Premiums - Brussels Capital Region
BRUSSELS CAPITAL REGION
1) DISRUPTION PREMIUM
Who?
A premium can be requested by businesses having at least one registered establishment in the Brussels Region in following industries and that fulfil following conditions:
1. The business was forced to close due to the measures taken by the National Security Council, including restaurants that offer take-away and hotels;
2. The business has less than 50 full-time employees (total of all establishments of the business);
3. Businesses of sectors which had to be closed by the government of Brussels (according to NACE-Code), for example:
- Restaurants and bars (NACE-code 56);
- Hotels, B&B’s, other accommodation, etc. (NACE-code 55);
- Travel agencies, tour operators, etc. (NACE-code 79);
- Retail shops, with exemption of supermarkets and shops selling nutrition (& night shops), shops for nutrition of animals, pharmacies, newsstands and gas stations as well as its suppliers.
- Sports and leisure activities (NACE-code 92 & 93);
- Hairdressing businesses (NACE-code 96.021).
Amount?
The premium amounts to 4.000 EUR and is exempt from personal and corporate income tax.
Businesses can request a payment for each of its branches located in Brussels, but limited to a maximum of 5 per business) and under the condition that the branch constitutes as an “active” branch, meaning that the branch has to perform normal activities having sufficient human and technical resources.
The payment is only accessible for businesses having 50 full-time employees or less (VTE/ETP).
How?
The disruption premium can be requested up to June 1, 2020 at the latest on the website of Brussels Economy and Employment (http://werk-economie-emploi.brussels/nl/premie-covid-19 ).
2) COMPENSATION PREMIUM FOR BUSINESSES WITH A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION OF THEIR ACTIVITIES
Certain businesses established in the Brussels Region will be able to apply for a compensation premium of 2.000 EUR. If the business cannot apply for the Brussels disruption premium and therefore has not been compelled to close their business, but has suffered a significant reduction in their activities it can apply for this compensation premium.
Operators of taxi services and businesses offering rent of vehicles with drivers will be able to apply for a compensation premium of 3.000 EUR.
The business cannot have more than 5 full-time employees in order to qualify for the compensation premium.
At the moment, the exact conditions are still unknown and it is not yet possible to apply for the compensation premium.
The businesses have to fulfil certain conditions to request the compensation premium:
1° The business did not request a disruption premium of 4.000 EUR in Brussels and did not receive any other premium due to the COVID-19 measures in another region;
2° The business does not have more than 5 full-time employees;
3° One of following situations is applicable:
- You are a self-employed person, who received a full bridging allowance in March or April 2020.
- The business is a company of which a manager or director received full bridging allowance in March or April 2020.
- The business is a company of which the manager or director is an employee and the majority of the employees were temporarily unemployed in March or April 2020 due to the COVID-19 crisis.
- The business is an association whose majority of employees were temporarily unemployed in March or April 2020 due the COVID-19 crisis.
4° The business has economic and commercial purposes;
5° The business did not receive more than 200.000 EUR governmental support during the current and last 2 tax years.
The compensation premium can be requested as of June 8, 2020 on the website of Brussels Economy and Employment.
Supporting measures for the taxi industry
Operators (physical or legal persons) of taxi services and services for hiring out vehicles including a driver who has a licence for a taxi service/service for hiring out vehicles with a driver issued by the Brussels-Capital Region, will be able to apply for a compensation premium of 3.000 EUR.
The compensation premium can be applied for by 30 June 2020 at the latest, by submitting an application form (irisbox.irisnet.be).
Other useful links
https://1819.brussels/nl/blog/faq-coronavirus-en-ondernemingen-antwoord-op-uw-meest-gestelde-vragen