“Companies will use these funds to participate in more than 1 500 international exhibitions and certify more than half a hundred products. These figures represent significant export potential and will open up new opportunities for companies to expand and grow. Exports create great value for Lithuania, so we are helping companies to actively seek routes to foreign markets,” says Aušrinė Armonaitė, Minister of the Economy and Innovation.
Food supplements, windows and doors, fertilisers, batteries, cleaning products, timber-framed house elements, light fittings, a play board, etc. are among the products to be certified by companies using the funds allocated. The aim is to obtain certificates confirming the quality or specific characteristics of these products and to export products that meet international standards.
“The large number of PIPs submitted shows that Lithuanian micro, small and medium-sized enterprises are actively seeking opportunities to expand into international markets and export their products or services. Participation in international exhibitions is one of the ways to find customers and partners abroad. Product certification is no less important, since access to certain markets can be blocked if it is not obtained. Therefore, funding for the presentation of products at international exhibitions and for product certification will help to increase the competitiveness of domestic businesses abroad,” says Dovilė Sabienė, Programme Manager at the Business Promotion Division of the Innovation Agency.
Under the terms of the call, funding may also be granted for the design or update of the website of the company and for the salary costs of a newly created export manager position. The design or update of a website is foreseen in 40 projects and the salary costs of an export manager in 8 projects.
The maximum funding available for a company is EUR 100 000 and the minimum is EUR 10 000. At least half of the eligible costs of the project must be financed by own funds of the company or from other sources.
The largest number of positive PIPs submitted under the call were from companies in Kaunas (89), Šiauliai (25) and Klaipėda (19) counties. Almost half (45 per cent) of the applicants meet the definition of a medium-sized enterprise, 34 per cent – a small enterprise, and 21 per cent – a micro enterprise. The largest number of positive PIPs came from companies operating in computer programming and consultancy (14 per cent), manufacture of food products (8 per cent), manufacture of fabricated metal products (8 per cent), and manufacture of machinery and equipment (8 per cent).
Micro, small and medium-sized enterprises in Central and Western Lithuania, active for at least one year, were eligible to submit PIPs. Medium-sized enterprises had to have an annual sales revenue of at least EUR 145 000 in the last financial year, and micro and small enterprises had to have an annual sales revenue of at least EUR 50 000. In addition, at least 51 per cent of the revenue must have been generated by sales of the applicant’s own production.
The projects in the “Expo Opportunities” call are implemented within the framework of the Programme for the EU Funds’ Investments 2021–2027.
