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What types of support does EU offer to SMEs to withstand the crisis?
Through its EU4Business Initiative, EU is supporting small and medium businesses (SMEs) in the following 3 areas:
Benefits from the Free Trade Agreement with the EU
specific technical help is available to Moldovan SMEs to make sure they can make the most of the country’s Free Trade Agreement with the EU
Access to finance and markets
special credit terms in partnership with selected Moldovan banks, as well as grants for SMEs in certain business sectors
Anti-crisis business support services
advisory and online learning opportunities, including sectoral education programmes, trainings and consultations from reputable experts
Where can I get a credit or a loan?
JSC Victoriabank
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JSC Moldova Agroindbank SA (MAIB)
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JSC BCR
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JSC Mobiasbanca
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JSC Procredit Bank Moldova
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O.C.N. «BT LEASING MD» S.R.L.
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Where can I get advice for my business?
The newly created portal is a national information tool for businesses engaged in international trade, for authorities, as well as for other stakeholders that will be able to access first-hand reliable information with respect to customs legislation; customs regimes and destinations; declaration, classification and origin of goods; permits, and the rules for border crossing concerning goods and transportation units.
Business advisory projects with local consultants and international advisers under the programme strengthen the competitiveness of SMEs, facilitate exports, adopt new standards, raise awareness of the DCFTA, provide better access to finance, increase the use and improve the quality of local business advisory services.
The Chamber of Commerce and Industry provides trainings/seminars and consulting services for the business environment and information on regulations in the field of economic activity, commercial and banking usage, and trade opportunities.
On EBA platform, SME representatives can find useful information regarding practical workshops and coaching sessions, as well as networking events, which contribute to enhanced technical skills and a more open and qualitative business communication by sharing knowledge and expertise.
Entrepreneurs can access more information on modern international trends in entrepreneurial development and how to implement them in the Republic of Moldova.
ODIMM offers the entrepreneurs access to programmes and projects for the development of the SME sector but also delivers consulting, training and mentoring services.
Offers personalized consulting services adapted to the business model and each entrepreneur is guided step by step on how to set up a business, access grants, identify new markets and build business partnerships.
The Women in Business Programme helps women-led small and medium-sized enterprises to access the finance and the know-how they need to grow.
This platform presents a list of active links of programmes that provide assistance (credit schemes, grants or subsidies) to Moldovan entrepreneurs.
On this platform, entrepreneurs can follow latest business news, receive expert consultation and track events in the economic environment.
A comprehensive programme of supporting small and medium-sized enterprises with business advice to improve their performance and growth.

What help is available from my government?
The Government of the Republic of Moldova is taking measures to battle the outcomes of the economic lockdown and respond to challenges that all businesses, especially SMEs are facing.
Immediate fiscal inputs
  • Interest rate subsidy programme

    The Interest Rate Subsidy Programme designed to facilitate businesses' access to loans between 1 May 2020 and 31 December 2020. The purpose of the Programme is to offset the amount of monthly interest paid or to be paid on the loans contracted.

    The maximum subsidized annual interest rate is 8.76% in national currency and 4.40% in foreign currency, which is the weighted average annual rate on new term loans granted to legal entities for 2019 determined by the National Bank of Moldova.

  • Vat reimbursement programme

    Establishing the Programme for Subsequent Reimbursement of the VAT registered for the period May 1, 2020 - December 31, 2020.

