This Government Decision approves the Regulation establishing the normative framework for drafting, approving, implementing and monitoring non-financial and non-reimbursable financial support instruments for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) financed from the state budget. The Regulation applies to instruments elaborated and implemented by the public institution Organization for Entrepreneurship Development (ODA), coordinated with the Ministry of Economic Development and Digitization (MDED), and aligned with sectoral spending strategies and public policy objectives approved by the Government. It defines key terms such as beneficiary, applicant, business plan, non-financial support and non-reimbursable financial support, and sets out guiding principles including a single-window approach centred on the business plan, integrated evaluation, transparency and open competition, non-discrimination and equal opportunities, flexibility, complementarity with other support mechanisms, and prudent risk management. The Regulation prescribes the mandatory content of each support instrument, including its denomination, objectives, implementation terms, type and amount of support per business plan, responsible and financing institutions, eligibility criteria, duration, rules on cumulation of State aid and de minimis aid, eligible economic activities, ineligible investments and expenditures, evaluation and approval procedures, support components by enterprise stage, indicators, and rules on record-keeping, reporting and monitoring. It requires compliance with national State aid and de minimis rules and EU interpretative instruments, prior opinions from MDED and the Competition Council, and public notification of approved instruments. ODA must prepare an operational manual for each instrument within 30 days of its entry into force. General eligibility criteria exclude enterprises in insolvency or liquidation, those with tax arrears, links to non-transparent jurisdictions or sanctioned persons, conflicts of interest with ODA leadership, corruption or fraud sanctions, and double public support for the same investments. Specific eligibility criteria are set at instrument level to align with Government policies and result indicators. The text details categories of eligible non-reimbursable expenditures (e.g. equipment and infrastructure, intangible assets, product and service development, digitalization, circular economy measures, market access, and business development services) and lists non-eligible costs (taxes, exchange losses, financing costs, rent, consumables, administrative expenses, and acquisition or construction of residential or administrative real estate). It regulates application procedures, publication of calls, and a structured appeals mechanism allowing applicants to contest refusals before ODA and, subsequently, before the courts under the Administrative Code. Financing is provided within state budget allocations and other lawful sources, including coverage of own contributions and other commitments under external assistance projects, and limited coverage of administrative costs. Monitoring and evaluation responsibilities are divided between ODA and MDED, with requirements for separate accounting, periodic performance and contribution reports, annual internal or external audits, governance and integrity safeguards, and ex post evaluation aligned with OECD-DAC criteria, with results reported to development partners.
Republic of Moldova · 2025-09-17