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 77 measures for this target group. Most of these measures fall into the category Supporting businesses to stay afloat (51%).
Ensuring business continuity and support for essential services |
|
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02 February 2021 |
Liftago: Replacement of passengers transport by consignments
Czechia, Company practices |
Supporting businesses to stay afloat |
|
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 |
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 |
11 October 2021 Updated |
Microgrant with fixed amount for SMEs
Romania, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
05 October 2021 |
European Commission approves €500 million Greek aid scheme for businesses
Greece, Other initiatives or policies |
24 September 2020 Updated |
COVID-19: State aid for agriculture
Bulgaria, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
05 August 2021 |
Subsidy for Self-Employed Lawyers
Greece, Other initiatives or policies |
13 July 2020 Updated |
Subsidy for fixed costs for SMEs
Netherlands, Other initiatives or policies |
07 July 2021 |
Temporary support for farmers and SMEs affected by the pandemic
Cyprus, Other initiatives or policies |
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 |
07 May 2020 Updated |
SME credit guarantee scheme (BMKB)
Netherlands, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
28 April 2021 |
Lines of rental aid for the self-employed in Andalusia
Spain, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
26 April 2021 |
Microcredits for the self-employed and SMEs
Spain, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
23 April 2020 Updated |
Extra package of support measures for the cultural sector
Netherlands, 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 |
13 April 2021 Updated |
COVID - SPORT Guarantee program
Czechia, Other initiatives or policies |
13 April 2021 |
Reimbursement of marketplace fees
Lithuania, 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 |
Solidarity fund for very small companies, the self-employed and micro-entrepreneurs
France, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
10 April 2020 Updated |
Company subsidy for fixed costs
Austria, 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 |
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 |
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 |
Social tax payments for solo self-employed
Estonia, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
06 April 2021 |
Allocation to existing schemes in the cultural sector
Norway, Other initiatives or policies |
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 |
20 February 2023 |
Limiting the price of electricity to €280/MW
France, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
20 February 2023 |
Aid to bakers in difficulty
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 |
18 January 2021 Updated |
New measures addressed to businesses and employment
Portugal, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
Employment protection and retention |
|
29 June 2020 Updated |
Special support schemes for workers and businesses
Cyprus, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
31 May 2020 Updated |
Support to self-employed - First aid Measure 2
Slovakia, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
13 April 2021 Updated |
Grants for the self-employed
Lithuania, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
Reorientation of business activities |
|
02 December 2020 |
Larger than Live: Delivery of online live concerts
Netherlands, Company practices |
02 July 2020 |
Subsidies for self-employed to reorient their business activities
Lithuania, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
22 February 2023 |
Circular economy grant
Belgium, Other initiatives or policies |
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 |
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 |
10 July 2020 |
Social support for artists, authors, technicians and other arts professionals
Portugal, 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 |
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 |
13 April 2020 |
Financial aid for solo self-employed negatively affected by COVID-19
Finland, 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 |
Extraordinary support for the reduction of self-employed economic activity
Portugal, 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 |
06 April 2020 |
Establishment of an emergency fund for the self-employed
Luxembourg, 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 |
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 July 2020 Updated |
Banking moratoriums
Portugal, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
Promoting the economic, labour market and social recovery |
|
18 August 2022 Updated |
Green and digital subsidy for self-employment
Croatia, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
08 August 2022 |
Entrepreneurial guides in the Ukrainian language
Croatia, Non-binding recommendations or other texts |
23 June 2022 Updated |
OPE Benefit
Austria, Other initiatives or policies |
23 June 2022 |
Support for starting a business
Sweden, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
19 April 2021 |
Support measures within the scope of the COVID-19 pandemic
Portugal, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
09 April 2021 |
Restart interest-free fast loan
Hungary, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
09 January 2021 Updated |
Measures for the second package for the cultural and creative sector
Netherlands, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
Responses to inflation |
|
25 October 2022 Updated |
Temporary price cap on energy
Netherlands, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
22 May 2023 |
Reimbursement and extended payment periods of electricity bills
Finland, 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 |
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.