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Changes to the EMDG scheme - for applications lodged from 1 July 2009
Legislation has been passed to give effect to a number of changes to the Export Market Development Grants (EMDG) scheme to update and revitalise it.
The changes apply to applications lodged from 1 July 2009 and export promotion expenditure incurred from 1 July 2008. This means that businesses now incurring expenses in the 2008-09 grant year and intending to apply for EMDG from 1 July 2009 will be able to take advantage of new scheme rules.
The key changes include:
- increasing the maximum grant by $50,000 to $200,000.
- lifting the maximum turnover limit from $30 million to $50 million.
- reducing the minimum expenditure threshold by $5,000 to $10,000.
- allowing costs of patenting products overseas to be eligible for EMDG support.
- increasing the limit on the number of grants able to be received by a business from 7 to 8.
- making the scheme more accessible to services exporters by replacing the current list of eligible internal and external services with a new ‘non-tourism services’ category which will provide for all services supplied to foreign residents whether delivered inside or outside of Australia to be eligible unless specified in the EMDG Act Regulations.
- allowing State, Territory and regional economic development and industry bodies promoting Australia’s exports, including tourism bodies, to access the scheme.
- introducing an EMDG performance measure into the scheme for those applicants who have already received two grants (exceptions apply for approved bodies and approved trading houses). Applicants will need to satisfy the requirements of this measure by taking one of two alternative tests - the Export Performance test or the Australian Net Benefit Requirements.
To find out more
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