On Monday 29 June, the European Commission approved five national aid schemes under the Temporary Framework for state aid measures adopted in mid-March in response to the coronavirus pandemic crisis.
Italy. The European Commission has hence approved four Italian aid schemes to support businesses and self-employed workers affected by the pandemic, totalling €7.6 billion. Italy recently notified the Commission of the waiving of certain taxes and the granting of tax credits to companies and self-employed workers in order to ease liquidity constraints and encourage economic operators to adopt the new health requirements.
Slovenia. In addition, the Commission has approved a €600 million Slovenian aid programme to support businesses. These are direct payment and wage subsidies (€100,000 per enterprise active in the primary production of agricultural products, €120,000 per enterprise active in fisheries and aquaculture and €800,000 per enterprise active in other sectors), again in response to the liquidity problems faced by many enterprises.
Bulgaria. The institution approved a €102 million Bulgarian programme to support cash-strapped small and medium-sized enterprises. The public aid will be co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) up to €87 million and will take the form of direct grants of up to €75,000 per company, with the exception of primary production and processing of agricultural products, fisheries, aquaculture, forestry, finance and gambling sectors.
Netherlands. The Dutch aid programme, with a budget of €1.4 billion to support SMEs, has also been approved. Public support will take the form of direct grants of up to €50,000 per company (around 200,000 companies are expected to benefit), except for companies in the primary production of agricultural products, in the processing and marketing of agricultural products and in the fisheries and aquaculture sector.
Sweden. Finally, the Commission has approved the extension of the tax exemption for non-food biogas and bioprane used for heating or as fuel in Sweden for 10 years (2021-2030). Sweden exempts from the energy tax and CO2 biogas used for the production of heat (former provision last extended in 2018) and biogas used as motor fuel (former provision last extended in 2015). The Commission explains that this measure will help Sweden to meet its climate objectives. (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)