All governments are aware of the positive influence that the business community has on economic development. To this end, the grants and subsidies which the public sector awards to businesses make a real contribution to the creation of wealth and employment. These incentives have come to form part of our socio economic fabric and their aim is to encourage investment and boost productivity, via the funding of technology, training, and environmental projects.

One of the most important sources of funded training is run on a permanent basis by the Tripartite Foundation for Training in Employment (FTFE), formerly Forcem (the Spanish Foundation for Continuing Education). Before the summer this organisation will be presenting its 2002 list of funded programmes for training in employment. Other generous grants will foster internationalisation, innovation or sustainable growth for SMEs.

Most Spanish entrepreneurs are aware that most of the funding for ongoing training which is now channelled through FTFE (formerly Forcem) comes from contributions made by the very private companies for whom the training is intended. That is to say, it is not a handout from the State, since the money which is spent on training has previously been collected from the would be beneficiaries.

Helping companies to get up to date in matters of technology is another major challenge which the Public Administrations� of Europe are tackling. The Spanish Ministry of Science and Technology has promoted several tax incentive schemes to help small and medium sized companies purchase IT equipment.

The European Union, the Central Government, all the Regional Autonomies and thousands of towns and cities budget large amounts of funding and subsidies to help new companies and business projects to start up.

 

As a rule the various funding grants on offer are announced and advertised in official bulletins, although entrepreneurial associations, unions and other social agents also play their part in spreading the good news to the companies.

 

The most important grants and subsidies on the market, organised by granting body (European Union, Central Government and Regional Autonomy) are:

- Current active European Uni�n funding.

- Active funding affecting all Spain.

- Active funding grants which are limited exclusively to a particular Regional Autonomy.

- Subsidies and funding for Companies and Institutions promoted by de the Ministry os Science and Technology.