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 88 measures in Belgium 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 Supporting businesses to stay afloat with 25 cases (28%). The data collection to date started in March 2020, and data are updated at regular intervals.
This overview was prepared by Dries Van Herreweghe (Katholieke Universiteit Leuven) and Eurofound.
Legislations or other statutory regulations |
|
---|---|
20 May 2020 Updated |
Creating incentives for unemployed to work in horticulture and other essential services and flexibilisation of successive fixed-term contracts
Smoothing frictions or reallocation of workers |
04 May 2022 |
Access to the labour market for Ukrainian refugees
Smoothing frictions or reallocation of workers |
23 June 2022 |
Employer group
Change of work arrangements (working time, rota schemes) |
11 July 2022 |
Conciliation office
Smoothing frictions or reallocation of workers |
Other initiatives or policies |
26 October 2020 |
Care jobs for temporary unemployed
Mobilisation of a larger workforce |
23 May 2022 |
Public employment service information support measures for Ukrainian refugees
Smoothing frictions or reallocation of workers |
Legislations or other statutory regulations |
|
---|---|
09 April 2020 Updated |
Flemish interruption premium during COVID-19
Direct subsidies (full or partial) or damage compensation |
11 July 2022 |
PLATO Explore
Other |
23 June 2022 |
Easy'Green
Access to finance |
23 June 2022 |
Early Warning Scan
Other |
23 June 2022 Updated |
Helping hand loan
Access to finance |
05 October 2021 |
Rebooking premium
Access to finance |
16 June 2021 |
Restart loans
Access to finance |
02 April 2021 |
Globalisation mechanism
Access to finance |
02 April 2021 |
Advance payment for the organisation of events
Deferral of payments or liabilities |
11 January 2021 |
New loans available to enterprises in Brussels
Access to finance |
11 July 2022 |
Centre for enterprises in difficulty
Other |
11 January 2021 |
Support measures for businesses closed since November 2nd (Wallonia)
Direct subsidies (full or partial) or damage compensation |
08 January 2021 Updated |
New Flemish Protection Mechanism
Direct subsidies (full or partial) or damage compensation |
20 November 2020 |
New Flemish protection mechanism for businesses
Access to finance |
02 October 2020 Updated |
Company loans given for rent support
Access to finance |
14 May 2020 Updated |
Regional measures to help businesses stay afloat
Access to finance |
14 May 2020 |
Regional measures concerning wage guarantees and extension of subsidies deadlines
Deferral of payments or liabilities |
14 May 2020 Updated |
Regional measures on the deferral or cancellation of tax and bills payments
Deferral of payments or liabilities |
09 April 2020 |
Brussels: One-off grant for closed businesses
Direct subsidies (full or partial) or damage compensation |
09 April 2020 |
Wallonia: Financial support for SMEs
Direct subsidies (full or partial) or damage compensation |
09 April 2020 Updated |
Support measures for self-employed workers facing difficulties
Deferral of payments or liabilities |
09 April 2020 Updated |
Flemish compensation premium in case of large turnover loss
Direct subsidies (full or partial) or damage compensation |
11 January 2021 |
Winwin-loan
Access to finance |
02 June 2023 |
'Bridging loan' to financially support enterprises
Access to finance |
Other initiatives or policies |
03 January 2022 |
Welfare fund
Access to finance |
Legislations or other statutory regulations |
|
---|---|
08 April 2020 Updated |
Extension of temporary unemployment due to force majeure
Income support for people in employment (e.g., short-time work) |
14 May 2020 Updated |
Additional support for the service voucher sector
Income support for people in employment (e.g., short-time work) |
15 September 2020 Updated |
Extension of temporary unemployment due to force majeure for specific sectors and companies in trouble
Income support for people in employment (e.g., short-time work) |
01 October 2020 |
Collective working time reduction for companies in difficulties
Working time flexibility |
01 October 2020 |
Time credit for employees of companies in difficulty and/or restructuring due to COVID-19
Working time flexibility |
04 January 2022 |
Support for HORECA sector to pay end-of-year bonus
Income support for people in employment (e.g., short-time work) |
23 June 2022 |
Temporary unemployment support
Income support for people in employment (e.g., short-time work) |
23 June 2022 |
Wage guarantee in case of employer insolvency
Income support for people in employment (e.g., short-time work) |
23 June 2022 |
Redundancy allowance for a closed business
Income support for people in employment (e.g., short-time work) |
01 June 2023 |
Compensating wage indexation: reduction and deferral of employer contributions
Income support for people in employment (e.g., short-time work) |
Legislations or other statutory regulations |
|
---|---|
23 June 2022 |
Reconversion cells
Transfer or redeployment of workers |
23 June 2022 |
Collective Research Centres - patents unit
Change of production/Innovation |
23 June 2022 |
