SICE Internationalization of SMEs: Your business across borders.

SICE Internationalization of SMEs - Individual Applications: What is it?

Support for individual operations promoted by SMEs, aimed at internationalizing business models through more advanced business strategies that increase the SME's ability to integrate into global value chains.

Individual SME operations aimed at internationalizing business models by adopting more advanced business strategies that increase the SME's ability to integrate into global value chains are eligible for support, through the following actions:

• Knowledge, prospecting and presence in foreign markets;

• International marketing;

• Online presence and E-commerce;

• Creation and international promotion of brands;

• Organizational innovation related to commercial practices or external relations;

• Quality and specific certification for foreign markets.

Eligible entities

SICE SME Internationalization - Individual Operations is intended to support individual operations by Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs).

Funding

The total allocation will be €32,000,000 with a maximum co-financing rate of up to 40%.

Geographical application

Companies in mainland Portugal - NUTS II regions (North, Center, Lisbon, Alentejo and Algarve) can apply.

Eligible costs

Eligible projects include expenditure on:

• Salary costs relating to the hiring of qualified human resources, including the basic salary and the employer's compulsory social charges, excluding subsistence allowances;

• Costs relating to participation in fairs and exhibitions abroad, including space rental, construction and operation of the stand;

• Costs of specialized consultancy services, provided by external consultants, which do not constitute a continuous or periodic activity and are not related to the normal functioning of the beneficiaries. This includes costs for the intervention of certified accountants or statutory auditors, costs of payment requests, costs relating to the certification of products, processes or services, costs of designing and registering new brands, costs relating to the domiciliation and subscription of applications, membership of electronic platforms or directories and search engines;

• Other costs of specialized consultancy services provided by external consultants. This includes the costs of incorporating ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) principles into companies with a view to adopting environmental, social and corporate governance practices, including services related to auditing processes and obtaining certifications for systems, services and products in the environmental area, such as obtaining the Ecolabel and the eco-management and auditing system (EMAS);

• Other expenses related to promoting internationalization, including prospecting and attracting new clients and promotional actions carried out in foreign markets.

Application Period

The application form will be available on 5/07/2024, and the analysis and decision will be made within the following phases:

Phase 1: Completion on 30/09/2024 by 17:00

Phase 2: Completion on 30/12/2024 by 17:00