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 target group – category: Businesses
Eurofound has identified 103 measures for this target group. Most of these measures fall into the category Supporting businesses to stay afloat (64%).
Supporting businesses to stay afloat |
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28 December 2020 Updated |
Financial Shield 2.0: Micro enterprises
Poland, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
11 December 2020 Updated |
COVID-19. Better conditions for particularly hard hit parts of Danish business, sports and cultural life
Denmark, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
02 December 2021 |
Bridging Loan for Starters and entrepreneurs
Netherlands, Other initiatives or policies |
11 November 2020 Updated |
Supports for self-employed individuals introduced in the budget
Ireland, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
03 November 2022 |
Support for the diversification of economic activities in rural areas
Estonia, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
24 October 2020 Updated |
COVID-Culture programme: Support for companies and workers in arts and culture
Czechia, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
11 October 2021 Updated |
Microgrant with fixed amount for SMEs
Romania, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
08 October 2021 Updated |
New legislation provides for rescue framework for small and micro companies
Ireland, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
05 October 2021 |
European Commission approves €500 million Greek aid scheme for businesses
Greece, Other initiatives or policies |
01 October 2020 Updated |
New measures for entrepreneurs and growth companies
Norway, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
24 September 2020 Updated |
COVID-19: State aid for agriculture
Bulgaria, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
18 September 2020 |
New assistance fund to support microenterprises
Ireland, Other initiatives or policies |
10 September 2020 |
SMEs memorandum on saving businesses, maintaining jobs and ensuring social cohesion
Greece, Other initiatives or policies |
05 August 2021 |
Subsidy for catering companies to purchase heating equipment for outdoor services
Greece, Other initiatives or policies |
05 August 2021 |
Subsidy to Existing Businesses of Gyms, Playgrounds
Greece, Other initiatives or policies |
27 July 2020 |
Subsidies for microenterprises
Lithuania, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
20 July 2021 Updated |
Financial Shield 1.0 for microfirms and SMEs - some subsidies to be returned
Poland, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
17 July 2020 Updated |
Grant support for micro and small enterprises
Bulgaria, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
13 July 2020 |
Aid of €5,000 for micro-companies
Luxembourg, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
13 July 2020 Updated |
Subsidy for fixed costs for SMEs
Netherlands, Other initiatives or policies |
10 July 2020 Updated |
Grants for SMEs and entrepreneurs in tourism, accommodation, catering, travel and commerce sectors
Estonia, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
09 July 2021 Updated |
Aid to compensate for temporary financial difficulties
Luxembourg, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
07 July 2021 |
Temporary support for farmers and SMEs affected by the pandemic
Cyprus, Other initiatives or policies |
07 July 2020 Updated |
Microinvest Cash Conversion
Malta, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
04 July 2020 Updated |
Support for preservation of jobs by micro-entrepreneurs whose economic activity has been disrupted due to a special circumstance caused by Coronavirus (COVID-19) for July 2020
Croatia, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
03 July 2020 |
New support package for the economy
Cyprus, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
01 July 2020 |
Operating loan 'Entrepreneur 2020'
Slovakia, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
29 June 2020 |
COVID III state guarantee programme for self-employed and companies up to 500 employees
Czechia, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
23 June 2022 Updated |
Federal funding for energy advice for SMEs
Germany, Other initiatives or policies |
23 June 2022 Updated |
Helping hand loan
Belgium, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
17 May 2021 |
Grant of working capital to catering companies for the supply of raw materials - Restart of catering
Greece, Other initiatives or policies |
30 April 2020 |
Financial shield: Micro enterprises
Poland, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
26 April 2020 |
Business continuity voucher
Ireland, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
26 April 2020 |
Microfinance Ireland COVID-19 business loan
Ireland, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
23 April 2020 Updated |
Interest-free loans for liquidity protection of entrepreneurs in the tourism sector
Croatia, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
23 April 2020 Updated |
Extra package of support measures for the cultural sector
Netherlands, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
21 April 2020 Updated |
Interest reduction and loan payment delays for small enterprises using microcredit Qredits system
Netherlands, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
20 April 2020 |
Hardship fund for SMEs - Upper Austria
Austria, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
19 April 2020 Updated |
Baden-Württemberg: Emergency aid for businesses with up to 50 employees
Germany, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
16 April 2020 Updated |
Anti-crisis shield: Deferral of social security contributions for self-employed and micro companies
Poland, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
15 April 2021 Updated |
Artists with civil law contracts can claim work stoppage allowance
Poland, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
15 April 2020 Updated |
COVID-19: Loans to microenterprises
Bulgaria, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
13 April 2020 |
Assistance in the payment of rents, water, gas and electricity bills for business premises of companies
France, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
13 April 2020 Updated |
Tax cuts and deferrals for companies
Sweden, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
12 April 2020 Updated |
COVID-19 loans for variable capital for microenterprises and SMEs
Croatia, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
11 April 2021 Updated |
Financial support for small and medium size companies - IMM invest
Romania, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
10 April 2020 Updated |
Company subsidy for fixed costs
Austria, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
10 April 2020 |
Loan instalments deferral for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises affected by the COVID-19 epidemic
Italy, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
09 April 2021 Updated |
Gefira II (Bridge II) - State contribution to the tranches for the payment of business or professional debts of all types
Greece, Other initiatives or policies |
09 April 2020 |
Credit Line Capitalizar 2018 – COVID-19
Portugal, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
