SEEBRIDGE Open Call for SE SMES in Energy Intensive Industries

SEE BRIDGE – Building Resilience In social Economy SMEs for Greener & Digital production towards the goal of a climate-neutral Economy is an EU co-funded project under the COSME programme that aims to strengthen the capacity of social economy, small and medium-sized enterprises (SE SMEs) operating in energy-intensive industries such as aluminium, steel, iron and others to transition to more resource efficient and energy saving processes and operations in adaptation to Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) legislation. SEE BRIDGE will provide capacity building activities, coaching, and mentoring as well as financial support to SE SMEs and intermediaries operating in the COSME programme countries.

Objectives

• Through providing direct financial support for SE SMEs from the energy-intensive industries, SEE BRIDGE aims to:
  • Support the green and digital transition of SE SMEs in energy-intensive industries, enabling them to easily adopt the CBAM regulation requirements.
  • Support the SE SMEs in energy-intensive industries to achieve resource-efficient production and energy savings, through operational capacity-building activities.
  • Enable SE SMEs in energy-intensive industries to find new financing for innovative solutions related to green and digital production.

Funding Information

• The applicant can propose a budget and request a grant equal to one of the following lump sums, depending on the activities that are selected:
  • 2,000 Euro
  • 4,000 Euro
• The grant is paid in the form of a lump sum.

Eligible Activities

• Eligible Activity Type 1 (EA1) – Business support services
  • Services provided by external service providers, such as:
    • Sustainability consulting and guidance on creating and implementing sustainability strategies, including carbon footprint reduction and resource efficiency plans, reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
    • Coaching and mentoring on issues directly related to the company’s twin transition and/or CBAM adoption.
    • Services for developing comprehensive digital transformation plans aligned with the business objectives of the company.
    • Support on analyzing and optimizing supply chains to reduce carbon intensity and ensure CBAM compliance.
    • ERP and CRM Systems Implementation support that will lead to optimization of processes, improved tracking and managing of environmental impact, optimization of resource usage or achievement of other sustainability objectives.
    • Data Analytics and Business Intelligence services to support decision-making, improve efficiency, and uncover new business opportunities, if related to digital or green strategies
    • Carbon Accounting and Reporting services to accurately measure, track, and report carbon emissions to ensure compliance with CBAM.
    • Legal and Policy Advisory services to help SMEs navigate the complexities of CBAM and other related environmental regulations.
• Eligible Activity Type 2 (EA2) –Consulting services for certification or labelling assets (by external service providers only)
  • Services by external service providers for expert guidance and support directly related to obtaining relevant sustainability or digital/green certification.
  • Fees and costs for the obtaining of relevant certificates (including IPRs, such as trademarks).
• Eligible Activity Type 3 (EA3) – Training(s) on CBAM or other digital and green transition topics
  • Training(s) by external training providers to provide the tools and the knowledge for the SE SMEs to deal with digital and green transition under a defined strategy that is adapted to their knowledge level, their business sector and their specific needs. Topics could include: CBAM adoption, software/digital tools trainings and green/circular economy practices training.

Eligibility Criteria

• Social Economy SMEs (including startups) operating in the energy intensive industries or in sectors that are part of the energy-intensive industry ecosystem – chemicals, steel & aluminium, paper, plastics, mining, extraction and quarrying, refineries, cement, wood, rubber, non-ferrous metals, glass and ceramics, construction, waste management, transportation.  Eligible applicants must be based in:
  • EU Member States
  • Countries which are part of the European Economic Area (EEA): Iceland, Norway, and Liechtenstein.
  • EU Associated countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Türkiye
  • European Neighbourhood Policy countries: Moldova, Ukraine.
• For a SME or startup to be considered a Social Economy SME/startup, it has to share the main common principles and features:
  • primacy of people as well as social and/or environmental purpose over profit
  • reinvestment of most of the profits and surpluses to carry out activities in the interest of members/users (“collective interest”) or society at large (“general interest”)
  • democratic and/or participatory governance.

For more information, visit European Commission.