COVID-19 pandemic: ESA approves amendments to two Norwegian aid schemes for the sports and voluntary sectors*
The EFTA Surveillance Authority (ESA) has today approved amendments to two aid schemes: one compensating voluntary organisations, and another compensating voluntary organisations arranging sporting events considered to be of national importance.
The objective of the schemes is to compensate eligible beneficiaries for additional costs and losses due to pandemic-related restrictions. The schemes were initially approved on 19 March and 22 March 2021 respectively.
Norwegian authorities adopt restrictive measures in an effort to contain the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Events and activities across the country, including senior-level games, national championships and international competitions were cancelled, postponed or downscaled. As a result, organisers of such events have experienced significant financial losses.
With today’s decision ESA approves compensation to eligible organisers for losses incurred from January to March 2022.
Additionally, the calculation of the aid intensity is amended. This means that cancelled events and events that are downscaled due to COVID-19 restrictions can be compensated with the same share of their financial losses.
The total budget of the scheme for the voluntary sector will be NOK 1 555 million (EUR 155 million). The total budget for the sporting events scheme will be NOK 820 million (EUR 82 million).
The schemes are approved in line with the European Commission’s Temporary Framework for state aid measures to support the economy in the current COVID-19 outbreak.
