ESPA 2021–2027: what it is, who can apply

ESPA 2021–2027 (the Partnership Agreement for the Development Framework) is Greece's agreement with the European Union on how cohesion policy funds are spent over 2021–2027. For a business it is not a single programme you apply to: it is the framework under which specific calls are published, each with its own terms.

Where the money comes from

ESPA is funded by European funds such as the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+), together with national co-financing. The European Commission describes the funds and the goals of cohesion policy on its cohesion policy page.

Which programmes run it

The funds are split between sectoral programmes, which cover the whole country, and regional programmes, one per region. For businesses, most support comes from the sectoral programme for competitiveness and from the regional programmes. The official source for all of them is espa.gr (in Greek).

This matters in practice: a regional programme usually accepts only businesses investing in that region. That is why you can filter programmes by region.

How a call is published

There is usually a pre-announcement first, giving the main terms before applications open. Then comes the call itself, with the programme guide and annexes. These documents set who is eligible, which expenses are covered, the aid intensity and the deadlines. All calls are posted on the espa.gr calls page.

Amounts and percentages change from call to call. So you will not find a "general" figure here: on every programme page, each fact links to the page of the official document it comes from.

How to check if it applies to you

1. Find your business's activity codes (ΚΑΔ) as registered with AADE, the tax authority, and in GEMI, the business registry. The ΚΑΔ is usually the first criterion. See the guide on how ΚΑΔ codes affect eligibility.
2. Note your registered office and where the investment will be made, since they decide which regional programmes apply.
3. Count your closed financial years. Many calls require a minimum; others are only for new businesses.
4. Check whether you are an SME under the European Commission's SME definition, which most calls use.
5. Check what aid you have received in recent years. Many programmes are granted as de minimis aid, with a ceiling per business set by Regulation (EU) 2023/2831.

With these details, the eligibility check shows which open and upcoming programmes match. It is a first filter, not a ruling: the call's text always has the final word.

Where you apply

Applications for most ESPA state aid are submitted online in the State Aid Information System (in Greek). Each call states where and how to apply and which documents you need.

What to do now

See the open ESPA programmes and sign up for alerts to hear when something relevant opens. If you want us to check together whether your business can apply, get in touch.