Question 5: A prospective beneficiary who submits a funding application under the provisions of Article 14 in accordance with Regulation EU 651/2014 relocates their headquarters from the Attica region (a Transitional Region) to Central Greece (a Less Developed Region). This individual fulfills the formal participation requirement stipulated in clause n/a 4 of paragraph 4.2.1 of the Call for Action. This clause dictates that for businesses opting for the aid scheme defined in the Commission Regulation (EU) No 651/2014, the verification involves confirming that within the two years prior to applying for aid, they have not shifted their business establishment where the initial investment, for which the aid is being sought, will be conducted. Furthermore, they commit not to execute such a relocation within a maximum of two years after the finalization of the initial investment, for which the aid is being solicited. This provision exclusively pertains to enterprises that are submitting their application based on Article 14 of Regulation EU 651/2014.
The aforementioned transfer of headquarters does not serve as an exclusion criterion. As articulated in Article 14 of EC 651/2014, relocation is defined as "the transfer of the same or similar activity, or a portion thereof, from a business establishment located within the territory of a contracting party to the EEA Agreement (initial establishment) to another business establishment situated within the territory of another contracting party to the EEA Agreement (aided establishment)" (please refer to the Glossary of Definitions and Abbreviations for further elucidation).