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EU PolicyWatch

Database of national-level policy measures

Eurofound's EU PolicyWatch collates information on the responses of government and social partners to the COVID-19 crisis, the war in Ukraine, rising inflation, as well as gathering examples of company practices aimed at mitigating the social and economic impacts.

Factsheet for measure GR-2022-12/2262 – measures in Greece

Ad-hoc financial support for vulnerable groups

Ikonomiki enishisi evaloton omadon plithismou (Οικονομική ενίσχυση ευάλωτων ομάδων πληθυσμού)

Country Greece , applies nationwide
Time period Temporary, 17 March 2022 – 21 April 2022
Context COVID-19, War in Ukraine
Type Other initiatives or policies
Category N/A
– Increasing income in general
Author Penny Georgiadou (INE GSEE)
Measure added 13 May 2022 (updated 10 July 2023)

Background information

In March 2022 the government introduced a series of support measures to address the impact of price rises due to the continuing health crisis and the war in Ukraine.

The Law 4917 on 31 March 2022 (articles 53 and 54) established exceptional financial support measures for the vulnerable groups of the population.

Content of measure

The financial measures for the support of vulnerable groups of the population taken by the government, include the following:

  • Aid of €200 per person to low income pensioners, to uninsured elders and to persons with disabilities
  • One monthly extra payment for the beneficiaries of the guaranteed minimum income
  • An additional one and a half monthly payment of the child benefit in April to the beneficiaries of March, i.e. an instalment corresponding to 1.5 months. The amount of this aid shall be, depends on the level of the income and varies: €105 or €63 or €42 for each child up to the first two, and €210 or €126 or €84 from the third and for each subsequent child.

The total cost of all the above interventions is estimated at €324 million.

The granting of the exceptional financial assistance took place before 21 April 2022.

Use of measure

According to the Minister of Finance, this exceptional aid concerns 1.4 million households, with more than 3.2 million members from vulnerable groups of the population.

The beneficiaries are:

  • 677,000 low pensioners
  • 35,000 uninsured elders
  • 167,000 persons with disabilities
  • 240,000 persons eligible for receiving the guaranteed minimum income
  • 625,000 persons eligible for receiving the child benefit and refer to more than 1 million children.

Target groups

Workers Businesses Citizens
Does not apply to workers Does not apply to businesses Older citizens
Disabled
Other groups of citizens
Pensioners
People on social benefits

Actors and funding

Actors Funding
National government
National funds

Social partners

Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:

Trade unions Employers' organisations
Role No involvement No involvement
Form Not applicable Not applicable

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

  • No involvement
  • Main level of involvement: N/A

Involvement

There was no involvement of social partners.

Views and reactions

There were no social partner's reactions to the measure detected.

Sources

  • 17 March 2022: Press Release: Statement by the Minister of Finance, specification of the support measures to address the impact of price rises on citizens (www.minfin.gr)
  • 23 March 2022: Press Release. Speech by the Minister of Finance at the Plenum of the Parliament (www.minfin.gr)
  • 31 March 2022: Law 4917/2022 at 31st March 202 (www.e-nomothesia.gr)

Citation

Eurofound (2022), Ad-hoc financial support for vulnerable groups, measure GR-2022-12/2262 (measures in Greece), EU PolicyWatch, Dublin, https://static.eurofound.europa.eu/covid19db/cases/GR-2022-12_2262.html

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Disclaimer: This information has not been subject to the full Eurofound evaluation, editorial and publication process.