fi-compass Knowledge Hub - Combination of financial instruments with grants

This document captures the key topics identified and discussed in the fi-compass Knowledge Hub – Combination workshop. Some of the combination options considered by the participants included:

• The greater flexibility to combine financial instruments and grants under the 2021-2027 Common Provisions Regulation;
• The operational benefits for implementing grants through financial instruments;
• How grants can be combined with financial instruments to support projects that do not generate significant returns or savings to be economically viable ; and
• The potential to use combined financial instruments to support investment in energy efficiency and SME competitiveness.

The note captures the discussion between participants and is presented for consideration by fi-compass practitioners. The note does not constitute formal guidance and practitioners should always take professional advice based on the particular circumstances of their case.

The Knowledge Hub has been developed to meet the growing need amongst experienced practitioners for events and materials that provide a more in-depth look into topics affecting financial instruments. Its format utilises email exchanges to promote a longer term engagement between participants together with traditional face to face workshops to allow experienced practitioners to work together to explore the subject matter through peer to peer exchange and expert-led sessions.

In order to encourage openness between the parties the discussions are undertaken under the Chatham House Rule which states: ‘When a meeting, or part thereof, is held under the Chatham House Rule, participants are free to use the information received, but neither the identity nor the affiliation of the speaker(s), nor that of any other participant, may be revealed.’

In particular, the representatives of the European Commission, namely DG REGIO have participated in the Knowledge Hub to receive feedback from the Member States concerning the combination of financial instruments with grants. The participation of the representatives of DG REGIO and the European Investment Bank should not be interpreted as an official endorsement of any of the suggestions that may be discussed and/or described during the Knowledge Hub.