By Yannis Anifantis

An amendment establishing a new framework to support businesses and farms that have experienced economic losses due to natural disasters was tabled Tuesday night in the cybersecurity bill that comes to the House for a vote on Thursday.

The order of the Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection states that: “In companies that have a headquarters or a branch, as well as in agricultural holdings that are active, in areas affected by extensive natural disasters and suffer financial losses in the short or medium term as a result, it may to establish schemes for granting aid in the form of a grant for a specific range of beneficiaries.

The aid is granted in compliance with the conditions of the Union rules on state aid. The aid is tax-free, non-assignable and non-confiscatable in the hands of the State or third parties, notwithstanding any general or special provision”.

In essence, this is a new aid framework similar to the aid to businesses that suffered financial losses during the pandemic.