The EU Commission approved a support measure estimated at a total of 300 million euros.
The EU Commission has approved the event protection screen planned by the federal government. An agreement reached in December on the support measure estimated at a total of EUR 300 million was confirmed on Tuesday. The maximum reference value per organizer is initially 800,000 euros, an increase is still being discussed. Applications are now possible.
“The organizers of events were hit particularly hard by the corona crisis and the measures taken by the government to contain the spread of the coronavirus,” said EU competition commissioner Margrethe Vestager. “With this aid scheme, which is worth EUR 300 million, Austria can support these companies if a planned event is canceled due to the coronavirus or can only be organized with restrictions.”
Events that are planned between March 1, 2021 and the end of 2022, but cannot or can only be carried out to a limited extent due to the corona pandemic, are taken into account. An application for aid must be submitted by June 15, 2021 at the latest. The amount of the payout results “from the difference between the non-refundable costs and the income, insurance benefits and other subsidies,” said the government. Applications can be submitted to the Austrian Hotel and Tourism Bank (ÖHT).
In December, a maximum amount of aid of up to 1 million euros per organizer was promised, now it is 800,000 euros for the time being. “In the next step we are negotiating with the EU Commission about an increase of up to 3 million euros per event,” said Tourism Minister Elisabeth Köstinger (ÖVP) in a broadcast. “This is particularly important for large events, including trade fairs and congresses.”
Central planning security
In principle, planning security is central to the event industry. “The aim is that there can be events again,” emphasized Köstinger. “They have to be planned now so that they can take place in 2021.” The protective screen gives you the security “that non-cancellable costs will be reimbursed if an event has to be canceled due to the Corona”.
“With the protective screen we insure the events against the consequences of the pandemic,” emphasized Vice Chancellor Werner Kogler (Greens). “So that concerts, sporting events and festivals can take place as soon as the health situation permits.” State Secretary for Culture Andrea Mayer (Greens) emphasized the importance of the protective umbrella, without which nobody would risk “planning major concerts or other cultural events now for late summer or autumn”.
