Background information

In June 2020, the government proposed a subsidy scheme for operators of commercial bus and passenger boat routes. After a public hearing, a scheme was adopted on 20 July with effect from 1 June 2020. The purpose of the scheme is to maintain the offer of commercial long-distance bus and passenger boat routes by compensating for lost ticket revenues due to infection control measures introduced to combat COVID-19.

Content of measure

The Norwegian Railway Directorate manage the subsidy scheme for commercial bus and boat routes on behalf of The Ministry of Transport and Communications. The scheme applies to June, July and August with a deadline for each month four weeks after the end of the month for which the grant is applied for. (The deadlines have later been prolonged.) NOK 100 million (€9.3 million) is set aside in the state budget for compensation under the scheme.

The government wanted to direct the scheme at express buses and boat routes that play a similar role as express buses. Operators of such routes have reported a need for financial assistance, and The Ministry of Transport and Communications found it most important to implement measures to secure public transport along the main transport routes in the country. Applicants, who have a permit to operate passenger transport on a route with a motor vehicle or passenger boat, can apply for subsidy under the scheme when the route is over 80 kilometers one way. It is a requirement that the route is commercial and that there is year-round operation on the route.

Use of measure

No information to date.

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	Any other form of consultation, institutionalised (as stable working groups or committees) or informal	Any other form of consultation, institutionalised (as stable working groups or committees) or informal

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

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

Involvement

Social partners have been consulted regularly during design and implementation of the measure. The government send the proposal for measure out for comment in a public hearing where the social partners were included.

Views and reactions

The social partners are supportive of the measure.

Sectors and occupations

This case is not occupation-specific.

Sources

• 30 June 2020: Høring - utkast til forskrift om midlertidig tilskudd til operatører av kommersielle buss- og passasjerbåtruter (www.regjeringen.no)
• 05 August 2020: Jernbanedirektoratet forvalter tilskuddsordning for kommersielle buss- og båtruter (www.jernbanedirektoratet.no)