State aid: Commission approves €1.18 billion Dutch scheme to support SMEs in the Netherlands affected by coronavirus outbreak

The European Commission has approved a €1.18 billion Dutch scheme to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) active in the Netherlands affected by the coronavirus outbreak. The scheme was approved under the State aid Temporary Framework. The scheme consists of three direct grant measures. The first measure, with an estimated budget of €970 million, consists of aid for SMEs that lost at least 30% of their turnover in the period from January to March 2021 compared to the same period in  2019. Beneficiaries will be eligible to receive aid ranging from a minimum of €750 to a maximum of €90,000. The second measure, with an estimated budget of €7 million, consists of aid for SMEs active in the event industry, for the period from October to December 2020 and for the one from January to March 2021. The aid amounts to 33% of the total aid already received under the previous scheme to support the fixed costs of SMEs affected by the coronavirus outbreak, approved by the Commission on 26 June 2020 (SA.57712) and amended a first time on 20 November 2020 (SA.59535), with a minimum of €750 per beneficiary and a maximum of €16,667 for each of the two relevant periods. The third measure, with an estimated budget of €200 million, is a further technical amendment to the scheme SA.57712 (as amended by SA.59535), supporting SMEs in the period October to December 2020. The Commission found that the Dutch scheme is in line with the conditions set out in the Temporary Framework. In particular, (i) the support will not exceed €225,000 per company active in the primary production of agriculture products, €270,000 per company active in the fishery and aquaculture sector, and €1.8 million per company active in other sectors; and (ii) the aid will be granted before 31 December 2021. The Commission concluded that the measures are necessary, appropriate and proportionate to remedy a serious disturbance in the economy of a Member State, in line with Article 107(3)(b) TFEU and the conditions set out in the Temporary Framework. On this basis, Commission approved the measures under EU State aid rules. More information on the Temporary Framework and other actions taken by the Commission to address the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic can be found here. The non-confidential version of the decision will be made available under the case number SA.60166 in the State aid register on the Commission’s competition website once any confidentiality issues have been resolved.