ERDF call for projects – Industrial SMEs (Hauts-de-France)
The scheme funds the adaptation and modernisation of production equipment in response to technological, environmental and societal challenges: efficient use of resources, energy performance and contribution to the circular economy. It complements the funding available from the Just Transition Fund (JTF) for companies located outside its geographical scope. As at 30 October 2026, the three 2026 application deadlines have passed; the scheme remains listed for reference pending a possible renewal or new call.
The ERDF Industrial SMEs call for projects supports small and medium-sized industrial companies in Hauts-de-France in their productive investment and development. It targets companies based in the Aisne, Oise and Somme that want to reach a new stage of development — launching new products, winning new markets, going international.
Funded by Région Hauts-de-France, Union Européenne-FEDER
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Who can apply
SMEs as defined by EU law (fewer than 250 staff, annual turnover ≤ €50M or annual balance sheet total ≤ €43M) carrying out an industrial operation in the Aisne (02), Oise (60) or Somme (80). The company must be up to date with its tax and social security obligations and must not be a company in difficulty as defined by EU rules. Data from partner and linked companies are taken into account to determine the SME’s actual size. Excluded sectors and activities: retail; wholesale and trading without a production function; financial and property activities; training bodies; primary agricultural production; primary fishing and aquaculture; forestry; logistics without a production function; road haulage.
Eligibility conditions
The provisional cost of the operation must be at least €500,000, excluding or including VAT depending on the applicable VAT regime. Each invoice charged must be at least €1,000. The planned completion period must be between 6 and 36 months. The operation’s eligibility period runs from 1 January 2025 to 31 December 2029. Costs must be directly necessary to the project, justified and included in the financing plan. An operation already started may be accepted if the aid request letter has been sent to and received by the Region; the project must not be completed before the application is submitted. The same costs cannot be funded twice by different EU programmes. Excluded costs: combustion or electric commercial vehicles, fit-out needed to use electric vehicles, estimated salary costs not directly linked to the investment, working capital requirements, consultancy fees and support services for preparing the application.
What the scheme covers
Tangible productive investment: purchase and installation of machine tools, deployment of new production lines, increased production capacity, modernisation and adaptation of industrial equipment, purchase of new environmentally friendly equipment, purchase of second-hand equipment less than 5 years old (with supporting evidence), retrofitting existing equipment, purchase of test benches directly linked to the productive investment. Fit-out and intangible investment: works and fit-out needed to install the equipment, purchase of patents directly linked to the project, purchase of industrial software, deployment of ERP systems and production system interoperability tools. Leased acquisitions may be eligible under conditions (complete, signed contract and a commitment to purchase at the end of the contract).
Amount and funding terms
Minimum project investment: €500,000. Maximum project investment: €5,000,000. Maximum ERDF rate: 20% of eligible costs. Minimum grant: €100,000. Maximum grant: €1,000,000. Provisional 2026 budget: €10,000,000. The final amount depends on the actual project cost, co-financing secured, any revenue and applicable public aid caps — the grant is not automatically 20% of the total cost presented; only costs recognised as eligible after review are taken into account.
How to apply
Two-stage application. 1. Selection: prepare the application using the regional template, send it to feder.pme@hautsdefrance.fr and, in parallel, send an aid request letter signed by the authorised representative; the project is reviewed for admissibility, eligibility and quality, then scored and ranked by a selection committee — selection at this stage does not guarantee the grant. 2. EU review: selected projects submit a complete application on the E-Synergie platform for administrative, technical and financial review, presentation to the single programming committee and a final award or rejection decision by the managing authority.
Timeline
Three rounds were planned in 2026: 31 March, 30 June and 30 September. As at 30 October 2026, these three deadlines have passed and no new applications are open — the scheme remains listed for reference pending a possible renewal or new call for projects.
Key facts
- Funder
- Région Hauts-de-France, Union Européenne-FEDER
- Type of funding
- Grant
- Status
- Closed
- Maximum amount
- €1,000,000
- Automatically extracted — check the official source
- Minimum amount
- €100,000
- Automatically extracted — check the official source
- Funding rate
- 20%
- Automatically extracted — check the official source
- Closes
- 30 September 2026
- Geographic scope
- Hauts-de-France
Frequently asked questions
Is this aid still open to applications?
No. The three 2026 rounds (31 March, 30 June, 30 September) had passed by 30 October 2026. The scheme remains listed pending a possible renewal.
Which companies were targeted by this scheme?
Industrial SMEs (as defined by EU law) carrying out their project in one of three Hauts-de-France departments: Aisne, Oise or Somme.
What was the maximum grant rate?
20% of eligible costs, for a grant of €100,000 to €1,000,000, on a total investment of €500,000 to €5,000,000.
Did the ERDF fund electric commercial vehicles?
No, combustion or electric commercial vehicles and the fit-out linked to their use were explicitly among the costs excluded from this call.
Official source
Official Région Hauts-de-France, Union Européenne-FEDER page ↗Applications are made from the official source (usually in French).
Other grants of type “grant”
Other grants from Région Hauts-de-France, Union Européenne-FEDER
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