This announcement was made Friday by Ioan Hidegcuti, president of the National SME Loan Guarantee Fund, in the conference Mediafax Talks About SMEs.
Hidegcuti explained that many companies have survived the crisis, but are currently facing enforced execution for insignificant debts. He added that the Fund has agreements with the banks to provide loans to companies in this kind of situation.
Other decisions to aid small and medium enterprises in need of state guarantees will take effect as of July 1. The authorities will eliminate the 0.37% fee charged by the Counter-guarantee Fund, reducing financing costs, since demand for financing from companies is declining anyway, Hidegcuti said.
The 80% guarantee ceiling will apply to investment loans, loans for working capital, used to co-finance projects developed with structural funds, as well as micro-financing accessed by micro-enterprises.
The Fund has also relaxed the eligibility requirements for the beneficiaries of guarantees and counter-guarantees, and will issue co-guarantees for guarantees provided by the state and by banks.
The Fund has issued 11,000 counter-guarantees in the last two years and expects to issue 8,000 this year, for loans of around EUR1 billion.