On 24 June 2021, the Municipal Council adopted the concept of the SME Park, its infrastructural development and operation, as well as decided to launch an SME Programme to promote investments through a system of grants.
The aim of the creation of the SME Park is to strengthen local SMEs and further increase their economic role, alongside with large companies. The concept, to be implemented in several stages, aims to provide businesses with opportunities on a total area of 60 hectares; in the first stage, industrial plots with established infrastructural facilities will be created on 14 hectares. The competitive and innovative conditions and environment, which have been so far only available to larger companies in the Southern Economic Zone, will now become accessible also for SMEs requiring smaller areas, typically between 0.5 and 2 hectares. The proximity of companies already present in the Southern Economic Zone provides an excellent opportunity for small and medium-sized enterprises to become actively involved in the supplier networks of large companies and to maintain customer-supplier relations.
The details of the services provided for the companies established in the SME Park by its operator, Debreceni Ipari Centrum Kft., can be found on the http://dicpark.com/hu/szolgaltatasok/ website.
In order to be eligible to apply, an SME needs to satisfy the following criteria:
- it is not engaged in any polluting activities;
- its activity does not disturb the neighbouring plants (with particular attention to noise and odour emissions);
- it pursues activities that are compatible with the Municipal Government’s Economic Programme for 2021-2030, and fit into the economic ecosystem of Debrecen;
- it is not subject to bankruptcy, voluntary or involuntary liquidation procedures;
- it has no public debts;
- it qualifies as a transparent organisation;
- it was profitable in each of its previous 3 closed financial years; and
- it accepts the main contractual terms of the system of grants (e.g. development and installation obligation).