The coronavirus and your company: government measures to help businesses

Measures announced by the government

The government has announced extensive measures to help businesses that have been affected by the corona pandemic. Although the organisations involved in executing the measures are working their hardest to set up the necessary infrastructure, not all measures are available yet. On this page, we try to give up-to-date information as it becomes available.

The measures now in place are:

• The new temporary measure Temporary Emergency Bridging Measure for Sustained Employment (NOW,Noodfonds Overbrugging Werkgelegenheid) will provide financial help for employers to help pay their employees’ wages. The unemployment benefit during short-time working scheme has been cancelled. You cannot apply for the NOW scheme yet, but everything is being done to make the scheme available as soon as possible.
• From 16 March 2020 to 1 April 2021, the SME credit guarantee (BMKB) scheme will be extended to help SMEs that are affected by the coronavirus secure bank guarantees and bridge financing. The extended scheme is referred to as BMKB-C.
• For agricultural entrepreneurs, the equivalent of the BMKB is the Credit Guarantee scheme for Agriculture (BL).
• The Business loan guarantee scheme (GO) has been extended.
• Self-employed professionals will be able to apply for an extra, temporary benefit for self-employed professionals (Tozo) to bridge the loss of income from 1 March onwards, in the municipality where they live.
• Entrepreneurs who have a loan from microcredit provider Qredits do not have to repay their loan for a period of 6 months. During this period, the interest will be reduced to 2%. The government supports Qredits with 6 million euros.
• The €4,000 Compensation for affected sectors scheme is now open for entrepreneurs in the sectors that are hit hardest by the coronavirus measures. You can apply to the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (in Dutch). To find out if your business is eligible for the compensation, check the SBI code list (in Dutch). At the bottom of the page, there is a search tool (Zoektool SBI-codes) where you can enter your KVK number to find out your SBI code.
• The Incentive scheme eHealth at Home (SET). has been extended to make it easier for healthcare organisations that want to offer their clients eHealth solutions (such as video calls) to invest in apps, software or hardware. N.B.: As of 27 March, this subsidy is temporarily unavailable due to the unexpectedly large number of applications.
• The government will extend the export credit insurance facility. It will be possible for companies to get a short-term guarantee with a runtime of less than 2 years. Also, other conditions are being extended. Read the news article on Rijksoverheid.nl (in Dutch).
• The Dutch Trade and Investment Fund (DTIF) will be extended to include pre-delivery advances.

 

Tax options for entrepreneurs

• You can apply for a payment extension for income tax, corporate tax, payroll tax, and turnover tax (VAT). The Dutch Tax Administration will put on hold any measures in place to collect payment immediately upon reception of your request.
• You will not have to pay any fines for late payment.
• The normal collection interest rate for paying after the payment term has passed has been decreased temporarily to nearly 0%. This applies to all tax debts. The tax interest rate will also temporarily be set to the lowest possible percentage for all entrepreneurs.
• The obligation for employers under the new Balance Employment Market Act, to report permanent employees’ employment contracts before 1 April 2020, has been extended to 1 July 2020.

Read more about the Dutch Tax Administration measures to help entrepreneurs (in Dutch).

Regional Water Authority tax

Are you unable to pay the water authority tax in time? Most Regional Water Authorities allow you to apply for a temporary extension of payment. It has also been made easier to apply for a payment arrangement. See the article on Regional Water Authority tax for more information.

 

General measures to protect the public health

• All public events and meetings are cancelled until 1 June.
• All public places, like museums, concert halls, theatres, bars, restaurants, coffee shops, and sports clubs, are closed.
• Schools and universities are closed, at least until 6 April.
• People in so-called ‘vital professions’ may still go to work. Special arrangements are made for the schooling and daycare needs of the children of people in so-called ‘crucial professions’ (in Dutch). Contact your municipality or safety region for information, or check the RIVM and Rijksoverheid pages.

To protect your employees, your clients, and yourself, follow the RIVM advice:

• Wash your hands regularly
• Cough and sneeze into the crook of your elbow
• Use paper tissues
• Don’t shake hands
• Keep at least 6 feet distance from each other.

To protect your employees, your clients, and yourself, follow the RIVM advice:

• Wash your hands regularly
• Cough and sneeze into the crook of your elbow
• Use paper tissues
• Don’t shake hands
• Keep at least 6 feet distance from each other