Growth Premium

To stimulate economic growth in Flanders, the Flemish Government has introduced a 'growth premium'. Its purpose is to provide a financial incentive to businesses wishing to invest in the Flemish Region.

Depending on the size of the company and the amount of the subsidizable investment, your company may be eligible for:

• A growth premium by means of a call system
• A growth premium for strategic projects

Source: EU-brochure: "The new SME definition: user guide and model declaration"
Details see:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/enterprise/enterprise_policy/sme_definition/sme_user_guide.pdf

Please note:

• In order to calculate the total number of employees, the turnover and the balance sheet total, the figures of the company are added to the figures of all related enterprises.
• In case of a governmental participation > 25%, the company is no longer considered a SME. 
• Non-Profit Organisations cannot apply for growth premiums. 
• Enterprises accountable for an application of growth premium must be listed in the "Nace Code List", which represents an "acceptable core business" for the company. The list is available on www.vlaanderen.be/economiesteun 
• Certain sectors as agriculture and horticulture are not included in the subsidizable investments, because they are already subsidised with other specific premiums.

For more information:

Flanders Investment & Trade
Department Investment
Gaucheretstraat 90
1030 Brussels
Tel: 32 (0)2 504 88 71
Fax: 32 (0)2 504 88 70
E-mail: invest@fitagency.be
Website: www.investinflanders.com

Or

Flemish Government
Economics Agency (in Dutch: Agentschap Economie)
Department Economic grant-aided policy
(in Dutch: Afdeling Economisch Ondersteuningsbeleid)
Cell Growth Premiums
Koning Albert II-laan 35 bus 12
1030 Brussels
Tel: 32 (0)2 553 38 15
Fax: 32 (0)2 553 37 88
E-mail: groeipremie@vlaanderen.be
Website: www.vlaanderen.be/economiesteun

2. Grants for Ecological Investment

For whom?

In an attempt to contribute to meeting the Kyoto targets, the Flemish government has set up a system to award ecological grants to companies with an operational/working company in the Flemish district, except when there is a governmental participation that exceeds 50%.  Ecological investment grants are available for companies irrespective of their location in Flanders and vary by the size of the company.  A number of activities (based on the Nace-code) are excluded, such as agriculture and stockbreeding, first processing of agricultural products, etc.

Please note: No ecological grant can be granted to companies in which an administrative authority has a 'dominating influence'. It is assumed that there is 'dominating influence' if 50% or more of the capital or of the voting rights of the company are directly or indirectly controlled by an administrative authority.
This assumption can be refuted if the company can prove that in reality the administrative authority does not have a dominating influence on the policy of the company. The minister decides on this.

What?

Support can be given for 4 types of investments:

• Environmental investments
• Energy saving investments
• Renewable energy
• CHP (cogeneration)

A limitative technology list (LTL) has been set up of technologies eligible for ecological support. This list is an overview of technologies that are suitable for this premium and that aim to exceed the approved European norms, or to attain environmental advantages for which there are no European norms yet, or to adapt to new Flemish norms stricter than the European ones. 

This LTL is available online on www.ondernemen.vlaanderen.be and contains about 150 technologies ordered according to the type of the investment or to the type of the activity of the company. Per technology, the technology number (code for the application), the name of the technology, its description, its accepted percentage, its performance factor and its essential investment components are mentioned.

Calculation

The calculation of the support is based on the standardized additional extra investment cost as a percentage of the accepted investment amount.  The accepted percentage of the investment cost takes into account:

• The extra investment cost: this extra cost is calculated by comparing the technical merits of the ecological investment (i.e. an investment that ensures a higher level of environmental protection) to a standard investment. Comparison needs to be done on a real production capacity basis. 
• The extra investment amount will be reduced with the actualized five years cost savings (energy, raw materials…) and extra earnings derived from the new technology investment;

Percentages

For each technology the accepted percentage is mentioned on the limitative list.

How to apply?

The submission of the application can only be done online:
www.vlaanderen.be/ecologiepremie

Only one application per company per call is possible. The investment can start after the filing of the application and ends at least three years after the decision date. 

The payment of the premium occurs in three parts:
1st part: 30%: 1 month after decision + at the start of the project
2nd part: 30%: 1 month after decision + 60% of the project is realised
3rd part: 40%: after check-up + project is fully realised

For more information:

Flemish Government
Agentschap Economie
Entititeit Economisch Ondersteuningsbeleid
Koning Albert II-laan 35 bus 12
1030 Brussel
Tel: +32 (0)2 553 37 70
Fax: +32 (0)2 553 37 88
E-mail: ecologiepremie@vlaanderen.be
Website: www.vlaanderen.be/ecologiepremie