The difficult situation of many companies, largely due to the chaotic actions of the government in the face of the coronavirus pandemic, has caused many of them to fall down, and those who have survived in particularly vulnerable industries, such as the fitness and beauty industries, have suffered very severe losses. Members appeal to the Prime Minister for additional business assistance, as well as for a more favourable examination of requests for decommitment or reimbursement of subsidies on reduced 25% level.
Businesses operating under certain PKD codes have been exempted from reimbursement of subsidies provided that they are maintained during the period 12 months after taking this form of help. To use 100% the exemptions must also record at least 30% decrease in sales revenue as an alternative over the period: from 1 April to 31 December 2020 compared to period 1 April to 31 December 2019 or from 1 October to 31 December 2020 compared to period 1 October to 31 December 2019 Unfortunately, it can already be seen that in many cases the aid from the PFR was not sufficient, and its return may be a death sentence for many companies.
No interest shall be collected for the grant of the financial subsidy, and in the event of late payment, e.g. due to other commitments or exceptional circumstances, the PFR provides for the possibility of restructuring operations
In Intervention No. 25355 to the President of the Council of Ministers, we read that “the government should consider requests for additional assistance more favourably, particularly given section 4 section 7 Financial shields of the Polish Development Fund for small and medium-sized enterprises – for micro-entrepreneurs and in section 5 section 5 – for SMEs, where it is accepted that in exceptional cases the PFR may decide to change the conditions for exemption from the obligation to reimburse the financial subsidy for micro-entrepreneurs/SMEs.’
In response, there is no declaration of further support, but the rules for amending the conditions for the reimbursement of subsidies to those entrepreneurs to whom the PFR will agree to apply the revised conditions for this exemption are approximated.
„Amendment of the Rules of Procedure 1.0, valid from 28 April 2021, was primarily dictated by the will to provide additional support to entrepreneurs operating in the sectors most affected by administrative constraints related to COVID-19, in particular those who were unable to meet their remaining obligations due to the loss of liquidity – writes in response to Jarosław Wenderlich, Undersecretary of State at the Chancellery of the Prime Minister. – What is particularly important, in the event of cumulative fulfilment of the conditions for exemption from the obligation to reimburse the financial subsidy in full, set out for micro-entrepreneurs respectively in section 4 section 6 Rules of Procedure 1.0 and for small and medium-sized companies in section 5 section 4 Rules of Procedure 1.0, the fact that employment is maintained is not taken into account and does not constitute a condition for obtaining 100% redemption of the value of the financial subsidy.
It requires that the amount of the financial subsidy to be recovered in accordance with the conditions laid down in the Rules of Procedure 1.0, is not refundable on a one-off basis.
According to section 52 section 1 Rules of Procedure 1.0, the amount of the financial subsidy to be recovered shall be repaid in 24 monthly instalments on the basis of the repayment schedule submitted to the entrepreneur.
The two-year repayment period of the part of the financial subsidy to be recovered will certainly have a positive impact on the financial liquidity of the entrepreneurs and on the ability to repay the remaining liabilities.
It should be noted that interest is not collected for the grant of a financial subsidy and, in the event of delays in payment, due, for example, to other commitments or exceptional circumstances, the PFR provides for the possibility of restructuring measures, such as the grace of payment of instalments or the extension of the repayment period of the financial subsidy.
In addition, each entrepreneur is entitled to address the PFR via the bank with a request concerning the amount of the financial subsidy to be recovered, which was indicated by the PFR in the decision made available to the beneficiary of the subsidy, provided that the beneficiary documents the difference between the content of the decision and the actual facts.
In accordance with the Rules of Procedure 1.0. exceptional cases concerning the rules for clearing and reimbursement of financial subsidies by traders, do not relate to the type of business activity carried out but to the fact that it has been established.
A change in the obligation to reimburse a financial subsidy, taking into account objective reasons, may in particular consist in the withdrawal of instalments or the extension of the repayment period for a financial subsidy in the event of delays in payment of a financial subsidy.’