About Program “373”

Financial support for investments and business development

Program “373” is a financial support mechanism designed for enterprises in the Republic of Moldova that aim to carry out investments and expand their economic activities. Through the application of a preferential interest rate, partially subsidized by the state, entrepreneurs can access medium- and long-term financing under advantageous and predictable conditions.

The implementation of this program is carried out with the support of the Government of the Republic of Moldova, in coordination with the Organization for Entrepreneurship Development, with the objective of stimulating investments, modernizing production capacities, and strengthening the competitiveness of the business environment.

General financing conditions

Within Program “373”, the investment loan is granted under the following conditions:

• Loan amount: up to MDL 40 million or the equivalent in foreign currency;
• Financing term: up to 7 years;
• Loan currency: MDL, EUR, USD;
• Interest rate: 7% per annum for loans in MDL and 3% per annum for loans in foreign currency
  (interest rate partially subsidized by the state);
• Own contribution: minimum 10% of the investment project value, excluding VAT;
• Purpose of financing: eligible investment projects;
• Collateral: pledge of up to 100% of the loan value, surety of the company’s administrator and/or founders, as well as ODA guarantees of up to 80% of the loan amount in case of insufficient collateral.

Benefits and advantages

Why choose Program “373”

• State-subsidized interest rate, with interest compensation for a period of up to 7 years;
• Preferential interest rate, significantly lower compared to standard investment loans;
• Grace period of up to 3 years, in accordance with the loan conditions;
• Minimum own contribution of only 10% of the investment project value;
• No early repayment fee;
• Loan granting fee of 0.5% of the loan amount;
• Guarantees of up to 80% of the loan value in case of insufficient own collateral;
• Simplified access process, without the need for prior approval from state institutions.

Eligibility criteria for beneficiaries of Program “373”

Beneficiaries of Program “373” may be enterprises that cumulatively meet the following criteria:

• are registered in the State Register of Legal Entities of the Republic of Moldova and are not undergoing insolvency, reorganization, or liquidation proceedings;
• are classified as micro, small, or medium-sized enterprises in accordance with Law No. 179/2016 on Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises, and do not fall under the provisions of Article 12 (3) of the said law;
• do not have ultimate beneficial owners registered and/or resident in jurisdictions that do not implement international transparency standards, in accordance with the regulatory acts of the National Bank of Moldova and the Service for the Prevention and Combating of Money Laundering;
• comply with environmental protection requirements established by Law No. 1515/1993 on Environmental Protection, as well as the related secondary legislation;
• use the investment loan for activities that are not included in the list of ineligible activities under Program “373”;
• have no outstanding liabilities to the national public budget at the time of applying for financing;
• hold a business plan and/or financial projections demonstrating the feasibility of the proposed investment project;
• confirm an own contribution of at least 10% of the proposed investment project value, excluding VAT, in the form of monetary funds and/or the equivalent value of tangible and/or intangible fixed assets used for project implementation.

Eligible types of investments

Financing granted under Program “373” may be used for:

• acquisition of fixed assets, equipment and machinery, including delivery, installation, commissioning, and certification services, as well as the procurement of raw materials and materials necessary for production/service provision, up to 30% of the investment project value;
• construction, reconstruction, or repair of engineering networks required for the operation of equipment and machinery within the project;
• acquisition, construction, reconstruction, or repair of buildings and premises, including auxiliary ones, together with the related land plots, intended for the implementation of the investment project;
• acquisition of digital technologies and software solutions used within the investment project.

Ineligible areas of activity

Investment projects carried out in the following areas are not eligible for financing under Program “373”:

• Manufacturing industry (alcohol – distillation and fermentation, tobacco, pesticides and agrochemical products, explosives, weapons, ammunition, military vehicles, coin minting);
• Wholesale and retail trade (intermediation and trade in food products, beverages, and tobacco; non-specialized trade; sales through non-specialized and specialized stores, kiosks, and markets);
• Financial and insurance activities;
• Real estate transactions;
• Public administration and defense; compulsory social insurance;
• Arts, recreation, and entertainment (gambling and betting);
• Activities of extraterritorial organizations and bodies.