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.
Overview of measures by country
Eurofound has identified 111 measures in Austria in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine, the digital transformation, the green transition, and companies undergoing restructuring. Most cases fall into the category Promoting the economic, labour market and social recovery into a green future with 29 cases (26%). The data collection to date started in March 2020, and data are updated at regular intervals.
This overview was prepared by Bernadette Allinger (Forba) and Eurofound.
Legislations or other statutory regulations |
|
---|---|
10 April 2020 |
Civilian service extension and voluntary reactivation
Mobilisation of a larger workforce |
10 April 2020 |
Extension of employment permit for seasonal workers
Mobilisation of a larger workforce |
06 May 2020 |
Increase of maximum weekly working hours
Change of work arrangements (working time, rota schemes) |
05 October 2020 Updated |
Tax exemption for COVID-19 bonuses
Remuneration and rewards for workers in essential services |
02 June 2022 Updated |
Access to the labour market for refugees from Ukraine
Mobilisation of a larger workforce |
Bipartite collective agreements |
23 October 2020 |
Corona hazard bonus in collective agreements in the social and healthcare sectors
Remuneration and rewards for workers in essential services |
23 October 2020 |
Recommendation for Corona bonus in retail collective agreement
Remuneration and rewards for workers in essential services |
04 November 2020 |
Corona bonus of €3000 rewards Vienna Port employees for exceptional burden
Remuneration and rewards for workers in essential services |
04 November 2020 |
Corona bonus in several industrial sectors
Remuneration and rewards for workers in essential services |
Company practices |
19 May 2020 |
Austrian armed forces 'take over' postal logistics services
Smoothing frictions or reallocation of workers |
Other initiatives or policies |
10 April 2020 Updated |
Food helpers online platform
Smoothing frictions or reallocation of workers |
23 June 2022 |
Qualification barometer
Smoothing frictions or reallocation of workers |
Legislations or other statutory regulations |
|
---|---|
31 March 2020 Updated |
State support for tourism - Access to finance
Access to finance |
31 March 2020 Updated |
Bank guarantees for SMEs and one-person enterprises
Access to finance |
10 April 2020 Updated |
Company subsidy for fixed costs
Direct subsidies (full or partial) or damage compensation |
20 April 2020 |
Hardship fund for SMEs - Upper Austria
Direct subsidies (full or partial) or damage compensation |
09 July 2020 Updated |
Support fund for non-profit organisations
Direct subsidies (full or partial) or damage compensation |
09 July 2020 Updated |
Reduction of VAT (value added tax) to 5% for gastronomy, accommodation, culture and publications
Direct subsidies (full or partial) or damage compensation |
30 December 2020 Updated |
Lockdown - turnover (sales) compensation
Direct subsidies (full or partial) or damage compensation |
02 January 2021 Updated |
New compensation scheme for losses introduced as alternative to fixed cost subsidy for companies
Direct subsidies (full or partial) or damage compensation |
15 April 2021 Updated |
Cancellation bonus
Direct subsidies (full or partial) or damage compensation |
23 June 2022 |
Alternative Finance Act
Access to finance |
Non-binding recommendations or other texts |
10 April 2020 Updated |
Deferral of social security contributions for self-employed
Deferral of payments or liabilities |
Other initiatives or policies |
05 October 2020 Updated |
Investment premium
Direct subsidies (full or partial) or damage compensation |
05 October 2020 |
Guarantees for bank loans - Vienna
Access to finance |
05 October 2020 Updated |
'Proud of Vienna' Holding: providing equity capital to affected companies with the help of a temporary investment
Access to finance |
23 June 2022 Updated |
Go international!
