On October 1, 2022, the Implementing Decree for the capital fund aimed at supporting the excellence of Italian gastronomy and agri-food industries was published. A total of 56 million euros has been allocated – 25 million for 2022 and 31 million for 2023 – to assist the entire Italian food sector, particularly supporting local businesses in restaurants, pastry, and gelato.
Since the Decree's publication on August 30, 2022, in the Official Gazette, it has been clear that each business can receive a maximum grant of €30,000 to finance up to 70% of a development project.
Eligibility for the Fund
The decree outlines the eligibility criteria for businesses to access the fund:
- Restaurant businesses with CNA 56.10.11 code (Food Service).
- Pastry shops and gelaterias identified by the codes 56.10.30 ("Gelaterias and Pastry Shops") and 10.71.20 ("Fresh Pastry Production").
Additionally, eligible businesses must:
- Be registered for at least ten years in the Company Register or have purchased products with DOP, IGP, SQNPI (National Integrated Production Quality System), SQNZ (National Zootecnical Quality System), or organic certifications in the twelve months prior to the decree's publication.
- Be in full legal operation, not in voluntary liquidation or undergoing any judicial procedure or similar situation.
- Not be in financial difficulty.
- Be registered with INPS or INAIL and have a regular contribution status as shown by the DURC (single document of contribution regularity).
- Be compliant with fiscal obligations.
- Have repaid any sums following revocation of aid granted by the Ministry.
- Not have received or failed to repay illegal or incompatible aid as determined by the European Commission, as per the "Deggendorf Commitment".
Grant Allocation for Sectors
- Restaurants: A grant allocation of 25% of total purchases.
- Pastry and Gelato businesses: A grant allocation of 5%.
To apply for the fund, businesses must provide proof of compliance with these criteria and submit a DSAN (Substitute Declaration of Certification of Truth).
Eligible Expenses
Funds can only be used for the purchase of professional machinery and durable, innovative instrumental goods. These must be brand new, functional, and purchased under normal market conditions from third-party suppliers with no relationship to the company.
The purchased goods must remain in the company’s assets for at least three years from the grant's issuance.
Application Submission
- Eligible expenses must be incurred after the grant request is submitted.
- Payments must be fully traceable, and transactions must be made through dedicated company bank accounts.
Specific instructions for application submission will be provided within 30 days of the Decree's enforcement, including the forms and detailed guidance for the process. The Ministry will publish these instructions on the official website (www.politicheagricole.it) and on Invitalia’s website (www.invitalia.it).
- Submission Deadline: Businesses may submit only one request for financial aid.
- Grants will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, subject to Invitalia’s verification of the completeness and regularity of the submitted DSANs.
- All eligible expenses must be fully paid within eight months from the grant’s approval.
Grant Disbursement
Businesses will need to submit a request for disbursement within 30 days after completing the purchases. The following documents must be attached:
- Invoices for the purchase of machinery and instrumental goods.
- Proof of full traceability of the expenses (payment orders and bank statements).
- A final technical report describing the investments made and certifying the full payment of the related expenses.
Once the Ministry verifies the required criteria, the grant will be paid into the business’s designated bank account within 90 days of the request submission.
Key Deadlines:
- Grant Submission: Within 30 days of decree publication.
- Disbursement Request: Within 30 days after purchases.
- Payment Processing: Within 90 days of submission.
For more detailed information, businesses are encouraged to consult the Ministry of Agriculture’s website or Invitalia.