The EFTA Surveillance Authority has adopted new State aid Guidelines to promote risk finance investments, corresponding to similar guidelines adopted by the European Commission. The adoption of these new Guidelines is part of a broader strategy to modernize State aid control.

The new rules aim to facilitate access to financing small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and companies with a medium capitalization (referred to as “midcaps”) based within the EFTA States. These enterprises may face difficulties in gaining access to finance in their start-up period and later during their development and growth phases.

The existing State aid rules to promote risk capital investments in SMEs have often been considered to be too restrictive. The new rules are meant to respond better to the current market reality and the needs of the affected enterprises. As a result, the new Guidelines are more flexible and broader in scope.

Key features of the new Guidelines are:

The scope is enlarged
Higher compatibility thresholds
Broader range of possible financial instruments
A substantial reduction of the required private participation rate
New and more flexible forms of support to alternative trading platforms
More flexibility and clearer conditions for tax incentives to investors

These new Guidelines replace the "Risk Capital Guidelines" adopted in 2006 and amended in 2010.

Documents

New Guidelines, applicable from 1 July 2014
Existing Guidelines, prolonged until 30 June 2014

For further information, please contact:

Mr. Andreas Kjeldsberg Pihl
Press & Information Officer
tel. (+32)(0)2 286 18 66
mob. (+32)(0)492 900 187