Measures related to foreign trade |
23 June 2022 |
Promotion of raw material management
Access to finance |
Legislations or other statutory regulations |
|
---|---|
13 April 2020 |
Mandatory usage of holiday entitlements and time credits
Working time flexibility |
02 October 2020 |
Expansion and increase of the job security allowance and wage allowance
Income support for people in employment (e.g., short-time work) |
23 June 2022 Updated |
Short-time working support
Income support for people in employment (e.g., short-time work) |
23 June 2022 |
Temporary suspension of employment and reemployment commitments
Income support for people in employment (e.g., short-time work) |
23 June 2022 Updated |
Insolvency Income Fund
Income support for people in employment (e.g., short-time work) |
Bipartite collective agreements |
04 November 2020 Updated |
€300 million salary waiver to save Austrian Airlines
Wage flexibility |
Tripartite agreements |
31 March 2020 Updated |
COVID-19 short-time work scheme
Income support for people in employment (e.g., short-time work) |
Legislations or other statutory regulations |
|
---|---|
07 November 2022 |
National Emissions Certificates Trading Law (NEHG)
Change of production/Innovation |
Company practices |
13 April 2020 |
Good practice: Snowblowers to blow disinfectants
Change of production/Innovation |
Non-binding recommendations or other texts |
23 June 2022 |
Sustainability Agenda for Beverage Packaging
Change of production/Innovation |
Other initiatives or policies |
31 March 2020 |
OpenHotel platform for essential workers
Creation of platforms for businesses aimed at customer |
23 June 2022 Updated |
i2 - Business Angels
Change of production/Innovation |
23 June 2022 |
Succession bourse
Matching/networking |
23 June 2022 |
Impact Innovation
Change of production/Innovation |
23 June 2022 |
fit4internet
Matching/networking |
04 November 2022 |
Green Finance Alliance
Change of production/Innovation |
Legislations or other statutory regulations |
|
---|---|
27 November 2023 |
Suspension of work during natural disasters
Occupational health and safety |
29 November 2021 Updated |
COVID-19 response plan
Occupational health and safety |
14 April 2020 Updated |
Occupational safety measures concerning COVID-19
Occupational health and safety |
29 November 2021 Updated |
Rules for winter tourism season 2021/22
Occupational health and safety |
26 November 2021 Updated |
Company testing
Occupational health and safety |
25 November 2021 Updated |
3-G-Rule in the workplace
Occupational health and safety |
27 January 2021 |
Home office regulation
Teleworking arrangements, remote working |
13 September 2022 |
COVID-19 traffic restrictions instead of isolation
Occupational health and safety |
09 July 2020 Updated |
Special protection for COVID-19 risk groups at work
Occupational health and safety |
Bipartite collective agreements |
27 January 2021 Updated |
General collective agreement Corona test
Occupational health and safety |
15 April 2020 Updated |
Protection of workers in retail, including change of working hours
Occupational health and safety |
Company practices |
13 April 2020 Updated |
Self-isolation Vienna Energy
Well-being of workers |
Non-binding recommendations or other texts |
14 April 2020 Updated |
Recommendation on teleworking
Teleworking arrangements, remote working |
14 April 2020 Updated |
Instructions from the social partners for dealing with construction sites due to COVID-19
Occupational health and safety |
07 May 2020 |
Recommendation for a gradual relaunch of work - focus on office routine
Occupational health and safety |
Other initiatives or policies |
25 April 2020 |
SME subsidy for teleworking: Region of Styria and Chamber of Labour
Teleworking arrangements, remote working |
16 April 2020 |
Subsidy for home offices - IT infrastructure
Teleworking arrangements, remote working |
23 June 2022 Updated |
SME Digital 3.1
Changes in work organisation |
11 July 2022 |
Subsidy for homeoffice - IT infrastructure
Teleworking arrangements, remote working |
Legislations or other statutory regulations |
|
---|---|
31 March 2020 Updated |
Hardship case fund: Safety net for self-employed
Extensions of income support to workers not covered by any kind of protection scheme |
13 April 2020 Updated |
Special subsidised care time for working parents and carers
Support for parents and carers (financial or in kind) |
13 April 2020 Updated |
Online application for unemployment benefit and top-up of emergency assistance
Income support for unemployed |
15 April 2020 Updated |
COVID-19 - Arts and culture - Overview of support measures for artists
Extensions of income support to workers not covered by any kind of protection scheme |
25 April 2020 Updated |
Entrepreneur's wage (part of the company subsidy for fixed costs)
Extensions of income support to workers not covered by any kind of protection scheme |
09 July 2020 Updated |
Lump-sum payments for unemployed and children
Support for parents and carers (financial or in kind) |
05 October 2020 Updated |
Bridging subsidy Corona for self-employed with a disability
Extensions of income support to workers not covered by any kind of protection scheme |
