The Brussels-Capital Region supports companies that have been forced to close down temporarily and are active in certain business sectors. Under certain conditions, you can get a €4,000 grant for each company unit in the Region. The grant application form is available online. Applications must be received by 1 June 2020, at the latest.
Preliminary remark:
- Note that you must submit your application online. Please do not ask us to send you the form, either as a paper copy or as a pdf, as we are unable to do so.
Please also note that 1819 does not have any access to your data. It cannot submit an application for the allowance (grant) on your behalf or modify your data. Also, do not send us any of the documents required.
1) YOUR COMPANY WILL ONLY BE ENTITLED TO THE GRANT IF IT IS ACTIVE IN ONE OF THE INDUSTRIES BELOW.
The VAT NACE codes are used for this purpose. Only some of the businesses in the following sectors will be entitled to the grant:
- retail
- lodging
- food services
- cinemas
- travel agencies
- administrative office services and other company support services
- motor vehicle driving schools
- organisers of games of chance and gambling
- sports, recreation and leisure activities
- computer, personal item and appliance repairs
- other personal services.
Note: Certified social economy companies working in the field of integration and affected by the emergency measures taken to limit the spread of COVID-19 can also benefit from a one-off grant of €4,000 per business unit. Read more.
2) TO BE ENTITLED TO REQUEST THE GRANT, YOUR COMPANY MUST ALSO:
- employ fewer than 50 full-time equivalent employees.
Note: the limit of 50 FTE employees is per company and not per business unit; - not be a public company or classified as one;
- and, of course, have at least one operations office in the Brussels-Capital Region.
Note: it is the business unit which gives entitlement, and not the head office (which may be in another region).
3) IF YOU MEET THESE CRITERIA, TAKE THE FOLLOWING STEPS:
- get your company registration number;
- go to www.primecovid.brussels; click on “Check the criteria” to access the application form.
- enter your company registration number and check if your company can submit an application for a grant;
- If the answer is yes, you can access the rest of the form.
- Make sure you enter your details correctly since you will not be permitted to access it again afterwards. The authority dealing with your application may, however, contact you if it needs to.
- If your business activity is not included in the list of NACE VAT codes which confer eligibility for the allowance, please visit our website regularly during the coming weeks to see if any changes have been made. The Brussels government is aware of the hardships faced by many entrepreneurs and consequently is examining the possibility of extending the measures taken to other sectors.
1819 is not the body authorised to change an incorrect NACE VAT code. For this you would need to contact your VAT office. - If your business unit is not registered or is registered incorrectly, contact your business advice centre (“guichet d’entreprise”) or visit the www.myenterprise.be website.
You must include:
- A bank account certificate for your company (“attestation bancaire”) (showing the company name and account number) – The certificate (also know as a “relevé d’identité bancaire”) can be obtained from your bank.
- Your last VAT statement (monthly or quarterly) – If you are under the VAT registration threshold or have just started up in business, a certificate from your accountant stating that you are operating as a business must be attached.
If everything goes well, you will be sent an email confirming that you have applied for the allowance (grant). If you do not receive an email, check your spam folder.
Source: Decree of the Government of the Brussels-Capital Region no. 2020/113 on aid to compensate companies affected by the urgent measures to limit the spread of the coronavirus COVID-19.