SMEs: 678 million for investments 4.0 and energy saving


A new incentive measure arrives for the investments of SMEs in 4.0 technologies. From 18 May the call promoted by MISE officially opens to support SMEs that invest in 4.0 technologies, circular economy and energy saving. Starting from this date, in fact, Italian micro and small and medium-sized enterprises will be able to request incentives to make new investments and encourage the digital transition, but also to support manufacturing activities.


"We support the technological modernization of Italian companies through investments in innovative projects aimed at improving the energy sustainability of production processes", declared Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti in a statement. According to the Minister, it has also become a priority to accelerate the use of new technologies that are able to increase the level of efficiency and energy savings to  reduce the cost of bills .


The measure makes 677.8 million available , of which 250.2 for investments to be made in the central-northern regions and 427.7 in the southern regions.


The new aid scheme is financed with React-Eu funds, resources recovered from the structural funds, with the aim of encouraging investments for the digital transformation of companies according to 11 technological fields 4.0 (additive manufacturing, advanced manufacturing, augmented reality, automated integration with the logistics system, internet of things, cloud, simulation, cybersecurity, big data, blockchain, artificial intelligence).


The measure, established with the Ministerial Decree of 10 February 2022, and governed by the Directorial Decree of 12 April 2022, finances programs for the realization of innovative, sustainable investments with a high technological content and consistent with the national Transition 4.0 plan with priority for those aimed at:


  • favor the transition of the company towards the  paradigm of the circular economy ;
  • improve the  energy sustainability of the company  with the achievement of energy savings, within the production unit affected by the intervention, not less than 10% compared to the previous year's consumption.

The following  types of expenditure are considered eligible :


  • machinery, plant and equipment
  • masonry works  strictly functional to the realization of investments in new technologies, within the limits of 40% of eligible expenses
  • computer programs and licenses  for the use of machinery
  • acquisition of certifications of environmental management systems  or energy efficiency

For investment projects aimed at improving the energy sustainability of the company, expenses for  consultancy services  aimed at defining the energy audit are also eligible (see Legislative Decree no. 102 of 4 July 2014) relating to the production unit subject to the energy efficiency measures, within the limits of 3% of the total amount of eligible expenses and on condition that carrying out the diagnosis does not constitute a mandatory requirement for the company.


In order to be eligible for subsidies, investment programs must:


  • provide for the prevalent use of enabling technologies pertaining to the Transition 4.0 plan and the amount of expenses must be preponderant with respect to the total eligible costs of the program
  • be aimed at the expansion of production capacity , the diversification of functional production (for products never manufactured before) or the fundamental change of the production process of an existing production unit or the construction of a new production unit
  • be carried out in a production unit located in the national territory and in the availability of the company at the date of submission of the application for subsidy. For programs aimed at the construction of a new production unit and for programs carried out by companies not resident in the Italian territory, availability must be demonstrated on the date of request for the first disbursement.
  • in the case of investment programs to be carried out in the regions of Molise, Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, Puglia, Sicily and Sardinia , the eligible expenses must not be less than 500,000 euros overall and not more than 3 million euros and, in any case, 80 % of the turnover of the last approved and filed balance sheet
  • in the case of investment programs to be carried out in the regions of Abruzzo, Emilia Romagna, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Lazio, Liguria, Lombardy, Marche, Piedmont, Tuscany, Trentino Alto-Adige, Umbria, Valle d'Aosta and Veneto, the eligible expenses are not they must be less than 1 million euros overall and no more than 3 million euros and, in any case, 80% of the turnover of the latest approved and filed financial statements

  • be initiated after the submission of the application and provide for a deadline for completion no later than 12 months from the date of the provision for granting the facilities.

 Investments by small and medium-sized enterprises, located throughout the national territory, are facilitated .


Manufacturing activities are allowed, with the exception of activities related to some sectors characterized by limitations deriving from the relevant European provisions (steel industry; coal mining; shipbuilding; manufacture of synthetic fibers; transport and related infrastructures; production and distribution of energy, as well as related infrastructures) or to investment programs which, causing significant damage to the environmental objectives defined at European level, do not guarantee compliance with the DNSH principle ( Do No Significant Harm , "do not cause significant damage").


The business services activities listed in annex 4 of the  decree of 10 February 2022 are also allowed .


The concessions are granted, pursuant to and within the limits of the provisions of section 3.13 of the Temporary framework , in the form of a contribution to the plant account, to cover a maximum nominal percentage of admissible expenses, determined according to the territory in which the investment is made and the size of the beneficiary companies.


In particular:


  • for investment programs to be carried out in the territories of the regions of  Calabria, Campania, Puglia, Sicily , the maximum contribution is equal to 60% of the eligible expenses for micro and small -sized enterprises and 50% for medium - sized enterprises;
  • for investment programs to be carried out in the territories of the  Basilicata, Molise and Sardinia regions , the maximum contribution is equal to  50% of the eligible expenses for micro and small -sized enterprises and 40% for medium - sized enterprises;
  • for investment programs to be carried out in the territories of the  Abruzzo, Emilia Romagna, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Lazio, Liguria, Lombardy, Marche, Piedmont, Tuscany, Trentino Alto-Adige, Umbria, Valle d'Aosta and Veneto regions , the maximum contribution is equal to  35% for micro and small enterprises and 25% of the eligible costs for medium sized enterprises.

For investment programs carried out in the territories of the Molise, Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, Puglia, Sicily and Sardinia regions, if they are concluded within 9 months from the date of granting the facilities, it is recognized (within the limits of the maximum aid intensities provided for by the legislation), an increase in the contribution to the plant account of 5%. This increase is paid at the same time as the disbursement of the balance of the concessions.


The subsidies for Sustainable Investments 4.0  cannot be combined, with reference to the same expenses, with other public subsidies, which are configured as State aid , including those attributed in "de minimis"  where granted for specific eligible costs, with the exception of those obtained exclusively in the form of tax benefits and guarantees and in any case within the limits of the maximum intensities envisaged by the relevant provisions of the GBER Regulation.


The procedure for submitting the application for access to the facilities is divided into the following phases:


  • Compilation of the application for access to the facilities, starting at  10 am on 04/05/2022,
  • Presentation of the application for access to the facilities starting at  10 am on 18/05/2022.

Grants will be granted on the basis of an evaluation procedure with an over-the-counter procedure. The evaluations will take place according to the chronological order of presentation within sixty days from the date of submission of the application.