    • The amount of the refund will be the minimum amount between:
      • the amount of VAT to be deducted subsequently, which was registered in the last period;
      • the amount of salary deductions (income tax, social and health insurance payments) for the management month;
      • the amount of salary deductions (income tax, social and health insurance payments) for February 2020.
    • The cumulative amount of the refund for the payment period (1 May 2020 - 31 December 2020) will not exceed the amount of VAT for the subsequent period registered in the VAT return for December 2019;
    • The amount of VAT refunded will be deducted from the amount of VAT intended for the subsequent period.
    • In times of emergency, holders of entrepreneurial patents, issued According to the Law on Entrepreneurial patents no.93 / 1998 and persons carrying out activities in accordance with Chapter 102 and 103 of Title II of the Code fiscal no.1163 / 19974, they are granted aid Unique unemployment amounting to 2775.00 lei, provided that in March 2020 they did not achieve secure income.
Deferral programmes and initiatives
Taxation & State control
  • The Unified Call Centre of the State Tax Service (080001525), works 24/24 to answer all the questions of economic agents regarding the activity during the state of emergency.
  • Introducing the moratorium on all state controls by June 1, 2020. In case of extension of the state of emergency, this period will be extended.
  • 30-day extension of the deadline for the review of cases of violation of the tax and customs legislation or review of tax and customs appeals that occurred during the declared state of emergency.
  • Cancellation of the obligation to perform the mandatory audit of individual financial statements for 2019, except for entities of public interest.
  • Postponing the deadline for submitting individual financial statements for the year 2019 until May 29, 2020.
  • Suspending the deadlines for carrying out prior tax audits and/or of tax controls with the application of indirect methods of estimating the taxable income of individuals.
  • 4-year extension of the 7% single tax guarantee for IT park residents (1 January 2026).
  • Optimizing the tax system for natural resources by reducing them from 7 to 3 taxes, as follows:
    • water tax;
    • the tax for the extraction of useful minerals;
    • the tax for the use of the subsoil.
  • Granting the right to deduct any donations made during the year for the control of coronavirus (COVID-19) to the bank accounts opened by the Ministry of Finance for this purpose, or to public health institutions.
  • Increasing the accessibility of farmers to benefit from the facility to pay compulsory social security contributions, through which the state subsidizes 6% of 18%.
  • Increasing the budget of the National Agency for Employmen.t
  • Increasing by 40% the allowances for Social Assistance.
  • Increasing the transfers to cover the BASS deficit.
  • Consolidating the revenues of the Social Support Fund.
  • Reducing the VAT rate from 20% to 15% for the HORECA sector (from 01.05.2020).
  • Postponement organization of Annual General Assembly of Shareholders of Joint Stock Companies and Saving and Credit Organisations. Annual General Assemly of Shareholders 2020 will be held within 2 months from May 29, 2020.
Employment
  • Increasing the volume of the unemployment fund about 6 times.
  • Granting subsidies to economic agents that pay salaries during the crisis.
  • Amendments aimed at adjusting the provisions of the Law on the Population Support Fund no. 827/2000 (dated 01.07.2020) aim to consolidate the funding sources of the fund, which will enhance the social protection of disadvantaged people. Read more
Other liquidity/guarantee measures
  • Allowing the banks to defer loan rates for legal entities with 3 months (until 30.06.2020).
  • Additional measures to stimulate banks to provide loans to the economy and citizens under more favourable terms by reviewing (reducing) the basic rate. Read more
  • Encouraging non-banking lending organizations (microfinance organizations) to lower interest rates by at least 5% and to provide facilities for the payment of loans until 30.06.2020.
  • Postponing regulatory payments to NCFM (insurance companies, non-banking lending companies and credit history bureaus). Read more
  • Increasing the amount of compensation from the state budget to the beneficiaries of the "First House" loan programme. Read more
  • The Ministry of Economy and ODIMM launched a program for Business Digitalisation with the aim of supporting the digital transformation and development of small and medium-sized enterprises in order to exploit the innovative potential and facilitate companies' access to internal and external markets. Read more

This information is based on information from publicly available websites on 22 May, 2020. EU4Business is not responsible for accuracy and continued availability of these facilities.

Do any EU4Business projects give grants for SMEs?

Grants for SMEs are available through the following programmes.

RESEARCH AND INNOVATION PROGRAMME HORIZON 2020. Horizon 2020 is the biggest EU Research and Innovation programme. It promises more breakthroughs, discoveries and world-firsts by taking great ideas from the lab to the market. Horizon 2020 is the financial instrument implementing the Innovation Union, a Europe 2020 flagship initiative aimed at securing Europe's global competitiveness.
Valid until 30.06.2020 with a total budget for grants of € 223 938. Read more

Direct grant to ODIMM ''Support to SMEs in rural areas''. The mission of this Action’s Beneficiary, the Moldovan Organization for Small and Medium Enterprises Sector Development – ODIMM is to contribute to the development of a competitive national economy through the development of the Moldovan SME sector. ODIMM’s vision is thus to become the main engine of local entrepreneurship development and, in this aspect, ODIMM de facto acts as the implementing agency of the Moldovan Ministry of Economy’s SME development policies. The EU Direct grant worth € 4 000 000 allows ODIMM to considerably increase the outreach of the national PARE 1+1 and Women in Business programmes
Valid until 31.05.2021 with a total budget for grants of € 5 000 000. Read more
For further information about EU activities in Moldova. Read more

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