Background information

This new premium is aimed at companies and their suppliers who are allowed to continue working or shops that remain open but have a large loss of turnover due to the restrictive measures. They have to be able to show that they have a loss of sales of -60% in the period between 15 March and 30 April 2020 compared to the same period last year.

For start-ups, a decrease in turnover of -60% compared to the financial plan laid down will be taken into account. NPOs are also eligible, provided that at least one person is employed full time.

Content of measure

Enterprises and their suppliers that are still working or businesses that remain open but suffer a large loss of turnover as a result of the measures are eligible for a compensation premium from the Flemish government. This is the case for, for example:

1. Companies in the events sector, with many freelancers
2. Para-medical professions such as physiotherapists, dentists, psychologists or speech therapists who are only permitted to carry out urgent interventions
3. Specialised food and drink shops, such as chocolate and wine shops, that suffer a heavy loss of turnover due to lack of passage or tourists
4. Painters, electricians and plumbers who are only allowed to carry out urgent repairs
5. Farmers targeting catering customers

The compensation premium amounts to €3,000. For a certain category of self-employed, as secondary occupation, the compensation is €1,500.

The corona compensation premium is a one-off premium.

Use of measure

The exact amount of beneficiaries is currently unclear as the businesses have to apply for it themselves based on their turnover rates. The concrete numbers will only be known at a later stage. It is to be expected however that there will be a significant amount of applications, especially in the events sector.

Target groups

Workers	Businesses	Citizens
Self-employed	Solo-self-employed One person or microenterprises	Does not apply to citizens

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	Informed
Form	Not applicable	Not applicable

Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:

• Unknown
• Main level of involvement: Unknown

Involvement

Unknown

Views and reactions

It is to be expected that the social partners have at least been informed of the measure (in particular the employers associations).

Sources

• 15 March 2020: Corona-compensatiepremie (www.vlaanderen.be)
• 01 April 2020: De Tijd: Vlaamse compensatiepremie van 3000 euro voor getroffen zelfstandigen (www.tijd.be)
• 17 June 2020: VLAIO (www.vlaio.be)