The meeting will take place at 18:00.
Framework of state aid measures to support fire-affected areas of Attica
The framework of state aid to support areas of Attica affected by the fire of August 11, part of which also applies to other areas affected by fires in the summer of 2024, activates the Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection, in collaboration with all the ministries involved.
At the same time, from the first moment the officials of the services of the General Secretariat for Rehabilitation of Natural Disasters and State Aid of the Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection are in the field of the affected areas for autopsies and records, while the relevant documents are immediately sent to the Local Government Organizations for their information about the required actions and procedures.
The state aid measures launched, in cooperation between the Ministries of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection, National Economy and Finance, Interior, Labor and Social Security, Social Cohesion and Family and Rural Development and Food, as well as the Independent Public Revenue Authority, for the affected areas are the following:
1. First aid against housing assistance
The arogi.gov.gr platform for Attica will be activated in the coming days, so that fire-affected citizens and affected businesses can apply for first aid against housing assistance for the fire-affected buildings, which will be paid after the necessary checks and checks. Beneficiaries of the aid are owners, by full or partial ownership, of buildings that suffered damage from the fires, which are characterized by the competent services of the General Secretariat for the Rehabilitation of Natural Disasters and State Aid of the Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection as dangerous for use (“red “) or as temporarily unfit for use (“yellow”), with the amount of first aid amounting to 10,000 euros and 5,000 euros, respectively.
2. Provision of housing assistance to natural and legal persons for the restoration of buildings
Upon completion of the autopsies by the services of the General Secretariat for Natural Disaster Recovery and State Aid, the affected areas will be demarcated and housing assistance will be granted for the repair/reconstruction of the buildings. Housing assistance, which consists of free government aid (80%) and an interest-free loan (20%) with the guarantee of the Greek State, is granted to the owners of the affected buildings and up to the maximum limit of 150 sq.m. from the total sum of the areas of their properties, in order to restore them (repair or reconstruction, depending on the damage they present).
3. Rent or cohabitation subsidy
Following the demarcation of the affected areas, a rent or cohabitation subsidy is provided to cover temporary housing costs for permanent residents, whose homes were affected by the fires, with the amount of the subsidy ranging from 300 to 500 euros, depending on the parameters. Those interested, in a few days when the relevant platform is activated, will be able to submit an application for temporary housing with a rent subsidy or cohabitation either through gov.gr by selecting the natural disasters subcategory in the Citizen and Everyday life category or directly at arogi.services.gov. Gr.
4. First aid against state aid to affected businesses
Through the arogi.gov.gr platform, which will be activated in the next few days for Attica, first aid is granted against a grant to deal with damages, to affected businesses and non-profit organizations, depending on the level of the damage. The amount of first aid aid amounts to 2,000 euros for a medium range of damage and 4,000 euros for a large range of damage to their assets. The payment of the first aid aid is made after cross-checking the data of the first aid applicants with the applications of affected businesses that have been submitted to the Region for the recording and assessment of damages by the state aid committees.
5. Advance against state aid to affected businesses
An advance is granted against the total grant to affected businesses and non-profit organizations, following the granting of first aid, following the prescribed procedures so that part of the aid is paid in a short period of time after the natural disaster. The advance payment is granted following the recording and assessment of damages carried out by the state aid committees of the Region, gradually, depending on the course of completing the work of the committees.
6. State aid to affected businesses
After the payment of the first aid and the advance payment, the granting of the final amount of the grant to the affected companies will proceed, with the grant covering part of the estimated damage to the company’s assets, as it results from the work of the state aid committees. In particular, the grant concerns damage to mechanical equipment, raw materials, goods and damaged vehicles of the company. The final grant is offset against the granted first aid and advance payment. In a framework of cooperation and coordination that began immediately with the regions, which set up the state aid committees, the process of assessing the damage to businesses is promoted, so that – after the assessment process is completed – the final amount of the grant can be granted, taking into account all relevant data.
7. State financial support for agricultural holdings
As far as agricultural holdings are concerned, the regulation of the State Financial Aids (KOE) of the Ministry of Rural Development and Food is in force, which is implemented by ELGA with its correspondents in each municipality of the affected areas, and concerns, among other things, plant means of production and the equipment in the agricultural holdings, while in fields not covered by the regulation of the KOEs, the state aid framework has been activated in cooperation with the Region.
