The Ministry of Economic Development has launched PONIC, a site to promote the competitiveness of SMEs thanks to the programs offered by the European Union
The launch of the PONIC.gov.it portal – which can also be reached from the address IniziativaPMI.gov.it – took place on the occasion of “Europe Day” and the celebrations of the 60th anniversary of the signing of the Treaties of Rome.
The portal PONIC.gov.it – where PON stands for “Programma Operativo Nazionale” and IC for “Imprese e Competitività” – will be managed by the Directorate General for Incentives to Enterprises, Managing Authority of PON Imprese e Competitività and PON Iniziativa PMI 2014-2020. This is a place intended to support and inform businesses about the EU programs managed by the Ministry of Economic Development, but also a meeting and comparison point with all stakeholders in the National Operational Program. The portal is organized in five thematic areas: Innovation, Ultrabroadband, SME Competitiveness, Energy Efficiency and Access to Credit.
How the portal is structured
The PONIC.gov.it portal is clearly structured to simplify as much as possible the search for information by companies, citizens and the public administration. The menu bar at the top – starting from the left – offers immediate access to the section “About us” where there is information about the organization and contacts of those involved in the implementation of the PON. This is followed by the area dedicated to “Calls and Notices” which lists all the funding opportunities – divided into thematic areas – offered by the Programs. There is also a filter that helps the visitor in the search. Then there is the section dedicated to “Events”, both past and future, to which visitors can subscribe in advance in order to receive the program and a description of the topics dealt with.
Success Stories
The area dedicated to “News, Media Area and Insights” is quite rich and articulated. It contains all the news, press releases, press reviews, studies and in-depth reports, as well as success stories of companies that have already used EU funding and tell their story through interviews, photos and videos. It is a practical and direct way to transfer knowledge and experience on the use of community resources. Complete the menu items “Beneficiary guidelines”, “FAQ” and the “Contact us”. The “OPEN DATA” area – still being updated – will allow immediate access and consultation of all funded projects – and constantly up-to-date – in order to make the results of the Program management transparent to companies, citizens and PA.