COVID-19 pandemic: ESA approves renewing support to large public events that are cancelled or downscaled due to the pandemic*
The EFTA Surveillance Authority (ESA) has today approved the renewal of a scheme offering compensation to organisers of large public events downscaled or cancelled as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak.
Restrictions are gradually being lifted in Norway, and more people can attend public events. However, the COVID-19 outbreak is expected to continue to limit large public events throughout the summer and autumn of 2021.
The existing scheme, approved by ESA on 17 December 2020 and prolonged and amended on 10 May 2021, was set to expire on 30 June 2021. Today’s decision renews the scheme under the European Commission’s Temporary Framework for state aid measures to support the economy during the current COVID-19 outbreak. Previously, the scheme was approved according to the EEA rules that permit state aid to remedy effects of exceptional occurrences.
Under the renewed scheme, it is no longer a requirement that the event is downscaled or cancelled as a direct result of containment measures on public events. Events are also covered by the renewed scheme if they are cancelled or downscaled due to general, national or local, containment measures, and the broader effects that the COVID-19 outbreak has on profitability and the practicality of carrying out of events.
The renewed scheme covers large public events scheduled for the period 1 July to 31 October 2021. The event must have been planned prior to 1 May 2021. The budget for the renewed scheme is NOK 130 million. The scheme will be administered by Innovation Norway.
