Factsheet for measure
AT-2020-16/737
– measures in Austria
Hardship fund for SMEs - Upper Austria
Härtefonds des Land Oberösterreich für Kleinbetriebe
Background information
As a reaction to the closure of businesses and decline in revenues, the Austrian government together with the social partners have set up a nationwide hardship fund, with the aim to support small and medium sized enterprises (see
EU Policy Watch - Hardship case fund
).
As the eligibility criteria in the first phase were rather strict, many companies did not obtain immediate support. This is an additional regional support initiative, funded by the Upper Austrian regional government. Upper Austrian small businesses that are unable to receive support from the federal government's Hardship Case Fund or the Corona Aid Fund (i.e. not meeting the federal criteria) are supported by the state of Upper Austria with direct grants.
The Upper Austria Hardship Fund is processed within the framework of the general funding guidelines of the State of Upper Austria, the grants are granted as de minimis aid in accordance with Commission Regulation (EU) No. 1407/2013 of December 18, 2013.
Content of measure
Eligible are small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs in the sense of the EU definition; with less than 50 employees and an annual turnover or an annual balance sheet of less than 10 million euros), who are a member of the Upper Austrian Economic Chamber and have their company or branch location in Upper Austria.
Regional state support is provided in the form of non-repayable grants (de minimis grants). The funding is based on the amount of the fixed costs for a maximum of three months (period 16 March to 15 June 2020) and covers 25% of fixed costs, at a maximum of €25,000.
Fixed costs include: business rent, insurance premiums, interest expenses, operational, contractual payment obligations, license costs, payments for electricity, gas, and telecommunications.
Requirements:
-
Sales decline of at least 25%
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The company wasn't already in distress before the COVID-19 measures
-
Due to federal criteria, the applicant was unable to avail himself of funds from the Federal Government's Hardship Fund or Corona Aid Fund.
Use of measure
Not yet known.
Target groups
Actors and funding
|
Actors
|
Funding
|
Local / regional government
|
Regional funds
|
Social partners
Social partners' role in
designing the measure
and form of involvement:
|
Trade unions
|
Employers' organisations
|
|
Role
|
Unknown
|
Unknown
|
|
Form
|
Not applicable
|
Not applicable
|
Social partners' role in the
implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:
-
No involvement
-
Main level of involvement: Unknown
Involvement
Social partner involvement is unknown.
Views and reactions
No information available.
Sources
