EU Grants for Digitalization in 2026: A Practical Guide for SMEs in Brașov, Sibiu, Alba, Covasna, Harghita and Mureș

A window of opportunity opening in the summer of 2026

There is a rare moment in the life of a Romanian SME when a decision made within a few weeks can be the difference between implementing a digital solution entirely from own resources — or implementing it with up to 90% of the cost covered by non-refundable EU grants. That moment is now.

The Regional Development Agency (RDA) Centru has launched the Applicant Guide for Action 2.2 — "Digital Enterprises for an Advanced Economy" — Call 2 for public consultation. The online submission session in MySMIS2021 is expected to open during June–August 2026.

What Regio Centru 2.2 is and why it exists

The Regional Programme Centru 2021–2027 is the instrument through which the European Union — via the European Regional Development Fund — supports the economic transformation of the six counties of Romania's Central Region.

Action 2.2 has a specific, measurable objective: increasing the level of digitalisation of SMEs in the region. The budget for Call 2 is €14.1 million (85% EU, 15% national) — significantly less than Call 1 from 2023, so competition will be intense and preparation matters.

Who can apply: essential eligibility criteria

• SME under the European definition: under 250 employees, turnover below €50M or balance sheet below €43M
• Both urban and rural — micro-enterprises can apply regardless of location in Call 2
• Active company registered no later than January 3, 2025
• No primary activity in the IT sector

The company must demonstrate it operates in the value chain of one of the 9 sectors of excellence in the Smart Specialisation Strategy of the Central Region 2021–2027: automotive, tourism, agri-food, creative industry, medical services and others.

What is eligible: types of expenditure and fundable solutions

Custom ERP and CRM systems

A system built around the company's specific needs — not a standard licence — demonstrates digital integration of processes. Automation, reporting and AI modules increase project score.

AI automation

AI solutions for internal process automation are explicitly eligible: automatic document processing (invoices, contracts, forms), classification and routing systems, internal AI assistants, semantic search.

AR/VR, cybersecurity and e-commerce with AI

AR/VR solutions for training, visualisation or product presentation. Cybersecurity is now an implicit requirement. E-commerce platforms with AI (recommendations, dynamic pricing, support chatbot) are eligible when integrated into existing processes.

What is not funded

• Basic hardware as the primary project element
• Standard software licences without specific customisation
• Simple presentation websites without business functionality
• Digital marketing activities as the primary element

How much you can receive

• Non-refundable EU + state funding: up to 90%
• Mandatory own co-financing: minimum 10%
• Minimum eligible project value: €15,000
• Maximum eligible project value: €200,000

The 2026 calendar: when and how to submit

Now – May 2026: public consultation. June–August 2026 (estimated): online submission in MySMIS2021. Post-submission: evaluation, selection, contracting — a process of several months.

Why to start preparation now, not in June

• Digital maturity audit — assessment of the current state, foundation of the Digitalisation Plan
• Digitalisation Plan — the central document; a poorly written plan is the primary cause of rejection
• Technical offers from suppliers — evaluators verify solutions are real and prices substantiated
• CAEN code eligibility verification — significant differences between regions and calls

The Digitalisation Plan: the document that makes or breaks the file

A winning file demonstrates four things: a real business problem (not "we want an ERP", but "we process 300 invoices/month manually, 40 hours and 15 errors"); the proposed solution specifically solves the problem, with measurable post-implementation KPIs; co-financing and management capacity; alignment with a regional sector of excellence with concrete argumentation.

A well-substantiated plan is the difference between a score of 60 points and one of 85 — often the difference between funding and rejection.

Visual AI Labs solutions eligible under Regio Centru 2.2

• Custom CRM and ERP systems — built on your company's specific processes
• AI document automation — intelligent processing of invoices, contracts and forms
• Internal AI assistants — chatbots trained on company data, integrable into website or WhatsApp
• E-commerce platforms with AI — intelligent recommendations, dynamic pricing, automated support
• Custom web and mobile applications — functional MVPs that digitalise specific processes

Check eligibility — free audit →