Legislations or other statutory regulations |
|
---|---|
13 April 2020 Updated |
COVID-19 family hardship fund and family crisis fund
Protection of vulnerable groups (beyond employment support) |
13 April 2020 Updated |
Alleviations for tenants
Keeping or obtaining a safe home |
13 April 2020 Updated |
Debt moratorium for consumers and microenterprises
Preventing over-indebtedness |
14 April 2020 Updated |
Electronic prescriptions
Access to healthcare |
14 April 2020 |
COVID-19 €100 million special fund for 24-hour nursing care
Access to healthcare |
02 June 2022 Updated |
Inclusion of Ukrainian refugees in largest Austrian social health insurance
Access to healthcare |
02 June 2022 Updated |
Education measures for Ukrainian refugees
Access to childcare and education |
14 September 2022 Updated |
"Housing umbrella" programme for securing one's home
Keeping or obtaining a safe home |
16 June 2023 |
Housing allowance for low-income households
Keeping or obtaining a safe home |
26 November 2023 |
Disaster Fund Act
Other humanitarian measures |
Non-binding recommendations or other texts |
13 April 2020 Updated |
No energy shutdown when payment difficulties occur
Keeping or obtaining a safe home |
14 April 2020 Updated |
Campaign 'Safe at home'
Protection of vulnerable groups (beyond employment support) |
Legislations or other statutory regulations |
|
---|---|
23 June 2022 |
Work foundation (outplacement)
Active labour market policies (enhancing employability, training, subsidised job creation, etc.) |
15 September 2022 |
Electricity price brake
Support for energy bills |
15 September 2022 |
Tax reform to abolish the "cold progression" and adjustment of social benefits to inflation
Increasing income in general |
23 February 2023 |
Work Foundation in the environmental field
Active labour market policies (enhancing employability, training, subsidised job creation, etc.) |
13 September 2022 |
Financial measures supporting families in the cost-of-living crisis
Increasing income in general |
13 September 2022 Updated |
Climate bonus and inflation bonus
|
29 February 2024 |
Renovation offensive NEW 2024
Retrofitting buildings |
23 June 2022 |
Start-up promotion law
Support for spending, stimulus packages |
23 June 2022 |
Implacement work foundation
Active labour market policies (enhancing employability, training, subsidised job creation, etc.) |
16 September 2022 |
Tax-free "cost of living" bonus payments
Increasing income in general |
23 February 2023 Updated |
Company subsidies for energy costs
Support for energy bills |
01 June 2022 Updated |
Energy costs compensation voucher
Support for energy bills |
01 June 2022 Updated |
One-time inflation compensation payment for people in need
Increasing income in general |
01 June 2022 Updated |
Suspension of green electricity contributions
Support for energy bills |
13 October 2021 Updated |
Springboard initiative for long-term unemployed
Active labour market policies (enhancing employability, training, subsidised job creation, etc.) |
13 October 2021 |
Corona Job offensive
Active labour market policies (enhancing employability, training, subsidised job creation, etc.) |
02 January 2021 Updated |
COVID-19 education bonus
Active labour market policies (enhancing employability, training, subsidised job creation, etc.) |
29 February 2024 |
Photovoltaics funding
Retrofitting buildings |
02 October 2020 Updated |
Re-start bonus (combination wage allowance)
Active labour market policies (enhancing employability, training, subsidised job creation, etc.) |
20 July 2020 Updated |
Apprentice bonus for companies creating apprenticeships
Active labour market policies (enhancing employability, training, subsidised job creation, etc.) |
01 June 2022 Updated |
Increased commuter allowance
Support for other basic items (e.g., food, housing, public transport, medicines) |
Other initiatives or policies |
27 November 2023 |
Renovation bonus and 'out of oil and gas' promotion campaign
Retrofitting buildings |
14 May 2020 |
City of Vienna issues gastronomy vouchers for every household
Measures to support a gradual relaunch of work |
23 June 2022 Updated |
OPE Benefit
Active labour market policies (enhancing employability, training, subsidised job creation, etc.) |
23 June 2022 Updated |
Support Energy Management Systems
Support for spending, stimulus packages |
29 February 2024 |
E-Mobility Funding 2024
Sustainable mobility |
04 November 2020 Updated |
Employers organisation provides consulting services for SMEs to restart their business
Measures to support a gradual relaunch of work |
14 September 2022 Updated |
Digi-Cheque for upskilling apprentices
Active labour market policies (enhancing employability, training, subsidised job creation, etc.) |
29 February 2024 |
Public transport incentive
Sustainable mobility |
30 January 2023
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.
Article12 September 2022
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.
Article12 September 2022
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.
Article5 July 2022
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.
ArticleDisclaimer: This information has not been subject to the full Eurofound evaluation, editorial and publication process.