The Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan of Spain (PRTR), an itinerary created to articulate the European aid of the EU Next Generation fund, is endowed with 140,000 million euros that will reach Spain until 2026. A quarter of these funds will be allocated to the modernization and strengthening of the Spanish business and industrial fabric through different programs. Many of these plans are already active and are reaching small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with the aim of improving their digital development, being more energy efficient or receiving injection from financial institutions. For example, through European aid, you can start selling a small manufacturer online, change the most polluting shipping van in a flower shop or have an entrepreneur make his business idea.

The calls can be consulted on the web portal created by the Ministry of Finance or through the web pages enabled by the Autonomous Communities for the management of aid and financing programs, which are mainly responsible, together with some Ministries and City Councils, for their processing and concession.

Below we offer you a review of the main programs for SMEs and freelancers of the Next Generation EU fund in its three axes.

Digitalization

In March, the first call for the Digital Kit Program was opened, one of the most important plans for SMEs and the self-employed. Daniel Agudo Zabala, director of business development at the consultancy Innovation, says that "SMEs are facing an unprecedented opportunity, since these grants are based on aspects that require a boost to improve productivity".

The first call, endowed with 500 million euros of the 3,000 million planned, is aimed at self-employed and companies with between 10 and 49 workers. It has a digital bonus of 12,000 euros for digitization solutions for freelancers and companies. How? Through a website, an e-commerce space or the promotion of cybersecurity, among others. To access this bonus, organizations must perform a self-diagnostic test in which the level of their digitization is evaluated and then choose one of the agents of the 6,700 digitization – technology and marketing companies – that deals with the procedure and the installation of solutions required by SMEs.

Energy efficiency

Lower energy consumption seems essential in a context of sustained price growth in the short term, but also as a solution to reduce emissions that favor global warming. The commitment to sustainable business also increases the image of a company and provides it with a competitive advantage.

SMEs and the self-employed can now apply for aid for the installation of self-consumption equipment, such as wind turbines and photovoltaic panels, as well as access to subsidies for the constitution of energy communities for individuals, but also to entrepreneurs, where they can create, manage and share their own supply. This allows an efficient use of energy and, therefore, greater savings.

The amount of this aid, included in an item of 660 million euros, expandable to 1,320 million depending on demand, varies depending on whether it is a large company, SME or self-employed. These entities will receive the maximum percentage of initial investment volume, which varies depending on what is requested and who does it.

Entrepreneurship

Another objective of the PRTR, which articulates European aid, is to guarantee the viability of companies and offer an opportunity to entrepreneurs who want to undertake new projects through financing and advice. To this end, the Government is strengthening the actions of the Spanish Rebonding Company (CERSA), a public entity that covers the guarantees provided by mutual guarantee societies. These non-profit entities offer SMEs and freelancers access to financing under advantageous conditions, such as lower interest rates and longer repayment terms. They act as intermediaries with banks and do not contribute money; They offer guarantees to creditors. "It is a valid tool for start-ups that do not have a long financial history, nor a sufficient asset to guarantee it," says Agudo.

SMEs in the secondary sector also have a plan adapted to them. The Industrial Entrepreneurship Support Programme grants loans worth €75 million to improve the competitiveness of these enterprises and the creation of new industrial establishments. The objective is to increase the weight of the industrial sector, which currently has the lowest percentage in the Spanish economy, with 5.96% of companies, behind agriculture, construction and services.