The European Commission Polish a new programme for companies that had to restrict or suspend their activities due to a pandemic. The PFR 2.0 Shield consists of aid in the form of subsidies for micro-enterprises and in the form of subsidies for uncovered fixed costs for small and medium-sized enterprises.

The programme’s budget is PLN 13 billion (approx. EUR 2.91 billion), of which PLN 6.5 billion is to be allocated to micro-enterprises and PLN 6.5 billion to small and medium-sized enterprises. It is possible to transfer up to 20% of the funds between the two forms of support while preserving the budget of PLN 13 billion.

The granting authority responsible for implementing the Shield 2.0 measures is the Polish Development Fund. Aid may be granted from 15 January 2021. Applications may be submitted until 28 February 2021.

The funds can be transferred to entrepreneurs operating in 38 industries from the Polish Classification ofActivities. The programme is intended to prevent a significant drop in revenues and a loss of liquidity, and consequently to reduce the risk of job losses and bankruptcy of the most affected companies.

Aid to micro-enterprises:

• Designed for companies with between 1 and 9 employees from 38 PKD industries and with an annual turnover or balance sheet total of not more than EUR 2 000 000.
• The maximum amount a trader can get is PLN 36,000 per employee.
• If the entrepreneur has already received assistance from Shield 1.0, the maximum amount of funding received from both Shields may not exceed PLN 72,000 per employee.
• The repayable advance will have to be reimbursed if the average level of employment in 2021 compared to 2020 is not maintained.

Aid to small and medium-sized enterprises

• Designed for companies with up to 249 employees from 38 PKD industries with an annual turnover of not more than EUR 50 000 000 or a balance sheet total not exceeding EUR 43 000 000.
• Aid in the form of repayable advances which will cover part of the uncovered fixed costs of those undertakings for which the outbreak of COVID-19 has resulted in the suspension or restriction of their activities.
• The aid will be granted to undertakings which have a decrease in turnover of at least 30% between 1 November 2020 and 31 March 2021.
• Aid up to 70% of uncovered fixed costs, but not more than PLN 3.5 million per company.
• The amount of aid is additionally limited to PLN 72,000 per employee if the company has already received assistance from Shield 1.0. The maximum amount of assistance from both Shields cannot exceed PLN 144,000 per employee.

Source: https://www.pit.pl/aktualnosci/tarcza-pfr-2-0-dla-malych-i-srednich-przedsiebiorstw-1002771