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: Workers
Eurofound has identified 125 measures for this target group. Most of these measures fall into the category Income protection beyond short-time work (41%).
Ensuring business continuity and support for essential services |
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21 April 2020 |
Derogation from the rules on driving time in road haulage
France, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
Supporting businesses to stay afloat |
|
11 November 2020 Updated |
Supports for self-employed individuals introduced in the budget
Ireland, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
30 October 2020 Updated |
Rental bonus for businesses and professionals
Italy, 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 |
Rental subsidies for self-employed
Lithuania, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
01 October 2020 Updated |
New measures for entrepreneurs and growth companies
Norway, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
13 July 2020 Updated |
Subsidy for fixed costs for SMEs
Netherlands, Other initiatives or policies |
11 July 2022 |
Centre for enterprises in difficulty
Belgium, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
07 July 2020 Updated |
Microinvest Cash Conversion
Malta, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
07 June 2023 |
Support for the livestock and agricultural sector
Spain, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
13 May 2022 Updated |
Public aids for the fisheries sector
Spain, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
13 May 2022 Updated |
Public aids for the agricultural sector
Spain, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
12 May 2022 Updated |
New line of €10 billion in credit guarantees for liquidity needs in companies
Spain, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
21 April 2020 Updated |
Right to delay tax payments for entrepreneurs
Netherlands, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
16 April 2020 |
Deferral of all April monthly tax statements for SMEs and self-employed
Spain, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
15 April 2020 Updated |
Relief of ‘KATA’ small entrepreneurs’ tax for certain target sectors hard-hit by the Coronavirus pandemic
Hungary, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
15 April 2020 |
Moratorium on social security contributions for companies and self-employed workers
Spain, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
14 April 2020 Updated |
Compensation for corporate fixed expenses
Denmark, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
13 April 2021 |
Reimbursement of marketplace fees
Lithuania, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
13 April 2020 |
State credit line for companies and the self-employed
Spain, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
13 April 2020 Updated |
Temporary measures concerning social security contribution
Luxembourg, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
13 April 2020 Updated |
Deadlines for the payment of social and/or fiscal instalments
France, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
13 April 2020 Updated |
Temporary suspension of payment obligations for loans
Romania, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
13 April 2020 Updated |
Solidarity fund for very small companies, the self-employed and micro-entrepreneurs
France, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
13 April 2020 |
Tax deferrals self-assessment July 2020 payment on account
United Kingdom, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
11 April 2021 |
Non-repayable allowance for businesses and professionals
Italy, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
11 April 2021 Updated |
Fiscal amnesty for interest and tax penalties
Romania, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
10 April 2020 Updated |
Deferral of social security contributions for self-employed
Austria, Non-binding recommendations or other texts |
10 April 2020 Updated |
Company subsidy for fixed costs
Austria, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
10 April 2020 Updated |
Suspension of tax deductions, social security and welfare contributions and premiums for compulsory insurance
Italy, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
10 April 2020 Updated |
ELY centres' business development aid to micro companies
Finland, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
10 April 2020 Updated |
Measures to allow self-employed to postpone or avoid the payment of social security contributions
Slovenia, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
09 April 2020 Updated |
Financial aid for self-employed to compensate for temporary financial difficulties caused by the COVID-19 crisis
Luxembourg, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
09 April 2020 Updated |
Support measures for self-employed workers facing difficulties
Belgium, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
09 April 2020 |
Extension period for the payment of social insurances
Cyprus, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
09 April 2020 Updated |
Flemish compensation premium in case of large turnover loss
Belgium, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
08 April 2020 Updated |
Emergency aid for freelancers, micro-entrepreneurs and solo self-employed
Germany, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
07 April 2020 |
Temporary exemption of payment of social security contributions due by employers - Exceptional and temporary measure to protect jobs in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic
Portugal, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
07 April 2020 Updated |
Tax deferral for companies and self-employed
Lithuania, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
06 April 2021 |
New minimis aid scheme for self-employed
Luxembourg, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
06 April 2020 |
Emergency fund for very small businesses and self-employed persons
Luxembourg, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
06 April 2020 |
Waiver of advance payments for social and health insurance for self-employed
Czechia, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
04 April 2020 Updated |
Deferral of payment of taxes
Malta, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
07 January 2021 |
Urgent measures to support liquidity and solvency of companies and self-employed workers
Spain, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
03 January 2021 Updated |
COVID Tourism support
Czechia, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
Employment protection and retention |
|
23 June 2022 |
Partial benefit for termination of activity
Portugal, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
23 June 2022 |
Partial unemployment benefit
Portugal, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
13 April 2021 Updated |
Grants for the self-employed
Lithuania, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
06 April 2020 Updated |
Broadening active labour market policy programmes - supporting job retention
Slovakia, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
14 January 2021 Updated |
Idle-time allowance for self-employed (re-introduced)
Latvia, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
10 January 2022 |
Wage subsidy for self-employed
Latvia, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
Reorientation of business activities |
|
02 July 2020 |
Subsidies for self-employed to reorient their business activities
Lithuania, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
23 June 2022 |
Innovation Norway
Norway, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
08 April 2020 |
Online platform "There is no quarantine on the Internet"
Lithuania, Company practices |
Protection of workers, adaptation of workplace |
|
13 April 2020 |
Occupational health and safety in the public transportation service
Portugal, Other initiatives or policies |
04 April 2020 Updated |
Facilitating teleworking
Malta, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
Income protection beyond short-time work |
|
28 December 2020 Updated |
Support to self-employed: Measure 2 First aid Plus
Slovakia, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
21 December 2020 |
Extraordinary income and operational continuity indemnity
Italy, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
