The “Mentoring and Support for Internationalisation” Programme, run by the State Secretariat for Trade of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Business, aims to consolidate and diversify the position of Spanish SMEs abroad through two specific grant schemes: Mentoring and International Certification. The Spanish Chamber of Trade, Industry and Navigation acts as the implementing body.

This 2025 call for applications for the International Certification Grant Scheme sets out the requirements for the award of financial aid to companies that meet the conditions of the International Certification strand of the “Mentoring and Internationalisation Support Programme for SMEs”.

The aim of this grant scheme is to support Spanish companies in obtaining certifications for the international marketing of their products and services outside the EU, with a view to facilitating access to new markets and/or customers, as well as improving the added value of their exports.

The grants awarded under this call for proposals fall under Investment 5, ‘Internationalisation’, of Component 13, ‘Support for SMEs’, of the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan, and will contribute to the fulfilment of Objective 213 of the CID, the European Council’s implementing decision, which stipulates that at least 3,000 companies, of which 2,500 must be SMEs, must have participated in and completed projects supporting internationalisation within the framework of the Action Plans for the Internationalisation of the Spanish Economy 2021–2025.

The grant will consist of grants covering 80 per cent of the budget to support the costs arising from obtaining eligible international certifications approved by the Programme Management Unit at the Spanish Chamber of Trade, excluding all types of taxes and subject to maximum aid limits per beneficiary.

The budget allocated to this call for applications is €10,500,000; however, subject to the availability of the corresponding funding, this budget may be increased to a maximum of €12,500,000. As of 22 May 2025, the increase has been approved and the extension of the planned budget has been announced in the Official State Gazette, resulting in a total amount of €12,000,000.

Eligibility criteria for grants

• Be a Spanish company
• Offer its own product or service
• Have a turnover exceeding €300,000
• If applying for grant for voluntary certification, the company must also prove its status as an exporting company.

What expenses are covered?

This grant scheme covers all expenses associated with the certification process, such as:

• Consultancy services related to certification.
• Costs of sending, returning and/or destroying samples.
• Cost of testing.
• Issuance of the certification.

In all cases, the certifications must be aimed at improving the international competitiveness of the SME outside the EU.

Certifications required by Spanish and/or EU regulations, or those linked to tax and/or customs procedures, will not be eligible for funding.

Further information about the call for applications

Access the 2025 grant scheme – Submit your application

Call for applications for the 2025 International Certification Grants under the “Mentoring and Support for Internationalisation” Programme. Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan. Opened until 23 May 2025.

2025 International Certification Grant Scheme. Spanish Chamber of Commerce.​​​​​​​​