Objective
The “Relief Measure” supports exporting companies and non-exporting businesses operating within internationally oriented supply chains located in Sicily, Sardinia and Calabria, which suffered material damage following the exceptional weather events of January 2026.
The measure aims to provide financial support for the restoration of damaged business assets and to ensure business continuity.
From 31 March 2026, an additional €130 million package under the Integrated Promotion Fund is also available for companies affected by Hurricane Harry.
The Measure
The scheme is managed by SIMEST and provides non-repayable grants to compensate companies for material damage caused by extraordinary weather events.
The grant covers direct damage to business assets such as buildings, plants, machinery, vehicles and warehouse stock, as certified through a sworn expert assessment prepared by a registered professional.
Beneficiaries
The measure is open to companies of all sizes that have filed their 2025 financial statements (or equivalent declaration) and meet at least one of the following requirements.
Eligible companies include businesses with direct exports equal to at least 3% of turnover or indirect exports equal to at least 10% through exporting clients or supply chains linked to exporting companies.
Alternatively, companies generating at least 10% of turnover from foreign customers may apply, subject to certification by an independent auditor.
The measure also applies to companies with operational headquarters located in the territories affected by the January 2026 weather events and that have suffered material damage certified through a sworn expert assessment.
Where applicable, compliance with obligations relating to catastrophe insurance policies is required, with specific exemptions available for certain categories of businesses and types of damage.
Eligible Expenditure
The measure exclusively covers material damage suffered by business assets directly resulting from the natural disaster events, including buildings, equipment, machinery, vehicles and warehouse stock.
The grant covers up to 80% of certified damage for uninsured assets and up to 100% of the portion not covered by insurance for insured assets, net of any additional public contributions.
In all cases, the total amount of public support may not exceed 100% of the certified damage.
Budget and Type of Incentive
The measure provides non-repayable grants of up to €5 million per company.
The grant is paid in a single instalment following approval by the Incentives Committee.
An additional dedicated €130 million budget allocation for companies affected by Hurricane Harry has also been made available from 31 March 2026.
Deadlines and Applications
Applications must be submitted online through the SIMEST portal starting from 09:00 on 31 March 2026.
The portal will be temporarily suspended on the previous day for technical updates, and access will be managed through a virtual queue system.
Applications will be assessed in chronological order until the available resources are exhausted.
Submission of an application is subject to the completeness of the required documentation and does not automatically guarantee approval of the grant, which remains subject to formal evaluation procedures.
Contacts
For further information, please contact: euprojects@promositalia.com.