experts on state aid in
France. The challenge is to identify
the experts in the neighbouring
countries.
Improving private-sector players’
access to INTERREG programmes
Notwithstanding the implementation of state aid schemes exempted from notification requirements
and the use of de minimis programmes, very few private-sector players have access to cooperation
programmes. It is therefore necessary to improve certain aspects of the programmes in order to make
them more accessible to private-sector players.
Before projects are submitted,
it is necessary to focus on the
needs of economic players.
For example, at the launch of
programmes, or before calls
for project proposals, potential
project developers must be
supported to clearly define their
project ideas. This may be done
through seminars, workshops
or surveys to identify project
ideas or the relevant structures.
E x a m p l e s :
The “project idea” forms used
by the Upper Rhine programme.
The “pre-project form” used by
France-Switzerland.