Background information

On June 2022, the Ministries of Digital Governance and Finance, announced the launching of the program "Digital Tools for SMEs". The program aims to strengthen small and medium-sized enterprises through the provision of vouchers that will be available for the acquisition, through purchase or lease, of new digital tools. The program aims to:

• Modernise the productive, commercial and administrative operation of businesses.
• Upgrade the way of communication and cooperation and the introduction of new forms of hybrid work
• Digitise electronic transactions with customers and partners, including e-commerce
• Increasing the level of security and trust in electronic transactions

The program is implemented within the framework of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan "Greece 2.0" funded by the European Union – Next Generation EU. The applications for inclusion in the program started on 10 June 2022 and will finish on 30 May 2023.

Content of measure

The "Digital Tools" program grants financial support to businesses for the acquisition, through purchase or lease, of new digital tools / services, which could contribute to the following:

• Improving the business operations, (commercial software applications, customer management and support, staff management and training, warehouse management)
• Enhancing collaboration, productivity and remote work, (productivity, communication and collaboration platforms, remote work supporting tools, management of projects and portfolios).
• Strengthening e-commerce (cloud tools for: marketing automation, digital campaign management & customer loyalty)
• Security and trust (security for end users, security of access to applications and data)

In addition to the purchase of equipment, eligible are also the costs for additional / complementary actions such as installation, configuration, product setup, updating.

The eligible enterprises are of all categories, independently of the sector. Businesses must be based in Greece, with a Greek VAT, have to be established before 1 January 2022 and be active on the date of the submission of the application for funding from the program.

Businesses are divided into four categories, depending on the size of employment. The amount of the granting (voucher) depends on the size of the business and the staff employed and ranges from €900 to €18,000. The budget of the Program (total Public Expenditure) amounts to €180 million.

Use of measure

Until 15 September 2022 had been submitted 50,000 applications. The process of issuing vouchers began gradually from 30 January 2023.

Target groups

Workers	Businesses	Citizens
Does not apply to workers	SMEs	Does not apply to citizens

Actors and funding

Actors	Funding
National government Company / Companies	European Funds National funds National Recovery and Resilience Facility

Social partners

Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:

	Trade unions	Employers' organisations
Role	No involvement	No involvement
Form	Not applicable	Not applicable

Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:

• No involvement
• Main level of involvement: N/A

Involvement

There is no involvement of social partners.

Views and reactions

There are no social partners' reactions to the measure.

Sources

• 20 December 2022: Ψηφιακά Εργαλεία ΜΜΕ (www.gov.gr)
• 30 January 2023: Ψηφιακά Εργαλεία ΜΜΕ - Έναρξη διαδικασίας έκδοσης vouchers (www.taxheaven.gr)