Two frameworks, one decision
State aid is public money given to a business, and EU law permits it only within defined limits. Every grant under Malta's ERDF 2021 to 2027 programme runs through one of two frameworks: De Minimis or the General Block Exemption Regulation, known as GBER. Each scheme is assigned a framework, and two schemes let you choose between them. The framework you fall under sets three things: the maximum aid you can hold, the share of your costs the grant covers, and what disqualifies you.
De Minimis trades a low ceiling for simplicity and higher funding rates. GBER removes the ceiling but caps the percentage of costs it will fund, and applies stricter exclusions. Neither is better in the abstract. Which one serves you depends on the size of the aid, your company, and where you operate.
De Minimis: the €300,000 ceiling
De Minimis aid is treated as too small to distort competition, so it avoids full state aid assessment. The trade-off is a hard limit. A single undertaking can receive no more than €300,000 in De Minimis aid over any three-year period (Commission Regulation 2023/2831). The ceiling is cumulative across all De Minimis aid from any Maltese public source, not counted per scheme.
- Higher funding rates. Advisory schemes on De Minimis fund 50% of eligible cost in Malta and 60% in Gozo. Business Reports funds 80%.
- The cap counts aid already received. If you have drawn De Minimis support in the current or previous two years, it reduces what remains.
- A "single undertaking" includes companies linked through common ownership or control. Group structures are assessed together.
Business Reports for SMEs runs under De Minimis. SME Enhance and Digitalise your SME can also run under a De Minimis track instead of GBER.
GBER: aid intensity by size and location
The General Block Exemption Regulation (Commission Regulation 651/2014, as amended) pre-approves categories of aid so they need no individual clearance. There is no €300,000 ceiling. Instead, the share of costs the grant covers, the aid intensity, is capped by company size and where the investment sits.
| Undertaking | Gozo | Malta, assisted areas | Malta, other |
|---|---|---|---|
| Micro and small | 35% | 30% | 20% |
| Medium | 25% | 20% | 10% |
| Start-up | 70% | 60% in Malta | |
These are investment aid rates for the two investment schemes. Advisory schemes set their own rates under GBER articles. GBER also excludes any business classified as an "undertaking in difficulty" under its own definition, with an exception for those that entered difficulty between January 2020 and December 2021, and carries sector exclusions that vary by scheme.
Which framework each scheme uses
| Scheme | Framework | Maximum grant |
|---|---|---|
| SME Enhance | GBER investment aid or De Minimis | Up to €128,400 |
| Digitalise your SME | GBER investment aid or De Minimis | Up to €128,400 (€235,400 for AI) |
| Business Reports | De Minimis | €4,000 (80% of cost) |
| Marketing Strategy | GBER (Articles 18 and 22) | Up to €10,000 |
| Internationalisation Strategy | GBER (Articles 18 and 22) | Up to €20,000 |
| Standards and Awards | GBER (Articles 4(1)(d) and 4(1)(h)) | Up to €20,000 |
Figures and conditions are set by the current Practical Guidelines on fondi.eu and are updated between calls. Confirm them before you apply.
What this means for your application
Three consequences follow from the framework rules.
- You co-finance the balance. Aid intensity is a ceiling, not full funding. A 30% GBER rate on a €100,000 investment means a €30,000 grant and €70,000 from you. Even Business Reports at 80% leaves a 20% contribution.
- The same cost cannot be funded twice. You cannot apply one eligible cost to more than one scheme. Separate projects can use separate schemes, subject to the cumulative De Minimis ceiling.
- Your De Minimis history limits you. Aid drawn from any Maltese public source in the last three years counts against the €300,000 cap. Reaching it pushes you toward a GBER track or out of De Minimis schemes.
Before applying, confirm which framework your scheme uses, your aid intensity from size and location, and how much De Minimis headroom you hold. For a structured read on your position, the EU funding checker walks through eligibility and points to the right scheme.
Frequently asked questions
What is the De Minimis cap for business grants in Malta?
De Minimis aid is capped at €300,000 over any three-year period per single undertaking. The ceiling is cumulative across all De Minimis aid from Maltese public sources, not measured per scheme, and linked companies under common control count as one undertaking.
What is the difference between De Minimis and GBER?
De Minimis is the simpler framework, with a hard €300,000 cap over three years but higher funding rates. GBER has no overall cap but limits the percentage of costs a grant covers, the aid intensity, by company size and location, and excludes undertakings in difficulty.
Does a GBER grant cover all my costs?
No. GBER sets an aid intensity ceiling, not full funding. Investment aid in Malta runs from 20% to 35% for micro and small enterprises depending on location, and 10% to 25% for medium enterprises. The business co-finances the rest.
Which schemes use De Minimis and which use GBER?
Business Reports runs under De Minimis. Marketing Strategy, Internationalisation Strategy, and Standards and Awards run under GBER. SME Enhance and Digitalise your SME can run under a GBER investment-aid track or a De Minimis track.
Can I combine grants from different schemes?
You cannot claim the same eligible cost under two schemes. Different projects can use different schemes, but all De Minimis aid counts against the cumulative €300,000 ceiling over three years.
