Coronavirus: aid measures in the Brussels-Capital Region

Like the governments of the Flemish Region and the Walloon Region, the government of the Brussels-Capital Region has taken various measures to help Brussels businesses. Below, you will find an overview

Flat-rate premium

A flat-rate premium is granted to certain companies.

On the one hand, a one-off premium of € 4,000 is granted to companies who are obliged to close as a result of the decisions of the National Security Council, and who belong to the following sectors: 

• catering;
• accommodation;
• travel agencies, tour operators, booking offices and related activities;
• retail trade, with the exception of food stores (including night shops), pet food stores, pharmacies, newsagents, petrol stations and fuel suppliers;
• leisure and sports activities.

On the other hand, a one-off premium of € 2,000 is granted to hair salons.

The practical arrangements for obtaining this premium will be communicated on the website 1819.be.

Service vouchers

Service voucher companies continue to benefit from the regional contribution of € 14.60 per hour, regardless of whether the hour is worked or not. The aim of this measure is to ensure that household helpers' wages can be paid, provided that the companies do not apply economic unemployment, and to support the sector. However, the government of the Brussels-Capital Region considers that this regional measure can only be implemented if the federal government agrees to abolish social security contributions for this sector.

Events, associative sector, tourism, culture and sports

For events scheduled to take place partly or entirely from 1 March 2020 up to and including 30 April 2020, the subsidies awarded will remain unchanged if these events are postponed. For cancelled events, subsidies may be used to pay invoices for expenses already incurred for the event and which cannot be cancelled. The same rules apply to subsidies in the following sectors: associative sector, tourism, culture and sports.

Taxes

The taxi sector will not have to pay the tax on the operation of taxis or chauffeur-driven cars for the year 2020.

Financial support

The Brussels Guarantee Fund will provide public guarantees on bank loans.

Finance&Invest.brussels will be given the opportunity to grant a loan at a reduced interest rate to key suppliers in the hospitality sector allowing them to offer hospitality sector businesses a payment term, and to hospitality businesses employing more than 50 people.

There will also be a moratorium on capital repayments of loans granted by Finance&Invest.brussels to companies in the affected sectors.

Economic expansion support for the hospitality, tourism, events and cultural sectors will be speeded up.

Guidance

Hub.brussels, in collaboration with the Centre for Companies in Difficulties (CED/COM), will strengthen guidance for companies in difficulties.

Following the cancellation of missions abroad (major fairs, missions in risk areas), hub.brussels will contact the companies individually to clearly explain the technical details (information on the cancellation, explanation on how to arrange reimbursement of their expenses, etc.). Depending on the evolution of the situation, hub.brussels will propose alternatives to the cancelled missions.

More information?

Please refer to the website 1819.be, the information and guidance portal for Brussels entrepreneurs.

Source: press release of the government of the Brussels-Capital Region.