Corona – Measures by the Brussels-Capital Region
MEASURES BY THE BRUSSELS-CAPITAL REGION (24 March 2020 (12h))
Below is an overview of the financial support and compensation measures that have recently been adopted or announced by the Brussels government .
1. Centralisation of information: The Brussels-Capital Region established a central contact point for everything related to the COVID-19, with all the recommendations and decisions made by the Brussels Government regarding the corona virus, namely the website 1819.
2. One-time incentive for companies:
- A one-time incentive of EUR 4.000 will be provided for companies that have been forced to a shutdown as a result of the National Security Council and which, moreover, belong to one of the following sectors:
- Bars and restaurants;
- Hotels;
- Travel agencies, travel organisations, booking offices and associated activities;
- Retail, with the exception of food stores, pet food stores, pharmacies, newsagents, petrol stations and fuel suppliers;
- Recreation and sport activities;
- Real estate agents,
- Video rental services
- Book shops
- Car wash
- A one-time incentive of EUR 2.000 will be provided for hairdressing businesses whose activities are restricted.
Applications can be made via an online form and should be introduced before 1 June 2020 http://werk-economie-emploi.brussels/fr_FR/prime-covid-19?inheritRedirect=true based on your BCE number.
The incentive is awarded per undertaking, so a single incentive per company even if it has multiple outlets.
3. Corona compensation
- A one-time incentive of 2.000 EUR will be provided for companies (micro enterprises and small enterprises with a maximum of 5 full time equivalents) that were not force to close but see their turnover impated by the Covid-19 measures
- The modalities are not set yet so it is unclear whether the incentive will apply per undertaking or per point of sales (For your information the similar Flemish incentive applies per establishment with a maximum of 5 incentives per undertaking).
- A one-time incentive of 3.000 EUR is provided for taxi companies.
4. City Tax: The Brussels-Capital Region abolishes the payment of the city tax for the first half of the year 2020.
5. Corporate cashflow: An opportunity will be created to call upon the ‘Brussels Waarborgfonds’ for public guarantees on banking credits. Applications can not yet be made.
6. Finance&invest.brussels:
- Finance&invest.brussels shall be assigned a delegated mission in order to allow them to grant loans at a reduced rate to:
- Key suppliers of the hotel and catering industry;
- Businesses active in the hotel and catering industry and employing more than 50 people;
- Finance&invest.brussels may also grant additional deferments on the repayment of the principal of loans granted to companies in the affected sectors.
7. Aid for economic expansion: An accelerated treatment of files, authorisation and payment of the subsidy will be provided for businesses active in hotel and catering, tourism, event and cultural industries that already benefited from economic expansion aid from the Brussels-Capital Region.
8. Increased funding for the Center for Enterprises in Difficulties (CED): Hub.brussels, in collaboration with the Centre for Enterprises in Difficulty (CED), provides enhanced support for companies in difficulty. An additional budget of EUR 200.000 will be made available for this purpose.
9. Foreign trade: hub.brussels will contact individually the companies from which foreign missions have been cancelled so as to provide further explanations of the consequences and technical details.
10. LEZ-fines: The Brussels Government decided to change the date on which the transmission of fines in the framework of the Low Emission Zone will start. Hence, the entry into force of the fines will be postponed until the first day after the end date of the measures.
Would you like to know more?
The Racine team is at your disposal to answer your specific questions.
