By Order no. 847/2026, published in the Official Gazette no. 474 of June 5, 2026, a new non-reimbursable financing scheme for SMEs is approved, intended for the professional training of employees in the field of emerging technologies.
What does it provide for?
The scheme introduces de minimis aid in the form of a grant to cover the costs of upskilling or reskilling employees. The financing is granted through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP) and has a total budget of 1,700,000 euros, with approximately 100 SMEs estimated to benefit. The maximum value of aid a company can receive is 17,000 euros, the amount being correlated with the number of employees trained. The payment mechanism involves a reduction in the amount owed by the beneficiary to the training provider (scheme partner), with payment being made by the scheme administrator directly to the partner, upon presentation of proof of course completion.
Only training expenses in cutting-edge technological fields, considered emerging, are eligible. The strict list of these fields includes: internet of things (IoT), big data, cloud technologies, machine learning, artificial intelligence (AI), robotic process automation (RPA), blockchain, cyber-physical systems, and additive manufacturing. Any course that does not fall into these categories is not eligible for funding under this scheme.
The aid is subject to European rules on de minimis aid. The total value of de minimis aid received by a “single undertaking” (including affiliated entities) must not exceed the threshold of 300,000 euros over a period of three consecutive fiscal years. Applicant companies will have to declare, on their own responsibility, all previously received aid of this type. The scheme is valid until the budget is exhausted, but no later than June 30, 2026, and payments can be made until July 31, 2026.
Who does it apply to?
The scheme is exclusively addressed to small and medium enterprises (SMEs), including micro-enterprises, small enterprises, and medium enterprises, which are registered in Romania according to Law no. 31/1990 on companies. To be eligible, companies must cumulatively meet several conditions, including:
- Not to be considered “undertakings in difficulty” (e.g., not to have lost more than half of their subscribed share capital due to accumulated losses).
- Not to have significant outstanding net budgetary obligations.
- Not to be undergoing insolvency, bankruptcy, judicial reorganization, dissolution, or liquidation proceedings.
- Not to be subject to a recovery order for previous state aid declared illegal.
Companies operating in the primary production of agricultural products, fisheries, and aquaculture sectors, as well as those carrying out export-related activities, are excluded from financing.
What should you do?
- Check company eligibility. Ensure that the company falls into the SME category and is not in any of the exclusion situations (financial difficulty, significant budgetary debts, insolvency).
- Identify training needs. Analyze whether your team’s development needs match the strict list of fundable emerging technologies (AI, big data, blockchain, etc.) and contact the selected partners within the program to identify suitable courses.
- Calculate the available de minimis ceiling. Centralize all de minimis aid received by your company and related undertakings in the last three fiscal years to confirm that, by adding the new grant, the 300,000 euro threshold will not be exceeded.
- Prepare and submit documentation. Complete the support application and the necessary declarations of own responsibility (regarding SME classification, previously received de minimis aid, avoidance of double financing) according to the applicant’s guide to be published by the authorities.
Source: Official Gazette, Part I, no. 474 of June 5, 2026.
Note: This material is strictly for informational purposes and does not constitute legal, tax, or business advice. As the interpretation and application of legal provisions can vary significantly depending on the specific circumstances of each entity, we recommend seeking specialized legal assistance before making any operational decisions based on these changes.