European Foundation
for the Improvement of
Living and Working Conditions

The tripartite EU agency providing knowledge to assist
in the development of better social, employment and
work-related policies

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 LT-2021-10/1859 – measures in Lithuania

Reimbursement of marketplace fees

Turgavietės mokesčio kompensacija

Country Lithuania , applies nationwide
Time period Temporary, 05 March 2021 – 30 June 2021
Context COVID-19
Type Legislations or other statutory regulations
Category Supporting businesses to stay afloat
– Direct subsidies (full or partial) or damage compensation
Author Rasa Mieziene, Inga Blaziene (Lithuanian Centre for Social Sciences)
Measure added 13 April 2021 (updated 23 July 2021)

Background information

On 5 March 2021, the procedure for allocation and administration of funds for the measure “Reimbursement of Marketplace Fee” (the Procedure), as approved by Resolution No 133 of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania, entered into force providing that natural persons trading in non-food outlets (marketplace traders) whose economic activities are included in the list of activities affected by COVID-19 may apply for marketplace fee reimbursement. The aim is to at least partially reduce losses incurred by self-employed marketplace traders as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Content of measure

The Procedure stipulates that all natural persons trading in non-food outlets whose economic activities are included in the list of activities affected by COVID-19, as approved by the Ministry of the Economy and Innovation and the Ministry of Social Security and Labour of the Republic of Lithuania, may apply for compensation if they meet the criteria set by the Government of the Republic of Lithuania.

Market traders may apply for €300 in compensation. Applicants may be granted only one marketplace fee compensation irrespective of the number of outlets they lease now or will lease in the future.

To be eligible for the compensation, a person must have paid or committed to pay a marketplace fee for December 2020 and/or 2021 and planning to continue his/her activities in 2021. In addition, the person must have obtained a business certificate or registered certificated individual economic activities for a period from 1 September 2020 until 16 December 2020 and have filed an annual income tax return for 2019 (where applicable). To receive compensation, marketplace traders should submit applications to the State Tax Inspectorate (STI) by 1 June 2021. Applications may be closed earlier if the allocation of €2 million is distributed earlier. The compensations shall be granted until 30 June 2021 at the latest.

Such lump-sum compensations were also available for marketplace traders in 2020. The period for application submission was from 9 July 2020 to 16 September 2020.

Use of measure

According to the STI, from 5 March 2021 to 18 March 2021, compensations were paid to more than 2.6 thousand people. According to the Procedure, the amount allocated from the state budget for the compensations during the mentioned period is €2 million.

During the previous period (from 9 July to 2 September 2020), a total of about 7,000 marketplace traders applied for support (support was granted to 5,500 applicants; the rest did not meet the requirements).

About 6,700 Lithuanian residents have already been granted marketplace fee compensations by May 2021. A total of €2 million was distributed to marketplace traders in 2021.

Target groups

Workers Businesses Citizens
Self-employed
Solo-self-employed
Does not apply to citizens

Actors and funding

Actors Funding
National government
Social partners jointly
Public support service providers
National funds

Social partners

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

Trade unions Employers' organisations
Role Consulted Consulted
Form Direct consultation outside a formal body Direct consultation outside a formal body

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

  • No involvement
  • Main level of involvement: Sectoral or branch level

Involvement

Social partners consulted only ad hoc, the tripartite meeting was not held.

Views and reactions

According to the President of the Association of Market Places and Outlets (AMPO), such support is too low for marketplace traders to cover their costs, as one market outlet costs on average €155 per month. In addition, the application procedure is complex and involves many excessive requirements.

Trade unions have not expressed their views on this issue.

Sectors and occupations

    • Economic area Sector (NACE level 2)
      G - Wholesale And Retail Trade; Repair Of Motor Vehicles And Motorcycles G47 Retail trade, except of motor vehicles and motorcycles
    • Occupation (ISCO level 2)
      Street and related sales and service workers

Sources

  • 20 September 2020: Two weeks before closure of applications for a €300 compensation for marketplace fees (Paraiškoms gauti €300 turgavietės mokesčio kompensacijos liko dvi savaitės) (www.vz.lt)
  • 03 March 2021: The government approves the procedure for reimbursing marketplace fees (Vyriausybė pritarė turgavietės mokesčio kompensacijos tvarkai) (kauno.diena.lt)
  • 03 March 2021: Procedure for allocation and administration of funds for the measure “Reimbursement of Marketplace Fee” (Priemonės „Turgavietės mokesčio kompensacija“ lėšų skyrimo ir administravimo tvarkos aprašas (e-seimas.lrs.lt)
  • 18 March 2021: STI: Good news about reimbursement of marketplace fees for 2.6 thousand people (VMI: 2,6 tūkst. gyventojų – geros žinios dėl turgavietės mokesčio kompensacijos) (aktualijos.lt)
  • 12 May 2021: STI reminds that marketplace fee compensations are still available for 1,000 traders (www.vz.lt)

Citation

Eurofound (2021), Reimbursement of marketplace fees, measure LT-2021-10/1859 (measures in Lithuania), EU PolicyWatch, Dublin, https://static.eurofound.europa.eu/covid19db/cases/LT-2021-10_1859.html

Share

Eurofound publications based on EU PolicyWatch

30 January 2023

 

Measures to lessen the impact of the inflation and energy crisis on citizens

Governments across the EU continue to implement policies to support citizens and businesses in the face of rising food and energy prices caused by the COVID-19 crisis and intensified by the war in Ukraine. This article summarises the policy responses as reported in Eurofound's EU PolicyWatch database from January to September 2022.

Article

12 September 2022

 

First responses to cushion the impact of inflation on citizens

Although the worldwide pandemic situation had already disrupted supply chains and triggered increases in energy and food prices in 2021, the situation deteriorated in 2022 with the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Article

12 September 2022

 

Policies to support EU companies affected by the war in Ukraine

This article summarises the first policy responses that governments across the EU have started to implement to support companies affected by the rising prices, and those with commercial ties to Ukraine, Russia or Belarus.

Article

5 July 2022

 

Policies to support refugees from Ukraine

This article summarises the first policy responses of EU Member States, including those of the social partners and other civil society actors, enabling refugees to exercise their rights under the Temporary Protection Directive.

Article

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