Innovation Aid for Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs)

L.N. 51 of 2024

MALTA ENTERPRISE ACT

(CAP. 463)

Innovation Aid for Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs)

(2024) Regulations, 2024

IN EXERCISE of the powers conferred by article 5 of the Malta

Enterprise Act, the Minister responsible for Malta Enterprise has made

the following regulations:-

(1) The title of these regulations is the Innovation Aid for

Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) (2024) Regulations,

2024. (2) These regulations shall be deemed to have come into force

on 1st January 2024.

In these regulations, unless the context otherwise requires

"Act" means the Malta Enterprise Act;

"Corporation" means Malta Enterprise as established by

article 7 of the Act;

"Guidelines" means the Guidelines as may be published by

the Corporation from time to time in accordance with the Act;

"highly qualified personnel" shall have the same meaning

as assigned to it in Annex 1 of Commission Regulation (EU) No

651/2014 of 17 June 2014 declaring certain categories of aid

compatible with the internal market in application of Articles

107 and 108 of the Treaty, as amended from time to time;

"innovation advisory services" shall have the same

meaning as assigned to it in Annex 1 of Commission Regulation

(EU) No 651/2014 of 17 June 2014 declaring certain categories

of aid compatible with the internal market in application of

Articles 107 and 108 of the Treaty, as amended from time to

time;

"innovation support services" shall have the same meaning

as assigned to it in Annex 1 of Commission Regulation (EU) No

651/2014 of 17 June 2014 declaring certain categories of aid

compatible with the internal market in application of Articles

107 and 108 of the Treaty, as amended from time to time;

"small and medium sized enterprise (SME)" or "(SMEs)"

shall have the same meaning as assigned to them in Annex 1 of

Commission Regulation (EU) No 651/2014 of 17 June 2014

declaring certain categories of aid compatible with the internal

market in application of Articles 107 and 108 of the Treaty, as

amended from time to time;

"research and knowledge-dissemination organisation" shall

have the same meaning as assigned to it by Commission

Regulation (EU) No 651/2014 of 17 June 2014 declaring certain

categories of aid compatible with the internal market in

application of Articles 107 and 108 of the Treaty, as amended

from time to time ;

"undertaking" shall have the same meaning as assigned to it

in the Act.

(1) SMEs may improve their innovative performance Assistance to

through access to highly qualified personnel and collaboration with a eligible

undertakings.

research and knowledge dissemination organisation.

(2) Where the Corporation is satisfied that an SME is carrying

out an innovative project, the eligible undertaking shall qualify for a

cash grant to support innovative actions in accordance with the terms

and eligibility criteria as set out in the Guidelines.

(3) A business research partnership may be established through

the secondment of highly qualified personnel seconded from a

research and knowledge-dissemination organisation or as innovation

advisory provided by a research and knowledge-dissemination

organisation.

The eligible costs shall be the costs related to the Eligible costs.

secondment of highly qualified personnel, the cost of the innovation

advisory, and costs for innovation support services required for the

implementation of the project as further prescribed in the Guidelines.

(1) The maximum assistance for every application shall Aid intensity.

not exceed fifty per cent (50%) of the eligible costs, capped at two

hundred and fifty thousand euro (€250,000).

(2) In the case of assistance for innovation advisory and

innovation support services, if an aid intensity above fifty per cent

(50%) is approved, the total assistance for innovation advisory

services and innovation support services shall be capped at two

hundred and twenty thousand euro (€220,000) for every undertaking

within any three (3) year period.

(1) Applications for assistance in accordance with these

regulations shall be submitted to the Corporation before 30th October

2026. (2) Assistance in accordance with these regulations shall not be

granted by the Corporation after 31st December 2026.

In the eventuality that a new scheme is issued, the

provisions in respect of which the assistance was granted prior to the

issuance of the new scheme shall continue to apply thereto.

€0.27