A new entrepreneurship support program for unemployed individuals aged 30-59, with an emphasis on women, has been signed by the Minister of Labor and Social Security, Niki Kerameus.

The aim of the program by the Public Employment Service (DYPA) is to promote entrepreneurship through the creation of new small and medium-sized businesses by 5,880 unemployed individuals aged 30-59, with a particular focus on unemployed women.

The action “Entrepreneurship Support Program for Unemployed Individuals Aged 30-59, with an Emphasis on Women” is co-financed by the Greek State and the European Social Fund as part of the “Human Resources and Social Cohesion” program 2021-2027, with the total co-financed public expenditure amounting to 100,000,000 euros.

As stated in the relevant announcement, the subsidy amount for new businesses/beneficiaries of the action is 17,000 euros, which is disbursed in three installments as follows:

• 1st installment, amounting to 4,600 euros, after the business starts operations.
• 2nd installment, amounting to 6,200 euros, after the end of the first six months of business operation, upon verification that it has been active for this period.
• 3rd installment, amounting to 6,200 euros, after the end of the second six months of business operation, again upon verification of six months of activity.

The funding application (investment proposal) must be submitted electronically through the Integrated State Aid Information System (OPSKE) of the Ministry of National Economy and Finance. To access OPSKE, users are required to use a web browser and connect via the following electronic address: https://opske.gr/el.

The submission of electronic applications begins on Thursday, December 19, 2024, and ends on Tuesday, January 21, 2025.

Closing
The Minister of Labor and Social Security, Niki Kerameus, stated: “One of the key priorities of the Ministry of Labor and Social Security is to further boost employment for specific population groups that have room for improvement, such as women. The new entrepreneurship support program, which aims to assist unemployed individuals aged 30-59, is aligned with this goal, as it focuses on women, enabling them to create their own businesses and overcome the obstacles they often face in the business sector and accessing the job market. We are taking practical steps to support the unemployed, giving them the opportunity to take the next step towards a dynamic and successful professional career.”

For his part, the Head of the Public Employment Service, Spyros Protopsaltis, remarked: “DYPA’s entrepreneurship programs are a significant tool for creating new jobs by giving unemployed individuals access to entrepreneurship. With this new ESF initiative, we aim to support almost 6,000 entrepreneurial initiatives with a budget of 100 million euros, focusing particularly on women, who make up two-thirds of the unemployed in our country. We continue to invest intensively in active employment policies, prioritizing groups that face significant barriers to re-entering the workforce, such as women, through innovative initiatives. Our goal is the continuous reduction of unemployment and the enhancement of employment opportunities.”