Businesses that are unable to operate as a result of a closure decision under Sweden’s new Pandemic Act will be able to receive financial support to cover their fixed costs during the closure.

Up to 100 per cent of the costs will be reimbursed. The proposal is based on an agreement between the government, the Centre Party and the Liberal Party.

The new closure support will apply during the period the Pandemic Act is in force. It is designed in a similar way as the reorientation support, where the amount of turnover lost determines how much support a business is entitled to. However, the new support is more generous.

Through the support, businesses that lose all their turnover during a period due to the closure will be able to have 100 per cent of their fixed costs reimbursed, up to a maximum of SEK 75 million per business and month. 

The support is aimed at businesses that have been prevented from operating as a result of closure decisions issued under the Pandemic Act and have lost at least 30 per cent of their turnover.

Closure support requires State aid approval from the European Commission, which may lead to adjustments to its design. Its entry into force is therefore not possible before the beginning of April at the earliest, but it will be applied retroactively if the Government has decided on closures. Disbursement of the support will be possible shortly thereafter.

The impact of the support on public finances ultimately depends on the closure decisions that are made.

In order to be able to rapidly administer and disburse closure support and reorientation support, the Swedish Tax Agency will also receive an extra appropriation of SEK 120 million for administrative costs.

Swedish Government