IAPMEI has 40 working days to analyze and decide on projects to support the digitalization of companies, but the deadline can be extended to a maximum of 90 days in very complex applications.
Taking into account the complexity of the projects that applied for support from the Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP) to strengthen the digitalization of companies, the Government decided to give IAPMEI more time to decide on the allocation of funding. Thus, instead of 40 days, the Agency for Competitiveness and Innovation now has 90 days to analyze and decide on the applications.
“Given the complexity of the projects that are the subject of applications for this incentive system, it was found to be necessary to proceed with the procedural adequacy provided for in the regulation, allowing for adequate time for analysis and decision on the respective funding,” reads the ordinance published this Friday in the Official Gazette.
Thus, under the Incentive System Companies 4.0, the decision on the financing of projects is taken by IAPMEI within 40 working days from the deadline for submission of application contained in the notice of call. But this deadline “may be extended up to a maximum of 90 working days, depending on the nature and complexity of investment measures, through the calls for tender”, determines the ordinance signed by the Secretary of State for Digitization and Administrative Modernization, Mário Filipe Campolargo, and Secretary of State for the Economy, Pedro Miguel Ferreira Jorge Cilínio, who was one of the directors of IAPMEI.
Then, IAPMEI notifies the applicants of the final decision within five working days from the date of the decision, as it has done so far.
Under this Component 16 of the RRP, the goal is to help “respond to the challenges related to the low digitalization of businesses” since, according to the results of the Economy and Society Digitality Index 2020, Portugal ranks 19th in the EU, ranking below the European average,” can be read in the Council Implementing Decision on the approval of the assessment of the recovery and resilience plan of Portugal.
The dimensions in which Portugal shows more weaknesses are the human capital and the use of Internet services, or even some aspects of the integration of digital technologies, which limits the digital capacity and performance of companies. Therefore, companies can apply to the RRP for:
- strengthen the digital skills of employees in the business sector;
- modernizing the business model and production processes, including the digitalization of workflows such as business
management, innovative products, and invoicing; - create new digital channels for marketing products and services
- innovate and incorporate advanced digital technologies into the business model of companies and
- promoting digital-based entrepreneurship.
Most of the goals defined at this level in the RRP have a deadline of 2025.
