Advance payment & bank guarantee
Some programmes pay part of the grant up front. To get it, your bank issues a guarantee letter, which costs a fee.
Budget for the bank's fee; the guarantee also ties up part of your credit line.
What it all means
The terms you’ll meet in every call, explained in two lines. On programme pages, tap any underlined word.
Aid intensity (coverage %)
The share of your costs the grant covers. At 60% on a €100,000 project you receive €60,000 and fund €40,000 yourself.
It depends on the region, the company size and the rules used (de minimis or GBER).
Appeal
If you're rejected or under-scored you can ask for a review, usually within 10 days.
The clock starts when results are published, so don't miss it.
Approval decision
The official approval: your project is 'in' and the amount is fixed. Your implementation period starts here.
Read its terms: deadlines, publicity duties, which changes are allowed.
AWU (annual work units)
How staff are counted: 1 AWU = one full-time employee for a whole year. Part-time or seasonal work counts as a fraction.
Many calls require a minimum (e.g. at least 1 AWU) or score new jobs.
Budget top-up
When a programme gets extra money to approve more applications than its original budget allowed.
That's why it can still be worth applying when applications already exceed the budget.
Call for applications
The official document that opens a programme: who can apply, what it pays for and the deadline. It always overrides any summary, including ours.
Usually a 50–150 page PDF with annexes (eligible activity codes, documents, scoring criteria). If anything here differs from the call, the call wins.
CAP (Common Agricultural Policy)
The EU's farm policy, run in Greece through the CAP Strategic Plan 2023–2027: payments, young farmers, farm investments, LEADER.
Applications mostly go through OPSKE or the annual single aid application (EAE).
Closed financial year
A completed financial year with the tax return filed. Many calls require one or two.
New businesses with no closed year should look for calls for 'new' or 'to be founded' businesses.
Co-financed loan (interest-free part)
A loan where part of the money (e.g. 40%) comes from public funds at 0% and the rest from the bank, so your overall interest falls sharply.
HDB's TEPIX programmes work this way; they open and close as funds become available.
Comparative evaluation
All applications are scored together after the deadline and the best are funded. Applying early gains nothing.
A stronger file wins: read the scoring criteria in the call and shape your project around them.
Cut-off date
In EU programmes, the date on which submitted proposals are batched for the next evaluation round. Miss it and you wait for the next one.
Results usually arrive 2–5 months later.
de minimis aid
An EU cap: a business can receive up to €300,000 of 'small' state aid in any rolling 3-year period. Aid you've already received counts.
In force since 1 Jan 2024 (EU Regulation 2023/2831). Farming and fisheries have lower, separate caps. Linked companies count together.
Deadline extension
A deadline moved later. Common in Greece, but don't count on it. We check daily and update the dates.
Extensions are often announced in the last few days, as an amendment to the call.
Development Law (4887/2022)
A national law with aid schemes for larger investments: grants, tax exemptions, leasing or wage subsidies. It opens in rounds with deadlines.
Each scheme has a minimum project size by company size and usually a comparative evaluation.
DYPA (public employment service)
Greece's public employment service (formerly OAED). It runs hiring subsidies and start-up support for the newly self-employed.
Hiring subsidies usually require the new hire to be registered as unemployed.
Eligible costs
The costs the programme pays towards (e.g. machinery, software, refurbishment). Anything not on the list you pay yourself.
Watch the caps, e.g. 'up to 30% for buildings'. Usually only costs after you submit the application count.
Equity investment
A fund invests money and takes a share of your company. It isn't repaid like a loan, but you share ownership.
It suits fast-growing start-ups, not every business.
ESPA (Partnership Agreement 2021–2027)
The pot of EU and Greek state money for 2021–2027. Most business grants in Greece come from it.
It is split into national programmes (e.g. 'Competitiveness', 'Just Transition') and 13 regional ones. Each programme publishes calls with their own rules and deadlines.
EU Funding & Tenders Portal
The European Commission site where most EU calls are published and submitted. You need an EU Login account and a PIC number.
The PIC (Participant Identification Code) identifies your organisation across EU programmes.
First come, first served
Applications are checked in the order they arrive until the money runs out. Speed matters.
Be ready on day one: documents, quotes, logins. Popular calls can fill up within hours or days.
Form E3
The tax-return schedule with your business accounts (income, costs, profit). Calls usually check turnover and activity from it.