09 April 2020 |
Brussels: One-off grant for closed businesses
Belgium, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
09 April 2020 Updated |
Flemish compensation premium in case of large turnover loss
Belgium, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
09 April 2020 Updated |
Adjusting tax prepayments
Germany, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
08 April 2021 Updated |
Bridging loans for micro, small and medium sized enterprises
Netherlands, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
08 April 2021 |
Grant for artists, professionals and solo-self employed in the culture and creative arts sector
Finland, Other initiatives or policies |
08 April 2020 Updated |
Emergency aid for freelancers, micro-entrepreneurs and solo self-employed
Germany, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
07 April 2020 Updated |
Croatian Chamber of Trades and Crafts suspends company fees for the second trimester 2020
Croatia, Other initiatives or policies |
06 April 2021 |
Allocation to existing schemes in the cultural sector
Norway, Other initiatives or policies |
06 April 2020 |
Emergency fund for very small businesses and self-employed persons
Luxembourg, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
31 March 2020 Updated |
Bank guarantees for SMEs and one-person enterprises
Austria, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
20 February 2023 |
Limiting the price of electricity to €280/MW
France, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
18 February 2021 Updated |
COVID-19 Business Aid Scheme (CBAS) targets businesses ineligible for other supports
Ireland, Other initiatives or policies |
02 February 2021 Updated |
Aiding school shops on the government agenda
Poland, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
19 January 2021 Updated |
Financial support line for micro and small tourist companies
Portugal, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
18 January 2021 Updated |
New measures addressed to businesses and employment
Portugal, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
09 January 2022 Updated |
The next edition of the Anti-Crisis Shield comes to force in January
Poland, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
Reorientation of business activities |
|
02 December 2020 |
Larger than Live: Delivery of online live concerts
Netherlands, Company practices |
05 July 2021 Updated |
Restart Incentive Scheme 2021
Malta, Other initiatives or policies |
23 June 2022 Updated |
Regional Business Development Centres
Denmark, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
26 April 2020 Updated |
Trading online voucher scheme
Ireland, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
Protection of workers, adaptation of workplace |
|
16 April 2020 |
Subsidy for home offices - IT infrastructure
Austria, Other initiatives or policies |
Income protection beyond short-time work |
|
28 October 2020 Updated |
Extension of unemployment benefits to self-employed
Latvia, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
07 October 2020 Updated |
Self-employed can pause their business in order to receive unemployment insurance
Sweden, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
05 October 2020 Updated |
Bridging subsidy Corona for self-employed with a disability
Austria, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
15 July 2021 |
Compensation for self-employed
Hungary, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
14 May 2020 Updated |
Bavaria: Extended aid for solo self-employed artists and performers
Germany, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
25 April 2020 Updated |
Entrepreneur's wage (part of the company subsidy for fixed costs)
Austria, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
21 April 2020 Updated |
Temporary subsidy for self-employed
Netherlands, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
16 April 2020 Updated |
Measures supporting solo self-employed and freelancers
Poland, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
16 April 2020 Updated |
State income benefit to support freelancers, self-employed and sole proprietors
Greece, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
10 April 2020 Updated |
Replacement income for self-employed (bridging right)
Belgium, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
09 April 2020 Updated |
Allowances for idle time for self-employed
Latvia, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
09 April 2020 Updated |
Basic income support for solo self-employed
Germany, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
08 April 2020 Updated |
Support for persons in the sector arts and entertainment
Croatia, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
05 April 2020 Updated |
Compensation bonus for self-employed and certain shareholders
Czechia, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
31 March 2020 Updated |
Self-employed income support scheme
United Kingdom, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
31 March 2020 Updated |
Hardship case fund: Safety net for self-employed
Austria, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
Measures to prevent social hardship |
|
08 October 2020 Updated |
Social Protection Acts I, II and III
Germany, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
13 April 2020 Updated |
Debt moratorium for consumers and microenterprises
Austria, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
Promoting the economic, labour market and social recovery |
|
05 November 2020 |
Digital training of SMEs employees
Romania, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
08 August 2022 |
Entrepreneurial guides in the Ukrainian language
Croatia, Non-binding recommendations or other texts |
07 July 2020 Updated |
Grant for restarting small businesses introduced
Ireland, Other initiatives or policies |
07 July 2020 |
Skills Development Scheme
Malta, Other initiatives or policies |
23 June 2023 |
Seed funding for sustainable SMEs
Ireland, Other initiatives or policies |
24 April 2021 |
Subsidies to encourage the hiring of older workers
Spain, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
24 April 2021 |
Financial incentives to hire unemployed on an open-ended basis
Spain, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
18 January 2021 |
ADAPTAR Programme - Adaptation of business activity in the context of COVID-19
Portugal, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
Responses to inflation |
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25 October 2022 Updated |
Temporary price cap on energy
Netherlands, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
29 August 2022 Updated |
Utility price cap for microcompanies
Hungary, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
13 May 2022 Updated |
Subsidy for fuels for low- to medium-income individuals and taxi services
Greece, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
09 May 2022 Updated |
Energy price lump sum allowance for people paying income tax
Germany, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
20 February 2023 Updated |
Tariff shield for energy prices
France, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
19 February 2023 |
State aid to reduce energy bills for businesses
France, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
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.