FNGCIMM will manage an additional guarantee cap related to the IMM PLUS program through the approval of EMERGENCY ORDINANCE 58/2024.

The same normative act allows FNGCIMM to issue the necessary agreements for refinancing loans contracted under the FIRST HOME / NEW HOME programs.

Subsequently, by publishing ORDER no. 1043/15.05.2024 regarding the increase of the budget allocated to the IMM PLUS Program by 1,820,000,000 lei, FNGCIMM has started the procedure for allocating the caps to partner financiers, and on 19.06.2024, at 9.00 am, it will open the program application for the introduction of new guarantee requests.

The application provided to financiers will remain open until 21.06.2023, at 11:59 pm, for new requests introduced.

IMM PLUS remains the most successful government program dedicated to SMEs and medium-sized enterprises with market capitalization. The interest shown by both companies and banks has led the government to increase the program's cap, given that the initial budget was entirely depleted.

Through the IMM PLUS program, companies benefit from the necessary financial liquidity to implement investment programs and carry out current activities under advantageous financing conditions, with interest and commission subsidies, flexible repayment periods tailored to the specific needs of SMEs.

The beneficiaries of the IMM PLUS state aid scheme receive a grant within the cumulative limit resulting from the value of the risk commission, the administration commission related to the guarantee for the entire duration of the granted guarantee, and the interest on loans or credit lines granted for a maximum period of 12 months, except for the AGRO PLUS component beneficiaries who do not benefit from interest funded by the state budget under this state aid scheme.

The program is addressed to all categories of SMEs, medium-sized enterprises, including start-ups, and Territorial Administrative Units, which can apply until June 30, 2024, for financing with state guarantees and subsidized costs from the Ministry of Finance budget. The financing solutions are adapted to different sectors of activity, and beneficiaries can opt for one of the following components: IMM ROMANIA PLUS, AGRO PLUS, IMM PROD PLUS, and CONSTRUCT PLUS.

Accessing guaranteed financing under the IMM PLUS Program is done online, with guarantees granted based on the same set of documents requested by partner financiers in the program for credit approval. Companies must register on the website www.imminvest.ro to obtain the principal agreement for inclusion in the program and then select the bank from which they wish to obtain financing.

The additional allocated budget will allow access to investment and working capital loans for an estimated additional 2,300 beneficiaries, so the state aid scheme will support approximately 13,800 companies directly or indirectly affected by the crisis caused by Russia's aggression against Ukraine.

The main changes brought by Emergency Ordinance 58/6 June 2024 include:

1. Increasing the total guarantee cap under IMM PLUS: In the context of the high demand and the sustained pace of guarantee cap consumption, the Government decided to urgently increase the total guarantee cap for the IMM PLUS scheme by 2.499 billion lei. This will allow wider access to loans for SMEs, including start-ups, small enterprises with medium market capitalization, and UATs, with an estimated maximum number of 13,800 companies benefiting from the support.
2. Increasing the total budget of the state aid scheme: The total budget of the IMM PLUS state aid scheme has been increased to 14,999,250,579.70 lei, equivalent to approximately 2,999,850,115.94 euros. Within this budget, guarantees can be granted within the total cap of 13,320,000,000 lei (approximately 2,664,000,000 euros) and grants within the limit of 1,679,250,579.70 lei (approximately 335,850,115.94 euros). (Photo Dreamstime)