Aeronautical Technology Programme (PTA)

To provide support for cooperative business R&D projects in aeronautical technologies that contribute towards achieving some of the challenges identified in relation to:

• Technologies focused on emission reduction: zero-emission aircraft
• Drones
• Systems
• Advanced smart manufacturing Digitalisation

Groups of companies in three categories:

• PTA Large Companies: groups of three to six partners, of which at least one must be an SME, led by a Large Company. At least two of the companies must be independent.
• PTA SMEs: groups of two to four partners, all of which are SMEs, led by an SME (not a micro-enterprise). At least two of the companies must be independent.
• PTA Large Strategic Projects: projects exclusively within the sub-programme on Research into new technologies and demonstrators for on-board systems for the use of hydrogen in aircraft. Groups of PTA Large Companies. Noteworthy participation by public research bodies (minimum 15% of the eligible budget in subcontracting). At least 50% of the eligible budget for industrial research activities.

The groups will not have a legal personality, so one of the participants will act as the coordinator or representative of the group.

Prior to the application, the group members must enter into an internal agreement governing its operation.

Competitive tendering with set submission periods.

Opens: 8 June 2022.

Closes: 28 July 2022 at 12.00 Spanish peninsular time.

Call for applications: Publication in the Official State Gazette (BOE).

Modification of the call for applications: Publication in the Official State Gazette (BOE).

Closed

Grant.

€80,000,000

Of this budget, €15,000,000 will be reserved for PTA SME projects and €20,000,000 for PTA Large Strategic Projects.

Grant up to the maximum intensity limits: 65% for large enterprises, 75% for medium enterprises and 80% for small enterprises.

For each project and beneficiary, the aid intensity limit will be decided based on the weight of each type of activity (industrial research or experimental development) and by the maximum intensity applicable in each case.

The amount of aid may not exceed the thresholds established in Article 4 of EU Regulation 651/2014 of 17 June 2014.

Multi-annual projects developed in any Spanish region.

PTA Large Companies:

• Minimum eligible budget of €4,500,000 and maximum of €12,000,000.
• Minimum eligible budget of €500,000 for large and medium-sized companies; €250,000 for small companies.
• Duration: projects begin in 2022 and must end on 31 December 2024 or 30 June 2025.

PTA SMEs:

• Minimum eligible budget of €2,000,000 and maximum of €5,000,000.
• Minimum eligible budget per company of €200,000.
• Duration: projects begin in 2022 and must end on 31 December 2023 or 2024.

PTA Large Strategic Projects:

• Minimum eligible budget of €20,000,000 and maximum of €35,000,000.
• Minimum eligible budget of €1,000,000 for large and medium-sized companies; €500,000 for small companies.
• Duration: projects begin in 2022 and must end on 31 December 2024 or 30 June 2025.

Balanced distribution of the budget throughout the duration of the project.

No independent company in the group, nor any group of related or associated companies, may exceed 60% of the eligible budget for the project (70% in the case of Large Strategic Projects).

These grants are included in the actions and investments covered by the National Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan, which will receive funding from Next Generation EU funds, including the European Union's Recovery and Resilience Facility.

Actions that directly or indirectly cause significant harm to the environment (DNSH principle), in accordance with Article 17 of EU Regulation 2020/852 of the European Parliament and the Council on 18 June 2020 on the establishment of a framework to facilitate sustainable investment, are not eligible for support.

Only those activities that comply with relevant national and European environmental legislation may be selected.

In the case of subcontracting, the beneficiary of the aid must implement mechanisms to ensure that subcontractors comply with the DNSH principle.

Yes.

The following direct implementation costs are allowed:

• Staff members.
• Instruments and inventory materials.
• Contractual research, technical know-how, patents from external sources (procured at arm's length) and consultancy or equivalent services which are solely for that project.
• Consultancy activities to support the representative's coordination efforts (up to €15,000 per year).
• Overheads and other additional operating expenses directly arising from the project.
• Expenditure arising from the auditor's report (up to €1500 per beneficiary, per year).

Subcontracting can be up to a maximum of 50% of the eligible budget for each beneficiary.

When the amount of eligible expenditure exceeds the amounts established for minor contracts in Law 9/2017 of 8 November on Public Sector Contracts, the beneficiary must request at least three tenders from different suppliers prior to contracting.

The entities within the group may not subcontract the actions that are the object of the aid among themselves.

If the subcontracting is carried out with entities linked to the beneficiary, prior authorisation must be requested from the CDTI.

Participants are liable for any repayment obligations in relation to the activities they have undertaken to carry out. In the event of non-compliance with this obligation, all group members shall be jointly and severally liable.
 

Aid will be considered to have an incentive effect if the beneficiary has submitted an application for aid before starting the project.

During its implementation period, the aid granted under this call for applications cannot be combined with any other public aid at the European, national or regional level with the same objectives and purpose.