8. Compensations for the first needs of households and for household goods
The households affected by the fire will be paid, in cooperation with the municipalities, monetary amounts of support, depending on the recording of the damages. Specifically, it is planned to pay compensation to the affected households, as follows: (a) Financial support of 600 euros to each household whose main residence has been affected to cover their basic needs, increased accordingly for large families and people with special needs needs, (b) financial assistance of up to 6,000 euros per household for the repair or replacement of household goods of the main affected residence, while said assistance is limited to 50% in cases of secondary residences, and (c) financial assistance of 4,500 euros for individuals who suffered a disability (67%) from an injury in the natural disaster. For the payment of the aid, the municipalities will take into account the data from the autopsies of the levels of the General Directorate for the Rehabilitation of the Effects of Natural Disasters (GDAEFK) carried out in the region.
9. Suspension of payment of tax obligations
In the areas declared in a state of emergency due to the fires, a suspension of the payment of outstanding and confirmed tax liabilities will be granted for six months, both for the businesses and for the natural persons affected. In particular, the suspension specifically concerns businesses that are certified as affected by a relevant certificate from the Region and are part of the state aid to affected businesses. Accordingly, the suspension concerns natural persons, who are certified to have suffered damage to their homes, in the context of their inclusion in the scheme of providing housing assistance and compensation for household goods.
10. Minimum Guaranteed Income and Housing Allowance relief
The validity of the approval decisions for the Minimum Guaranteed Income (MIE) and the housing allowance for the beneficiaries residing in the affected areas of Attica is extended a) for three months in cases where a new application is required in the month of August 2024 and b) for two months in the cases where a new application is required in September 2024. The extension is granted if (a) no new application for the continuation of the Minimum Guaranteed Income was submitted within August, and (b) the beneficiaries, according to the approval decisions, reside within the affected areas of Attica.
11. Suspension of enforcement actions
It is possible to grant a suspension of execution of any act of forced execution on the movable or immovable property of those affected by the fire for six months. The suspension is targeted at businesses that are affected and individuals that have suffered damage to their homes. In particular, for the natural and legal persons, as well as the legal entities entitled to the specific measure, the performance of any act of forced execution on their movable or immovable property is suspended, for six months, with the exception of claims for alimony. The suspension covers, in particular, the execution of auctions, confiscations, expulsions and personal reservations. During the six-month period, the deadlines for exercising remedies and aids related to pending enforcement procedures are suspended. The suspension concerns businesses that are certified as affected by a relevant certificate from the Region and are part of the state aid to affected businesses, as well as natural persons who are certified to have suffered damage to their homes, as part of their inclusion in the housing scheme assistance and allowance for household goods.
12. Three-year exemption from ENFIA
The buildings after the plot corresponding to them, which are located in areas declared in a state of emergency due to the fires and have been characterized as dangerous or temporarily unsuitable for use, may be exempted from ENFIA for a period of three years, provided that this period of time the ownership or real right to the property belongs to the taxable person of that year.
13. Regulation and suspension of insurance contributions
Following the demarcation of the affected areas, it is possible to join a process of regulation and suspension of insurance contributions for businesses located within the demarcated areas and affected by the fires. The suspension of insurance obligations, for six months, with a corresponding procedure for regulating them, specifically concerns businesses affected by the natural disaster, which are certified as affected by a relevant certificate from the Region and are part of the state aid to affected businesses.
14. Suspension of employment contracts with corresponding allowance
A special employment support scheme is being formed for the businesses of Attica that have been affected by the fires, with the provision of the possibility of suspending employment contracts and granting a corresponding allowance to the employees of the affected businesses for one quarter. Like the other measures, the measure is targeted at businesses certified as affected and included in the framework of state aid to affected businesses.
15. Emergency funding to local governments
In a context of cooperation with the Local Government Organisations, their emergency funding will proceed – where the need arises – to cover damages to networks and infrastructures.
Finally, it is underlined that the aid in the context of the state aid is tax-free, non-confiscatable, non-assignable, not subject to any fee or levy, not tied or set off against confirmed debts to the State, insurance funds or credit institutions. The above applies accordingly to the amounts paid by insurance companies for damages from natural disasters.
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