Commercial Rates
The Scottish Government’s Q & A website on the emergency measures and funding announced for commercial rates reliefs and grants has gone live and we encourage everyone to visit the site for further information and make regular visits to the site for updates.
https://www.mygov.scot/non-domestic-rates-coronavirus/
The European Commission is also consulting with Member States on a number of temporary State Aid measures, and have released the following statement from Executive Vice-President, Margrethe Vestager, on a draft proposal for a State aid Temporary Framework to support the economy in the context of the COVID-19 outbreak:-
“The European Commission has sent to Member States for consultation a draft proposal for a State aid Temporary Framework to support the economy in the context of the COVID-19 outbreak, based on Article 107(3)(b) TFEU to remedy a serious disturbance across the EU economy.
Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager said:
“Managing the economic impact of the COVID-19 outbreak requires decisive action. We need to act fast. We need to act in a coordinated manner. EU State aid rules provide a toolbox for Member States to take swift and effective action. We have two common goals:- First, that businesses have the liquidity to keep operating, or to put a temporary freeze on their activities, if need be, and that support reaches the businesses that need it. Second, that support for businesses in one Member State does not undermine the unity that Europe needs, especially during a crisis. Because we have to be able to rely on the European single market, to help our economy weather the outbreak, and bounce back strongly afterwards. With this in mind, the Commission will enable Member States to use the full flexibility foreseen under State aid rules to tackle this unprecedented situation. On Friday, the Commission adopted a Communication setting out the many possibilities that already exist. I also announced that we are working on a new Temporary Framework, to complement existing possibilities. This is based on Article 107(3)(b) TFEU to remedy a serious disturbance in the economy. Since Friday, the measures that Member States have had to take, to slow down the spread of the COVID-19 outbreak, have made this work even more urgent and necessary. We have therefore accelerated our work and have last night sent a draft proposal to seek the views of Member States to make sure that it is fit for purpose.”
To view the complete statement go to:-
https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/statement_20_479