Background information

This measure complements the Subsidy for fixed costs for SMEs implemented by the government during the COVID-19 issue. It intends to give additional assistance to agricultural and horticultural enterprises for them to pay for fixed expenditures.

This additional step was established by the government to give further assistance to enterprises in this sector affected by the COVID-19 regulations. This is important because agricultural holdings have a lower limit under the European temporary state assistance framework 3.1 than non-agricultural holdings. The government finds this undesirable and has so decided to develop a plan under a new component of the temporary state aid framework (3.12) that allows for considerable support to medium-sized agriculture companies as well as horticulture companies.

Content of measure

In order to be eligible for this measure, the business must be operating in the Netherlands. Additionally, the business owners must be able to apply for maximum TVL (€225,000) or if they have already received confirmation that they will receive the maximum TVL.

The requirements and conditions for this measure are alike to the TVL measure. The company must be registered in the Trade Registry of the Chamber of Commerce before February 29, 2020. If after this date, the company is only entitled to the second and third quarter of 2021. Furthermore, the business has had at least 30% less turnover in the quarters that the Non-covered Fixed Costs in agriculture and horticulture is being applied as compared to the same quarter in 2019. In the case that the company was dealing with financial difficulties before December 31, 2019, then they would not be eligible for this scheme. Companies with accepted applications will be paid 70% of uncovered fixed expenses in the third quarter of this initiative, which is presently in its third quarter.

A subsidy of €550,000 for a SME and €600,000 for a company with more than 250 workers is the maximum per quarter.

Use of measure

Not available.

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	Unknown	Unknown
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

Unknown.

Sectors and occupations

This case is not occupation-specific.

Sources

• 25 October 2021: Regeling van de Minister van Landbouw, Natuur en Voedselkwaliteit van 26 oktober 2021, nr. WJZ/21204950 , houdende wijziging van de Regeling subsidie financiering ongedekte vaste kosten land- en tuinbouwbedrijven COVID-19 (zoek.officielebekendmakingen.nl)
• 16 November 2021: Ongedekte Vaste Kosten land en tuinbouw (OVK) (www.rvo.nl)