The relevant regulation on granting state aid to support foreign trade activities is currently undergoing interagency coordination and will regulate the mechanism of the government’s new BRIDGE EXPORT Export Assistance Program.
Funding under the Program is a state aid scheme subject to the statutory procedures for disbursement of funds by the Investment Agency. The beneficiary of the “BRIDGE EXPORT” program can only be a specialized association that has concluded an agreement with the Agency on partial coverage of costs associated with participation in export promotion activities, the draft document says.
Judging by the figures, the amount of state support will be considerable. Business associations can expect to receive on contractual terms a one-time assistance of at least 100,000 lei, but not more than 2 million lei under the financing agreement, provided they meet the eligibility criteria. The criteria are predetermined and quite feasible – at least three participants in the event, no debts to the state budget, etc. The maximum eligibility level has been set. The maximum limit of state support is also set – no more than 5 million lei in the time interval of several current years.
But the most interesting condition for the specialized associations of local producers to receive state support is not to have “political affiliation or explicit activities related to currents, movements and political parties, and do not carry out lobbying, propaganda and public-private activities, except for the purposes of fulfilling the statutory mission and representing the industry”. Who and how this condition will be checked is not reported.