Keep PDFs of your recent E3 forms ready.
GBER (General Block Exemption Regulation)
EU rules that allow larger aid without case-by-case approval from Brussels. More money, stricter conditions.
The key condition: don't start the investment (orders, deposits, works) before you submit the application.
GEMI (business registry)
Greece's business register. Company certificates (who represents the company, changes) come from there.
Sole traders without commercial activity are often not in GEMI; that's fine unless the call requires it.
Guarantee fund
The state (via the Development Bank) guarantees part of your bank loan, so the bank asks for less collateral. You still repay the loan.
The bank still decides whether to lend. The guarantee helps but doesn't guarantee approval.
HDB (Hellenic Development Bank)
A public bank that doesn't lend directly. It designs loan and guarantee programmes run through commercial banks.
Applications usually start on HDB's platform (kyc.hdb.gr) and finish at the bank.
Incentive effect
The aid must be what makes you invest. That's why costs before you apply usually don't count.
Even a deposit paid to a supplier before applying can make the whole project ineligible.
KAD (activity code)
The code for your business activity registered with the tax authority (AADE). Each call lists which codes qualify, often with a date by which you must have had it.
You can see it in AADE's 'Registry & Contact' service. A wrong or too-recent code is one of the most common reasons for rejection.
LEADER & Local Action Groups
Local rural programmes run by Local Action Groups, funding small investments in tourism, processing and crafts.
Each group covers specific municipalities. Check that your premises fall inside its area.
Linked and partner enterprises
If you or your company own 25% or more of another business, its staff and turnover may be added to yours.
This can change your size (e.g. from small to medium) and your de minimis headroom.
Lump sum
You receive a fixed amount for agreed results, without justifying every invoice.
Less paperwork, but you must deliver what you promised.
Managing Authority & intermediate body
The Managing Authority runs the programme; an intermediate body (e.g. EFEPAE) handles applications, questions and checks.
Asking the body's helpdesk is free. Use it.
OPSKE (state-aid application system)
Greece's integrated state-aid system (app.opske.gr), where most ESPA and CAP applications are filed. You sign in with TAXISnet.
Some schemes use their own platforms (e.g. the Development Law, DYPA, banks for loans).
Own contribution
The part of the investment you fund yourself (cash, a loan or new capital). You often have to prove you have it.
In practice you usually pay the full amount first and the grant arrives later. Plan cash for 6–18 months.
Payment claim (verification)
You're paid after proving the investment was made (invoices, bank payments, photos). Usually you pay first and are reimbursed.
Always pay by bank transfer from the business account; cash usually isn't accepted.
Post-completion obligations
After payment you usually keep the investment and the jobs for 3–5 years, or you may have to pay money back.
Don't sell equipment or move the business without approval during this period.
Pre-publication
An early version of a call so you can prepare. You can't apply yet and the terms can still change.
A good moment to check your activity code, ask suppliers for quotes and gather documents.
PS-An (Development Law platform)
The Ministry of Development's platform for Development Law applications (opsan.mindev.gov.gr).
Older rounds used the PSKE system (ependyseis.gr/mis).
Regional aid map
The EU map setting the maximum aid percentage per area for 2022–2027. Smaller companies get extra percentage points.
That's why the same investment can get a different rate in a different region.
Smart specialisation (RIS3)
Each region's list of priority sectors (e.g. tourism, agri-food, digital). Many calls only fund projects that fit one of them.
In the application you usually declare which priority area your project fits.
SME (small and medium-sized enterprise)
Micro: under 10 staff and turnover or balance sheet up to €2m. Small: under 50 and up to €10m. Medium: under 250 and turnover up to €50m or balance sheet up to €43m.
EU definition (Recommendation 2003/361). Linked and partner companies count too.
Tax and social-security clearance
Certificates that you owe nothing (or are on an agreed payment plan) to the tax office and the social-security fund (e-EFKA). Almost always required, often again before payment.
You can download them online from myAADE and e-EFKA in minutes if you have no debts.
Tax exemption
Instead of cash, you pay no income tax up to a set amount. Only worth it if the business makes a profit.
It is usually used over several years after the investment is completed.
TAXISnet credentials
Your tax-portal login, used to sign in to the application platforms (OPSKE and others).
For a company you need the company's or the legal representative's credentials.
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