Funding under the GRW Special Program "Acceleration of Transformation in East German Refinery Sites and Ports"

This program is aimed at East German refinery sites and ports directly affected by the EU embargo on Russian crude oil. It aims to support their transformation and the development of new value creation and employment potentials, in order to promote equivalent living conditions throughout Germany and compensate for locational disadvantages.

The GRW Special Program supports a wide range of investment projects and measures to strengthen the regional economic structure, especially those that contribute to the transformation towards a climate-neutral and sustainable economy. This includes commercial investments, infrastructure measures, as well as non-investment activities and special projects in research and development or market introduction.

Funding is provided in the form of grants, interest rate reductions, and guarantees, with the funding amount varying depending on the type of project and company size. There are specific maximum rates for commercial investments and infrastructure measures, and a co-contribution is required.

The approval of funding is subject to specific conditions and legal frameworks, including compliance with European Union state aid law, deadlines for application and implementation, and exclusion criteria for certain companies and sectors. Special regulations apply to the retention and recovery of funding.

The application process requires early submission of complete documents to the responsible state authorities before the start of the project. The granting authorities examine the eligibility and worthiness of the projects based on the established criteria.

The GRW Special Program is based on the GRW Act and is specified by the Coordination Framework of the Joint Task "Improvement of Regional Economic Structure". It is also subject to the strict rules of European state aid law, in particular the Guidelines on Regional Aid and the General Block Exemption Regulation.