Grant for the modernization of production processes

Within the RESIST II grant programme, supported projects will focus on innovation, digitalisation and resilience-building within the mobility, transport and automotive ecosystem.

Eligible project activities may include:

• external services and procurement, such as testing, certification, consulting and specialised technical services;
• acquisition of equipment, components and consumables;
• personnel costs directly related to project implementation;
• prototype development, pilot testing and validation activities.

Selected SMEs will additionally benefit from a complementary support package including:

• technical support;
• mentoring services;
• internationalisation and networking support;
• upskilling and reskilling opportunities.

Beneficiaries will have access to:

• targeted technical assistance from experts in advanced automotive technologies and Industry 5.0;
• a catalogue of qualified experts in digitalisation and green engineering;
• international cooperation opportunities across Europe and selected third countries;
• advanced training programmes and MOOCs on topics such as Net Zero technologies and critical raw materials.

The programme will also support participation in:

• networking activities;
• workshops;
• showcase events;
• dissemination activities.

Participation in certain project activities may be mandatory as part of the monitoring and validation framework for funded projects.

Applications under the RESIST II grant programme must be submitted electronically through the designated platform.

To apply, applicants are required to:

• complete the application form;
• provide information about the project concept;
• explain the project’s relevance to the call objectives;
• indicate partners, budget, work plan, expected results and KPIs.

Applicants must also upload:

• the completed resilience check, a self-assessment tool designed to identify company vulnerabilities;
• the completed Declaration of Honour confirming the accuracy of the submitted information and compliance with programme rules.

The resilience check covers areas such as:

• market and customers;
• technology and product;
• processes and operations;
• supply chain management.

Applications will be evaluated by at least three independent evaluators based on four main criteria:

• level of innovation;
• environmental and material impact;
• feasibility and quality of the proposed work plan;
• applicant capacity and market relevance of the project.

Within the RESIST II grant programme, applications will undergo a multi-stage evaluation process designed to ensure transparency, fairness and equal treatment of applicants.

After the submission deadline, the RESIST II consortium will verify:

• compliance with formal requirements;
• completeness of the required documentation;
• eligibility and alignment with the objectives of the call.

Only proposals that successfully pass the admissibility and eligibility checks will proceed to the technical evaluation stage. Each proposal will be assessed by at least three independent experts.

The scoring system is based on:

• a 0 to 5 scale for each evaluation criterion;
• half-points may be awarded where appropriate;
• proposals must obtain at least 60% of the total score to be considered for funding.

The evaluation focuses on four main dimensions:

• the level of process improvement introduced by the project;
• environmental and resource impact;
• technical feasibility and quality of the work plan;
• long-term industrial relevance and operational robustness.

In the case of equal scores, additional ranking rules will apply:

1. overall total score;
2. higher score in technical feasibility;
3. higher score in environmental and resource impact;
4. higher score in process improvement;
5. geographical diversity of applicants.

The final project selection will be validated by the RESIST II consortium during Steering Committee meetings. All applicants will be informed of the evaluation results.

Applicants may also submit a formal complaint within 7 calendar days after receiving the results notification. The redress procedure is limited to procedural verification and does not include a re-evaluation of the proposal.

Within the RESIST II grant programme, project monitoring requirements will apply throughout the implementation period. The RESIST II consortium will monitor funded projects to ensure that activities are carried out in line with the approved objectives and work plan.

Beneficiaries will be required to submit:

• periodic progress reports;
• a mid-term report;
• a final project report.

The reports must include:

• descriptions of implemented activities;
• information on project progress;
• achieved results;
• financial reporting data.

All reports must be submitted through the designated application platform using the reporting templates provided by the consortium.

The monitoring process will allow the consortium to:

• verify that activities are implemented as planned;
• assess project progress;
• ensure that expected results and impacts are achieved.

In addition to reporting obligations, beneficiaries will also be invited to participate in:

• networking activities;
• collaboration initiatives;
• dissemination and visibility actions within the RESIST II project.

Beneficiaries will also be required to complete the Single Market Programme Feedback Survey provided by the European Commission. Participation in this survey is mandatory and forms part of the reporting obligations. Proof of completion may be required as a condition for the final payment.