Northern SMEs with new 2020 funds to strengthen international trade

The managing authority for the community program Norte 2020 has launched a new public tender, with a total of 15 million euros, for already exporting companies in the region which want to strengthen international trade of goods and services.

"This funding opportunity particularly values the adoption of electronic commerce (e-commerce) as an internationalization tool based on e-commerce and digital transformation strategies," explains the North Regional Coordination and Development Commission (CCDR-N), which is responsible for the management of the program, on the official page of Norte 2020.

With applications up to October 31, the competition regulations predict that each supported project has as a minimum limit of eligible expenditure 25 thousand euros.

"It considers eligible actions which support a better knowledge of external markets, a presence on websites and electronic platforms, a international promotion of brands or specific certifications for external markets," he adds.

The objective of the competition is "to promote the acceleration of Portuguese exports, increasing the international sales volume of companies that already export and therefore that offer greater guarantees of rapid performance", providing incentives to projects that "strengthen the entrepreneurial capacity of SMEs for the internationalization ", valuing the adoption of electronic commerce.

The final goal, which can be read in the announcement of the tender, will be "to strengthen the competitiveness of companies, to promote the increasing exports of products with high technological intensity, as well as to encourage more and more the integration into international value chains, recognizing its importance for the creation of more jobs and more wealth ".

Applications can be submitted until 31 October and the date foreseen for the communication of the proposed decision is scheduled for February 7, 2019.

Managed by the CCDR-N, and approved in December 2014, Norte 2020 counts on with 3.4 billion euros of community funds, and almost half of the value (1.26 billion euros) goes to the competitiveness of micro and small companies in the region.