Factsheet for measure
AT-2020-45/1872
–
Updated
– measures in Austria
Cancellation bonus
Ausfallsbonus
Background information
Due to the third COVID-19 wave that hit the country, the government extended the lockdown during the first months of 2021.
In order to support companies that have been affected by large turnover losses, a so-called "cancellation bonus" was implemented in February 2021. This bonus is not limited to companies which are directly affected by the lockdown (
such as the lock down turnover (sales compensation
), but this bonus can be applied for by any company suffering a loss of more than 40% of turnover, compared to the same calendar month in pre-crisis times (i.e. during the period March 2019 to February 2020). Via this measure, the government intends to support companies by providing them with sufficient liquidity.
Content of measure
The replacement rate lies at 30% of the loss of turnover, with a maximum upper limit of €60,000 per month. Half of the bonus (15%) consists of a non-repayable grant and the other half (i.e. the other 15%) are an advance on the
fixed cost grant II
to be applied for.
The application for the cancellation bonus can be submitted every month, for the time period November 2020 to June 2021.
Due to the 'hard' lock-down in the eastern region of Austria, the bonus portion of the cancellation bonus was increased for the calendar months of March and April 2021, compared to the other calendar months. Instead of 15%, the bonus is increased to 30% of the sales loss (with a maximum limit of €50,000). With the addition of the (optional) advance of the fixed cost grant II, the total amount lies at 45% or €80,000 at the maximum for March and April 2021.
The bonus can - in general - be drawn also when other subsidies have been applied for and received, with the exception of the
lockdown turnover (sales) compensation
. If those subsidies have been received, the cancellation bonus cannot be applied for the months of November and December 2020. The same applies to self-employed artists which have been granted funds from the
bridging fund for artists
for any of the months in question.
The cancellation bonus can be applied for from the 16th of the calendar month following the observation period up to the 15th of the third calendar month following the observation period.
Applications for the observation periods November 2020 and December 2020 can be submitted from 16 February 2021 to 15 April 2021.
Updates
The following updates to this measure have been made after it came into effect.
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19 November 2021
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On 19 November 2021, it was announced that the cancellation bonus would once more be extended, to March 2022.
For this phase (called cancellation bonus III), all companies with a loss of sales of at least 30% in the calendar months November and December 2021, and with a loss of sales of at least 40% in the calendar months of January 2022 to March 2022, are eligible.
The amount of the cancellation bonus III results from the loss of sales in the respective calendar month and the respective sector the company is active in (a specific percentage between 10 and 40% applies). The bonus III is capped at €80,000 per month.
The application has been pushed forward a few days for phase III, so that the following application periods apply now:
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Cancellation bonus November 2021: 10 December 2021 - 9 March 2022
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Cancellation bonus December 2021: 10 January - 9 April 2022
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Cancellation bonus January 2022: 10 February - 9 May 2022
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Cancellation bonus February 2022: 10 March - 9 June 2022
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Cancellation bonus March 2022: 10 April - 9 July 2022
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15 June 2021
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The cancellation bonus has been extended by three months until 30 September 2021 ("Ausfallsbonus II"). The new threshold is a minimum loss of 50 percent in sales as compared to before the crisis (beforehand, a 40% loss was the minimum threshold for claiming the bonus).
Depending on the sector, between 10 and 40% of the gross profit is replaced. A maximum of €80,000 can be paid out per month, whereby the sum of short-time working aid and cancellation bonus may not exceed the turnover of the comparison period in order to prevent over-funding.
The application for the bonus runs from 16 August to 15 November for the month of July; from 16 September to 15 December for the month of August; and from 16 October to 15 January 2022 for the month of September.
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Use of measure
As of 15 April 2021, 160,000 applications with a total volume of around €1 billion have been received. Out of these, around 110,000 applications (with a volume of over €700 million) have been processed and paid, according to the finance minister Mr Blümel. The average amount per applicant and month was at around €7,000.
As of mid-December 2021, around 4,500 companies have applied for the cancellation bonus III, which sums up to around €10 million.
In total, the federal state paid out €3.5 billion for cancellation bonus payments as of the end of 2021.
As of February 2023, it was reported that in total, €5.207 billion had been paid.
Target groups
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Workers
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Businesses
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Citizens
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Does not apply to workers
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Applies to all businesses
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Does not apply to citizens
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Actors and funding
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Actors
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Funding
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National government
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National funds
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Social partners
Social partners' role in
designing the measure
and form of involvement:
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Trade unions
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Employers' organisations
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Role
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Unknown
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Unknown
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Form
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Not applicable
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Not applicable
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Social partners' role in the
implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:
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Unknown
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Main level of involvement: N/A
Involvement
The social partners' involvement is unknown.
Views and reactions
The Federal Economic Chamber has welcomed the increased payments for the months of March and April 2021.
Sources