Successor bourse
Matching/networking |
23 June 2022 |
SOWACCESS (Walloon company of merger/acquisition and closure/bankruptcy)
Matching/networking |
23 June 2022 |
Outplacement
Matching/networking |
23 June 2022 |
Circular economy cheque
Change of production/Innovation |
23 June 2022 |
Made Different Digital Wallonia
Change of production/Innovation |
11 July 2022 |
Ecodynamic Enterprise Label
Change of production/Innovation |
22 February 2023 |
Low carbon/circular advisor
Change of production/Innovation |
22 February 2023 |
Economic transition fund Brussels
Change of production/Innovation |
Other initiatives or policies |
22 February 2023 |
Circular economy grant
Change of production/Innovation |
Legislations or other statutory regulations |
|
---|---|
07 May 2020 Updated |
Office allowance for teleworkers
Teleworking arrangements, remote working |
08 January 2021 |
Encouragement premium for care personnel
Well-being of workers |
Company practices |
27 November 2020 |
University Hospital Antwerp: Change of work organisation and psychological support for staff
Well-being of workers |
27 November 2020 |
New digital communication platform to maintain contact
Occupational health and safety |
27 November 2020 |
Argenta: Bank introduces crisis management team
Teleworking arrangements, remote working |
27 November 2020 |
Centralized crisis coordination at company level
Changes of management approach |
27 November 2020 |
Specific Covid-19 related HR measures at company level
Well-being of workers |
Non-binding recommendations or other texts |
13 May 2020 |
Social partners set out general guidelines for return to work
Occupational health and safety |
31 August 2020 |
Social partner agreement on prevention and protection at the workplace
Occupational health and safety |
Legislations or other statutory regulations |
|
---|---|
10 April 2020 Updated |
Replacement income for self-employed (bridging right)
Extensions of income support to workers not covered by any kind of protection scheme |
13 May 2020 Updated |
Suspension of the degressivity of unemployment benefits during the crisis
Income support for unemployed |
19 May 2020 Updated |
COVID-19 parental leave
Support for parents and carers (financial or in kind) |
30 September 2020 Updated |
Temporary unemployment in case of school closure
Support for parents and carers (financial or in kind) |
23 June 2022 |
Restructuring card
Income support for unemployed |
23 June 2022 |
Transition allowance
Income support for unemployed |
Bipartite collective agreements |
02 September 2020 |
Temporary unemployment premium for employees in the metal sector
Income support for unemployed |
Legislations or other statutory regulations |
|
---|---|
14 May 2020 |
Regional measures to prevent social hardship
Keeping or obtaining a safe home |
13 July 2020 |
Additional financial support for people in precarious situations
Protection of vulnerable groups (beyond employment support) |
01 September 2020 |
Water and energy premium in case of temporary unemployment
Provision of services in kind (e.g. food vouchers) |
04 May 2022 |
Additional financial resources for social services
Other humanitarian measures |
23 May 2022 |
Flemish financial support for municipalities to provide housing for Ukrainian refugees
Keeping or obtaining a safe home |
Non-binding recommendations or other texts |
10 April 2020 Updated |
Extension of meal/eco/gift/sport/culture cheques
Provision of services in kind (e.g. food vouchers) |
Legislations or other statutory regulations |
|
---|---|
08 July 2020 Updated |
Consumption cheques for employees
Support for spending, stimulus packages |
13 July 2020 Updated |
Temporary tax reduction in the HORECA sector
Support for spending, stimulus packages |
08 June 2021 |
Tax Shelter COVID-19
Support for spending, stimulus packages |
08 June 2021 |
Support for tourist sector
Measures to support a gradual relaunch of work |
23 May 2022 Updated |
Measures to compensate increasing energy prices for citizens
Support for energy bills |
08 September 2022 |
Heating and electricity premiums for households
Support for energy bills |
08 September 2022 |
Federal measures to reduce fuel prices
Support for fuel expenses |
19 September 2022 Updated |
Basic energy package to support household's energy bills
Support for energy bills |
22 February 2023 |
Help for companies affected by the rise in energy prices
Support for energy bills |
22 February 2023 |
Vouchers to measure and improve energy efficiency for businesses
Support for spending, stimulus packages |
Company practices |
27 November 2020 |
Actiris: Alternative forms of training introduced
Active labour market policies (enhancing employability, training, subsidised job creation, etc.) |
Other initiatives or policies |
09 September 2022 |
Mortgage loan deferral for people in financial distress
Increasing income in general |
21 February 2023 |
Job fair for Ukrainian refugees
Active labour market policies (enhancing employability, training, subsidised job creation, etc.) |
21 February 2023 |
Ecology premium+ environmental grants
Support for spending, stimulus packages |
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.