COMPLEX Approach

Key Facts:

Complex Approach

- Finance with a cumulative value of up to EUR 3 million per company, in one or several loans.
- Investments should achieve compliance with one or more of the EU Directives in the field of environmental protection, energy efficiency, worker’s safety, product quality and safety.
- Investments should improve the competitiveness of the company in any market.
  Upon successful completion, complex projects receive a cash-back grant of up to 15%.

Complex loans are for businesses in sectors that are open to export (manufacturing industry, food production, selected service industries such as hotels, etc.), and especially those seeking to:

- - Compete effectively with established, technologically sophisticated and efficient companies
  - Meet more demanding EU operating and production standards
  - Meet Health and Safety standards for their workers as EU standards are progressively introduced in their own legislation
  - Implement more energy efficient and less polluting manufacturing plants & equipment and adopt production practices that comply with EU and international environmental legislation

Application Forms

Typical complex investments

- New machines, production equipment, production lines
- Machines for packaging
- New boilers, cooling systems, heat pumps, ventilation
- Automation and control systems
- Refurbishment and construction of production buildings
- Integrated refurbishment and construction of production lines and buildings.
- Refurbishment and construction of storage facilities, cold rooms, warehouses including internal means of transport
- Grain storage systems, mills, animal feed plants
- Animal breeding facilities and equipment (cows, poultry, hens, etc.)
- Earth moving equipment
- Aspiration and dust-abatement systems
- Waste water treatment plants
- Air emission abatement plants
- Investment project specifically targeting the reduction of energy consumption, including:
  - new co-generation plants, accommodating existing heat demand
  - energy efficiency activities in urban transport projects
  - production of components, equipment and infrastructure dedicated to energy efficiency and/or GHG reduction
- Renewable energy investments (solar PV, wind and hydro power, biogas)
- Investment projects for the reduction of pollutants, for waste minimization as well as raw material savings and soil erosion reduction

An example from practice: A Success for Metals

The global focus on environmental concerns has shifted the attention of European buyers towards suppliers that can meet increasingly stringent green production standards. In response to increasing market demand but also to comply with the expectations of European buyers, Caucas Metal invested in upgrading its production facilities and in green production technologies. Apart from capacity increases, improved health and safety conditions, the company also reduced its carbon footprint by 80t CO2 per year. The energy cost savings achieved further improved the company’s competitiveness. Last but not least, the company received a 15% grant on its investment, funded by the EU4Business initiative

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Example

Application Procedure

Pre-approval takes up to 5 business days.

Full approval process takes up to 30 business days

Eligibility Criteria

Project related criteria:

Company related eligibility requirements:

- Investment project compliant with one or more relevant EU Directives in the field of environmental protection, workers’ health and safety and product quality and safety, as listed in the Priority EU Directives
- Or, investment compliant with a EU Directive (other than a Priority EU Directive), confirmed as suitable by the Project Consultant
- Project not benefitting from another EU grant or any other grant or subsidy available from an international or national donor organization
- Individual SMEs are eligible for total aggregate loans of up to EUR 3 million (for complex projects)
- The loan amount shall not exceed 100% of the investment cost of the relevant project (VAT Excluded)
- Eligible investment costs incurred after the date of the Agreement between the company and a Partner Bank or a Financing Institution
- Each project successfully implemented is eligible for an Investment Incentive payment of up to 15% of the financed amount following Verification Consultant’s check,.

- SMEs as per EU definition: fewer than 250 employees; a turnover of less than €50 M or total Balance sheet less than €43 M; no more than 50% by shareholders that exceed the SME criteria,
  (http://ec.europa.eu/growth/smes/business-friendly-environment/sme-definition_en and
  http://ec.europa.eu/DocsRoom/documents/15582/attachments/1/translations)
- Operating in a sector that can be open to export
- The business must be registered in Armenia, operating primarily in Armenia, and operating in accordance with the laws of Armenia
- At least 51% privately owned and privately run
- Applicants must meet the usual financing appraisal criteria of a Partner Bank or Partner Financing Institution
- The applicant must comply with the EBRD’s Environmental and Social Policy https://www.ebrd.com/news/publications/policies/environmental-and-social-policy-esp.html

Sectors/Activities Exclusions:

Please check Who can Apply for details.

COMPLEX Approach

Key Facts: