Background information

This measure was introduced by the government, specifically, via the Ministry of Economics and Climate. This is part of the package of national measures taken to mitigate effects of COVID-19.

It should be noted that as of April 2020, Parliament and First Chamber have agreed to the package of bills, though in this situation the cabinet did not need to formally wait for agreement in order to enact the measures.

It has been introduced as bunch of emergency solutions specifically to combat or cushion the effects of the COVID-19 crisis. The measure is for 3 months, but there is budget available to extend it for other 3 months. More specifically this measure is aimed at providing the enterprise with budget to pay their costs. The ultimate aim is to keep the economy functioning (including the financial flow) till the pandemic is under control.

Content of measure

The subsidy for enterprises in affected sectors, or Tegemoetkoming Ondernemers Getroffen Sectoren (TOGS) is a government allowance for enterprises that are directly negatively affected by the government’s COVID-19 measures. These enterprises are eligible to receive a one-time government subsidy of €4,000, and in general consist of businesses that are directly, negatively affected by the government’s measures. This includes enterprises that were forced to close doors or could not operate fully because of the government’s COVID-19 measures.

The main selection criteria is SBI codes, the Dutch equivalent of NACE codes. Currently this includes more sectors and sub-sectors than can be noted down here. The sectors included is adapted regularly, by the Ministry since also enterprises that were not obliged to close doors were hit hard such as small fashion shop, so these enterprises were included at a later stage and the ministry announced that the list is not complete yet (13 April 2020). Indeed, this list seems to be evolving and expanding as the crisis continues and future prognoses start to be developed.

Use of measure

Central Statistics Office data indicates that up to 31 May 2021, the TOGS has been used by 215,880 companies. A total amount of €864 million has been allocated (CBS, 2021).

RVO has granted a TOGS application to almost 216,000 companies (as at 30 September 2020). This mainly concerns small businesses. About half of these are companies with one workplace. For 93% these were companies with fewer than ten workplaces. Hospitality entrepreneurs in particular have made use of this scheme (Bedrijvenbeleid in beeld, 2021).

The RVO also uses NACE codes for this measure. Tens of thousands of entrepreneurs reported that their NACE code was missing. The government used these signals for the expansions and the rectification. On May 13, the list of established NACE codes was expanded again. As a result, companies could still apply for the TOGS after the 2nd expansion on 13 May with the code of their ancillary activity (RVO, 2020).

Target groups

Workers	Businesses	Citizens
Does not apply to workers	Sector specific set of companies	Does not apply to citizens

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	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:

• Social partners jointly
• Main level of involvement: Peak or cross-sectoral level

Involvement

Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 crisis, the government has had regular and close consultation with the social partners. Together the national level social partners and the government arrived at the first and second packages of emergency measures, announced 17 March and 20 May respectively.

Views and reactions

Though not discussed in great detail, the social partners (national level trade unions and employer organisations), have come together to discuss with the government how best to tackle the effects of COVID-19 on workers and employers so as to keep the Dutch economy going. In the Netherlands relevant, national sectoral social partners are often involved in national policy making in a consultative capacity so that partners may reflect on regulatory plans and their intended impacts. This happens in a direct consultation fashion or through tripartite meetings (facilitated by the National Labour Foundation). The social partners were consulted for the whole package of measures introduced by the Dutch cabinet on 17 March 2020.

Sectors and occupations

This case is not occupation-specific.

Sources

• 17 March 2020: Coronavirus: kabinet neemt pakket nieuwe maatregelen voor banen en economie (www.rijksoverheid.nl)
• 07 April 2020: Eerste Kamer stemt in met noodpakket voor stilgevallen economie (www.msn.com)
• 13 April 2020: Vastgestelde SBI-codes Tegemoetkoming schade COVID-19 (www.rvo.nl)
• 26 June 2020: Tegemoetkoming Ondernemers Getroffen Sectoren COVID-19 (TOGS) (www.rijksoverheid.nl)
• 26 June 2020: Allowance Entrepreneurs Affected Sectors COVID-19 (TOGS) (www.rijksoverheid.nl)
• 08 April 2021: Bedrijvenbeleid in beeld (2021). Monitoring gebruikers steunmaatregelen (www.bedrijvenbeleidinbeeld.nl)