Environmental aid for craft and commercial businesses

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The environmental aid scheme for craft or commercial businesses aims to encourage and support investments in the areas of environmental protection and the rational use of natural resources.

Aid is granted in the form of a capital subsidy or interest subsidy.

Applications for financial aid are to be submitted to the General Directorate for SMEs and Entrepreneurship at the Ministry of the Economy.

Who is concerned?

Businesses concerned

The financial aid can be granted to small and medium-sized businesses which are active in craft or commercial sectors.

However, businesses carrying out certain well defined activities are not eligible for the aid scheme.

Businesses carrying out industrial activities must submit their application to the Ministry of the Economy.

Eligible investments

The following investments in tangible and intangible fixed assets are eligible:

  • investments enabling SMEs to meet new EU environmental standards within a 3 year deadline as from the entry into force of said standards;
  • investments enabling any business to exceed the EU environmental standards or eligible investments made despite the absence of obligatory EU standards;
  • investments in energy saving, renewable energies or cogeneration of heat and electricity;
  • expenses incurred by SMEs by calling on external consultancy services with the aim of making improvements in the areas of environmental protection and the rational use of natural resources.

Prerequisites

To benefit from aid for environmental protection and the rational use of natural resources, the business must:

  • be established in Luxembourg;
  • hold a business permit granted by the General Directorate for SMEs and Entrepreneurship;
  • offer sufficient guarantees in terms of viability;
  • be soundly managed, and;
  • actively contribute to and form part of the country's economic structure.

How to proceed

Filing an application

Applicants must submit a duly completed application for financial aid for SMEs (French, Pdf, 168 Kb) (demande d'aide en faveur des classes moyennes), by post to the General Directorate for SMEs and Entrepreneurship.

In the event of a submission by post, the following must be indicated on the envelope:

Ministère de l'Economie
Demande d'aides d'Etat
L-2937 LUXEMBOURG

Price quotes may be attached to the application.

More information can be obtained on 247 84712 and/or 247 84726.

Aid is paid out after completion of the investment programme and on presentation of the following supporting documents:

  • invoices and proof of payments (e.g. bank statements);
  • in certain cases, a business plan or equivalent documents or measures proving the viability of the project and the reliability of its promoters.
  • where applicable, the loan conditions granted by the credit institution.

Amount of financial aid

Aid is provided in the form of a capital or interest subsidy and can amount to a maximum of:

  • where new EU standards are met: maximum 15 % of eligible expenses if the business is an SME;
  • where EU standards are exceeded: maximum 30 % of eligible expenses (+ an additional 10 % for SMEs);
  • investments in energy or cogeneration of heat and electricity: maximum 40 % of eligible expenses;
  • external consultancy services: maximum 50 % of eligible expenses for an SME.

Non-accumulation rules

Cumulation with other aid from support measures available to businesses in the SME sector is not allowed.

Aid for environmental protection and the rational use of natural resources for craft or commercial businesses may be combined with a loan from the SNCI (the national credit and investment institution - société nationale de crédit et d'investissement), provided that the total rate of financial aid does not exceed the stated maximum limits.

Aid provided under this financial aid scheme may not be granted in addition to aid already granted by the Ministry of the Economy.

Repayment

Beneficiaries must reimburse all or part of the aid received if they transfer or dispose of the investment financed with said aid in less than 10 years following the investment.

Online services and forms

Who to contact

General Directorate for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (Department for Support to SMEs)

Related procedures and links

Links

Legal references

  • Loi du 30 juin 2004

    portant création d'un cadre général des régimes d'aides en faveur du secteur des classes moyennes

  • Règlement grand-ducal du 24 novembre 2005

    portant exécution de l’article 4 de la loi du 30 juin 2004 en vue d’encourager les entreprises luxembourgeoises en matière de protection de l’environnement

  • Règlement grand-ducal du 9 mai 2010

    portant création d'un cadre général des régimes d'aides en faveur du secteur des classes moyennes et instituant un régime d'aides en faveur des petites et moyennes entreprises

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