The individual entrepreneurs can apply for financial support from municipalities to overcome COVID-19 crisis. The application must be made to the Municipality in which the business is located. The amount of financial aid is EUR 2000. The aid is granted to cover the operating costs of the sole proprietors.
The aim is to open the applications possibility to the municipalities as soon as possible, but not later than within two weeks. The municipalities will inform about the support opening.
The condition of the grant is the deteriorated financial situation
A full-time entrepreneur who is self-employed in Finland and regardless of the legal form of the activity and the method of financing can apply for support. A sole proprietor is defined as an entrepreneur or self-employed person, who does not have a paid workforce, including freelance entrepreneurs.
The grant may be paid if the sole proprietor will show a significant deterioration of his financial position and a decrease in turnover due to the coronavirus after 31 December 2019. The aid cannot be granted if the company was in financial difficulty before the COVID-19 crisis or if the company has tax debts.
The grant may cover costs incurred between 1 March 2020 and 31 August 2020. The grant is limited in time and can be applied for until 30 September 2020.
A sole proprietor may also apply for unemployment benefit
Applicants can apply for assistance along with the future extended unemployment support for entrepreneurs. If the individual entrepreneur has applied for support from the municipality, it will be taken into account later when applying for unemployment benefit.
The aid is fully financed by the State. The amount of aid to be granted to sole proprietorships is determined on a municipal basis according to the number of sole proprietorships in the municipality.
The full information and the source text can be found at Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment in Finland website.
Published 01.04.2020, FINREPO