Changes for those who want to start or grow a social enterprise. The Ministry of Investments and European Projects (MIPE) has updated the funding rules via Order No. 1,426/2026, providing essential clarifications regarding eligible expenses under the de minimis aid scheme dedicated to social entrepreneurship.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The changes come as part of aligning the legislation with the new name of the funding program, namely the Sustainable Development and Just Transition Program 2021–2027, as well as to eliminate ambiguities regarding which investments are eligible for reimbursement.
Quick Guide: What Purchases Are Eligible Under the New Funding Changes for Social Enterprises
The new regulation confirms that future social enterprises may use the funding to purchase:
- technological equipment;
- machinery and work equipment;
- furniture;
- IT and computer equipment.
These assets may be classified as either fixed assets or inventory items, but they must meet two conditions simultaneously:
· the individual value must exceed 2,500 lei;
· the normal useful life must be more than one year.
In practice, the focus is on investments that contribute to the long-term development and operation of the business.
What expenses are no longer eligible?
First, vehicles are entirely excluded from funding, regardless of their intended use or necessity within the social enterprise.
Additionally, assets considered ordinary inventory items that:
- have a value of less than 2,500 lei; or
- have a useful life of less than one year
These categories of purchases must be covered from the enterprise’s own funds and are not eligible for the non-reimbursable support offered through the de minimis scheme.
What do these changes mean for social entrepreneurs?
The new clarifications provide a clearer picture of how to structure an investment budget for a social enterprise. Beneficiaries will need to focus on sustainable purchases that have a direct impact on operations and remove from the financing plan any expenses that do not meet the new eligibility criteria.
For those preparing projects under the 2021–2027 Sustainable Development and Just Transition Program, the update to the rules is an important consideration to take into account as early as the investment planning stage. In short: funding is available for equipment and long-term investments, but vehicles and low-value purchases remain outside the scope of the support scheme.