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: Citizens
Eurofound has identified 60 measures for this target group. Most of these measures fall into the category Measures to prevent social hardship (38%).
Supporting businesses to stay afloat |
|
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09 February 2023 |
Extraordinary support to renting
Portugal, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
Reorientation of business activities |
01 December 2020 |
Brewdog: Protecting staff, business and community
United Kingdom, Company practices |
16 November 2020 |
English language schools try to adapt during COVID-19
Malta, Company practices |
07 February 2021 Updated |
Autoliv starts to produce masks
Poland, Company practices |
Protection of workers, adaptation of workplace |
01 December 2020 |
Go4All - collaborative platform for remote working
Portugal, Company practices |
Income protection beyond short-time work |
14 July 2020 Updated |
Emergency income
Italy, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
13 April 2020 Updated |
'Disease carriers allowance' extended to high-risk groups
Sweden, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
17 January 2021 Updated |
Unemployment benefit for recent graduates
Latvia, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
Measures to prevent social hardship |
27 November 2020 |
Volunteers platform "Easy to help-Stay at home"
Latvia, Other initiatives or policies |
30 October 2020 Updated |
National Social Package: prevention of poverty and problematic household debt
Netherlands, Other initiatives or policies |
29 October 2020 |
Economic reactivation measures to face the impact of COVID-19 in the field of housing
Spain, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
05 October 2020 |
Temporary compensation for basic social assistance clients due to an epidemic outbreak
Finland, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
11 August 2022 |
Provision of cancer treatment for Ukrainian refugees
Malta, Other initiatives or policies |
13 July 2020 |
Additional financial support for people in precarious situations
Belgium, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
10 July 2020 Updated |
Hot meal vouchers for elderly
Romania, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
30 June 2021 |
Loan deduction for students who do not graduate on time due to COVID-19
Finland, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
29 June 2023 |
Scholarships and grants for research or academic work
Latvia, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
07 June 2023 |
Humanitarian aid for households not yet supported
Slovakia, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
20 May 2022 |
City of Ciechanów exempts private hosts of refugees from real estate tax
Poland, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
20 May 2022 Updated |
Compensations for providing housing to Ukrainian citizens free of charge
Lithuania, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
17 May 2022 |
Food assistance for Ukrainian refugees
Poland, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
11 May 2022 Updated |
Benefits for people who help to house and feed refugees
Poland, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
09 May 2022 |
Allowance to cover elevated monthly housing costs for low-income households
Czechia, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
17 April 2020 Updated |
Interest-free student loans
Hungary, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
16 April 2020 Updated |
Additional housing allowance scheme
Greece, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
15 April 2020 Updated |
Measures intended to give the debtor additional time to fulfill obligations
Latvia, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
15 April 2020 |
Extension of social housing programmes
Spain, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
14 April 2020 |
Rent debt moratorium and access to financing for payment of rental debt
Spain, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
13 April 2020 Updated |
Urgent measures of food solidarity
Italy, Other initiatives or policies |
15 February 2023 |
Reducing the effects of interest rate increases on housing credit
Portugal, Other initiatives or policies |
07 February 2021 |
“Alliance against COVID”: Joint action by the social partners GSEE and GSEVEE and the radio station Alpha989
Greece, Other initiatives or policies |
Promoting the economic, labour market and social recovery |
11 October 2021 |
Training and employment for youth and people with a guaranteed minimum income
Romania, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
05 October 2020 |
One-time payment for welfare beneficiaries
Denmark, Other initiatives or policies |
21 August 2022 Updated |
Green and digital traineeship subsidies
Croatia, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
21 August 2022 Updated |
Green and digital employment subsidies
Croatia, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
13 July 2021 |
New Pathways to Work strategy as part of National Recovery Plan
Ireland, Other initiatives or policies |
29 June 2023 |
Save/renovate my home – for young people
Greece, Other initiatives or policies |
23 June 2022 |
Sectoral training and development funds
Netherlands, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
20 February 2023 |
'Saving - Autonomy' programme for residential buildings' energy upgrade
Greece, Other initiatives or policies |
Responses to inflation |
15 September 2022 |
Additional support for vulnerable groups to address energy price increases
Latvia, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
13 September 2022 Updated |
Extraordinary financial support for citizens with low and medium income
Portugal, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
09 September 2022 |
Grant scheme for photovoltaic charging systems for electric vehicles
Cyprus, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
08 September 2022 |
Income support for informal caregivers
Slovakia, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
07 September 2022 |
Financial support for substitute child care providers
Slovakia, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
01 June 2022 |
Monthly subsidy for families to counter inflation
Portugal, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
18 May 2022 |
One-off subsidy for low-income employees
Italy, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
13 May 2022 |
One-time subsidy for energy bills of low-income households
Slovenia, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
13 May 2022 |
Ad-hoc financial support for vulnerable groups
Greece, Other initiatives or policies |
13 May 2022 Updated |
Energy tax credit based on income level replaces second wage indexation
Luxembourg, Tripartite agreements |
12 May 2022 Updated |
One-time payment for receivers of unemployment and social assistance and unemployment benefits
Germany, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
12 May 2022 Updated |
Temporary increase in the minimum living income
Spain, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
11 May 2022 Updated |
Food vouchers for vulnerable citizens
Romania, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
10 May 2022 Updated |
Extra energy allowance for lower incomes
Netherlands, Other initiatives or policies |
29 April 2022 Updated |
Distribution of one-time bonus and tax refund cheques
Malta, Other initiatives or policies |
28 March 2023 |
Support for households with propane-butane gas and diesel fuel heating
Latvia, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
26 February 2023 |
Extraordinary financial support for vulnerable groups
Greece, Other initiatives or policies |
20 February 2023 |
Market Pass: food subsidy
Greece, Other initiatives or policies |
20 February 2023 |
Restore the house - support to improve household energy efficiency
Slovakia, Other initiatives or policies |
13 February 2023 Updated |
€200 cheque for middle class families
Spain, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
07 February 2023 |
Limitation of the increase of the rents for 2023
Portugal, 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.