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 NO-2021-9/1932 – measures in Norway
Country | Norway , applies nationwide |
Time period | Open ended, started on 25 February 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 | Aasmund Arup Seip, FAFO and Eurofound |
Measure added | 05 July 2021 (updated 16 July 2021) |
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Norwegian authorities has imposed a series of national and local restrictions, which has significantly impeding economic activity. The impact of the crisis has been different for different local communities and sectors across Norway. The Norwegian authorities therefore proposed a municipal compensation scheme in order to improve the liquidity of undertakings in municipalities hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. The measure shall, in particular, remedy the situation of local undertakings that are affected by local or national infection control measures or the economic recession following from the pandemic.
The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, combined with subsequent stringent restrictive measures, has resulted in increased costs, loss of customers and large revenue losses, which in turn has led to an extraordinary liquidity situation for undertakings in many sectors. The crisis has dramatic consequences for many sectors, but the impact varies between municipalities and sectors.
The municipal compensation scheme aims at ensuring access to liquidity, by means of direct grants, for undertakings facing a sudden shortage or unavailability of liquidity due to the impact on the economy of the COVID-19 pandemic. The measure shall remedy the situation of local undertakings that are particularly affected by local or national infection control measures or the economic recession following from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The measure is funded through a budget allocation from the Government to the municipalities, which enables them to aid local undertakings. The municipalities may choose different ways, under the compensation scheme, to aid undertakings. These funds will remedy the situation for undertakings according to local needs not covered by national schemes. These needs vary from municipality to municipality.
The Ministry of Local Government and Modernisation is the authority responsible for the measure and for defining the framework within which the municipalities may adapt and prioritise local schemes. Aid under the measure may be granted to undertakings, or an entity within an undertaking, with their registered address within the municipality border, or to regional tourist boards and destination management organisations. Undertakings of all sizes can be eligible.
The municipal compensation scheme has by June 2021 been allocated NOK 2,500 million (€245 million).
No information.
Workers | Businesses | Citizens |
---|---|---|
Does not apply to workers | Applies to all businesses | Does not apply to citizens |
Actors | Funding |
---|---|
National government
Local / regional government |
National funds
|
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:
Social partners involvement is unknown. Social partners may have had informal dialogue with government or/and members of parliament.
The social partners are supportive of the measure.
Citation
Eurofound (2021), Umbrella scheme for liquidity support for undertakings in municipalities, measure NO-2021-9/1932 (measures in Norway), EU PolicyWatch, Dublin, https://static.eurofound.europa.eu/covid19db/cases/NO-2021-9_1932.html
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