28 October 2020 Updated |
Extension of unemployment benefits to self-employed
Latvia, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
27 October 2020 |
Creative workers employment program
Latvia, Other initiatives or policies |
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 |
29 September 2020 Updated |
Special scheme for certain categories of self-employed
Cyprus, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
15 July 2021 |
Compensation for self-employed
Hungary, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
13 July 2020 Updated |
Sickness compensation for COVID-19 risk groups can be paid preventively
Sweden, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
10 July 2020 Updated |
Implementation of new emergency aid for independent workers
Luxembourg, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
10 July 2020 |
Social support for artists, authors, technicians and other arts professionals
Portugal, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
09 July 2020 Updated |
Protection of self-employed and informal workers
Portugal, 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 |
25 April 2020 Updated |
Special Act on sickness benefits and flexible distribution of work
Denmark, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
25 April 2020 Updated |
COVID-19 pandemic unemployment payment introduced
Ireland, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
17 April 2020 Updated |
Temporary income assurance scheme for self-employed and freelancers
Norway, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
16 April 2020 Updated |
Support scheme for artists with different types of income
Denmark, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
16 April 2020 Updated |
Extension of expired or expiring unemployment benefit payments
Greece, 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 |
15 April 2020 Updated |
COVID-19 - Arts and culture - Overview of support measures for artists
Austria, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
15 April 2020 Updated |
Temporary compensation scheme for self-employed
Denmark, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
14 April 2021 Updated |
Allowance for seasonal workers in tourism, spectacles, sports and spas
Italy, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
13 April 2020 Updated |
Stricter rules on leave for family reasons in connection with the Coronavirus epidemic
Luxembourg, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
13 April 2020 Updated |
Sick pay standard reduction suspended - Encouraging employees to stay home
Sweden, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
12 April 2020 |
Income protection for self-employed workers and freelancers affected by the state of emergency
Spain, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
12 April 2020 Updated |
Work stoppage to care for a child under 16 years of age
France, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
12 April 2020 Updated |
COVID-19: Assisting artists and freelancers
Bulgaria, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
10 April 2020 Updated |
Family care leave for family support introduced
Luxembourg, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
10 April 2020 Updated |
Replacement income for self-employed (bridging right)
Belgium, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
10 April 2020 |
Scheme for the remuneration of contract workers and self-employed in the afternoon programmes of the Ministry of Education
Cyprus, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
10 April 2020 Updated |
Monthly basic income for self-employed
Slovenia, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
09 April 2020 Updated |
Extraordinary support for the reduction of self-employed economic activity
Portugal, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
09 April 2020 Updated |
Leave and allowance for workers with children and other dependants
Italy, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
09 April 2020 Updated |
COVID-19 indemnity for self-employed, economically dependent workers and employees
Italy, 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 |
09 April 2020 Updated |
Sick leave during pandemic covered by state funds
Slovenia, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
08 April 2020 Updated |
Support for persons in the sector arts and entertainment
Croatia, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
08 April 2020 Updated |
Introduction of the pandemic sickness benefit
Slovakia, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
08 April 2020 Updated |
Allowance for self-employed and non-standard workers
Romania, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
07 April 2021 Updated |
Pregnant self-employed get temporary dispensation for employment requirement for maternity pay
Denmark, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
07 April 2020 Updated |
Care allowance during emergency period for homeschooling 6 to 13 year-old children
Czechia, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
07 April 2020 Updated |
Special scheme for self-employed workers
Cyprus, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
06 April 2020 Updated |
Compensation for self-employed
Lithuania, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
06 April 2020 Updated |
Introduction of a pandemic nursing benefit
Slovakia, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
06 April 2020 Updated |
Employers' dispensation to pay a compensation for sick leave
Slovakia, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
05 April 2020 Updated |
Compensation bonus for self-employed and certain shareholders
Czechia, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
03 April 2020 Updated |
Temporary recognition of entrepreneurs as recipients of labour market subsidy
Finland, 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 |
10 January 2022 |
Change in sickness and parental benefits for the self-employed
Denmark, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
Measures to prevent social hardship |
|
12 May 2020 |
Extension of the solidarity fund for mortgages for the purchase of the first home
Italy, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
15 April 2020 |
Access to reduced supplies' prices for self-employed through the so-called social bonus
Spain, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
13 April 2020 Updated |
COVID-19 family hardship fund and family crisis fund
Austria, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
12 April 2020 |
Mortgage debt moratorium
Spain, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
Promoting the economic, labour market and social recovery |
|
30 October 2020 |
Extraordinary plan for the economic recovery of Castilla-La Mancha due to the COVID-19 crisis
Spain, Tripartite agreements |
23 October 2021 |
Support plan for the self-employed
France, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
23 September 2020 Updated |
Measures to support import and export
Malta, Other initiatives or policies |
23 September 2020 Updated |
Measures to support the construction and property industries
Malta, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
10 September 2020 |
Support for self-employment of people with disabilities
Lithuania, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
18 August 2022 Updated |
Green and digital subsidy for self-employment
Croatia, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
16 August 2022 |
Investment aid for energy efficiency projects in businesses
Malta, Other initiatives or policies |
07 July 2020 Updated |
Vouchers for use in businesses affected by COVID-19
Malta, Other initiatives or policies |
07 July 2020 |
Skills Development Scheme
Malta, Other initiatives or policies |
23 June 2022 Updated |
OPE Benefit
Austria, Other initiatives or policies |
06 April 2020 Updated |
Exceptional suspension of termination of employment contracts in NationalExceptional suspension of termination of employment in Health Servic
Portugal, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
Responses to inflation |
|
14 September 2022 |
Lower social security contributions for the self-employed
France, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
05 September 2022 |
Aid of €200 for workers, self-employed and unemployed people
Spain, 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 |
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.