Coronavirus: Walloon Region: apply for compensation

In our infoflash of 19 March, we informed you about the introduction by the Walloon Region of a compensation to help employers who are economically affected by the Covid-19 crisis.

Three decrees have now been published in the Belgian Official Gazette. In this infoflash we will give you more information about this financial aid. You will notice that more sectors are entitled to compensation.

Can you benefit from it?

The following employers may apply for this compensation:

• Very small enterprises, i.e. those with fewer than 10 employees and an annual turnover or annual balance sheet total not exceeding €2 million,
• Small enterprises, i.e. those with fewer than 50 employees and an annual turnover or annual balance sheet total not exceeding €10 million,
• Natural persons exercising a professional activity as a principal or complementary profession and who, in view of their professional income, must pay contributions to the National Social Insurance Institute for the Self-employed (INASTI/RSVZ).

You must also:

- Have been in operation before 12 March 2020 [1];

- Have paid social security contributions in 2018;

Starters and enterprises created after 2018 must have paid contributions for the 4th quarter 2019 or have revenues justifying the payment of social security contributions (cases shall be examined individually).

-Have your operating headquarters in Wallonia (data taken from the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises)

Do you belong to a sector that has access to this compensation?

The compensation amounts to € 5000 if the company is totally closed or at a standstill.

It must belong to one of the following sectors:

The Walloon Government planned to grant a compensation of €2,500 to companies in the hairdressing sector. In the meantime, this sector has been forced to close its salons completely. This sector is therefore now also entitled to the €5,000 compensation.

The compensation will be granted only once per business number. actual payments can be made from mid-April.

What procedure do you have to follow to benefit from it?

To apply for this allowance, you must complete the electronic form on the website www.indemnitecovid.wallonie.be (accessible via Chrome).

Your request must be made within 60 days of the date your business is closed for Covid-19 measures.

Entry into force

The measure entered into force on 14 March 2020 (but the form has only been available since March 27) and will no longer be in force as of 21 June 2020.

Sources:

• Order of the Walloon Government of 20 March 2020 on the granting of compensations in the context of the measures against the coronavirus COVID-19, Belgian Official Gazette, 23 March 2020;
• Order of the Walloon Government of 26 March 2020 amending the Order of the Walloon Government of 20 March 2020 on the granting of compensations in the context of the measures against the coronavirus COVID-19, Belgian Official Gazette, 30 March 2020;
• Order of the Walloon Government of 26 March 2020 amending the Order of the Walloon Government of 20 March 2020 on the granting of compensations in the context of the measures against the coronavirus COVID-19 - Erratum, Belgian Official Gazette, 31 March 2020;
• www.indemnitecovid.wallonie.be

[1] Based on the site www.indemnitecovid.wallonie.be