We have already written this year about the GINOP Plusz-2.1.4-25 – Support for Bringing SME Innovations to Market call for proposals, when the launch of the second application stage was the key development. The aim of the scheme is to help developments that are already at an advanced stage, at TRL 6–7, progress to TRL 9, i.e. reach the level of maturity required for market launch. The amount of funding available remains HUF 100–600 million, while the total budget of the scheme is HUF 60 billion.
Since the publication of our previous article, the application period for the second stage has also closed: according to the current version of the call, applications could be submitted until 12:00 noon on 28 May 2026. A HUF 24 billion budget was available for the second stage.
However, a further amendment has now been introduced to the call: the wage unit costs applicable to the reimbursement of personnel costs have been revised.
New wage unit costs from August
Under the call, the personnel costs of full-time employees involved in the professional implementation of the project may be claimed using standardised wage unit costs.
For the period between 1 August 2026 and 31 July 2027, higher amounts have been set in every category:
| Field of science | Researcher/developer | Technician | Support staff |
| Natural sciences / engineering and technology | HUF 1,318,400 | HUF 910,200 | HUF 40,100 |
| Medical sciences | HUF 1,709,100 | HUF 857,200 | HUF 490,100 |
| Agricultural sciences | HUF 951,200 | HUF 588,000 | HUF 490,100 |
| Social sciences | HUF 1,028,000 | HUF 906,400 | HUF 490,100 |
| Information technology | HUF 1,443,600 | HUF 962,900 | HUF 490,100 |
By comparison, the wage unit costs applicable until 31 July 2026 were, for example, HUF 1,191,700 for researchers/developers, HUF 828,700 for technicians and HUF 442,300 for support staff in the field of natural sciences and engineering. In information technology, the unit cost for researchers/developers increased from HUF 1,310,600 to HUF 1,443,600.
What does this mean for projects?
The amendment is particularly relevant for projects whose implementation continues beyond 1 August 2026. Personnel costs incurred from this date onwards must already be calculated using the wage unit costs set for the new period.
It is important, however, that wage unit costs may still only be claimed in proportion to the working time actually spent on the project. If an employee does not work on the project for a full month, the eligible amount is calculated on the basis of the actual hours worked on the project, up to a maximum of 174 hours per month.
The latest amendment therefore does not change the fundamental objective or funding conditions of the call, but it does introduce an important change from the perspective of project implementation and financial settlement. For projects with a longer implementation period, it is therefore worth bearing in mind that different wage unit costs may apply to different periods.
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