The first package of the support measures/state aid for businesses affected by the corona crisis called the “Anti-crisis shield” entered into force on 1 April 2020. The key support measures envisaged in the Anti-crisis shield include:

– state aid in the form of co-financing of the salaries and social security contributions of the employees if the employer is negatively affected by the corona crisis (50% of the minimum salary or 40% of the average salary depending whether the working hours were entirely cancelled or reduced);

– waiver of the obligation to pay the social security contributions available to one-man business activities;

– payments available to the one-man business negatively activities affected by the corona crisis in the amount of 80% of the minimum salary;

– postponing of deadlines for reporting and payment of taxes and social security contributions without any obligation to pay interest and prolongation fees;

– possibility to fully utilise 2020 tax loss against 2019 tax profit

– the possibility to waive contractual penalties for delays in performance of investments covered by public procurement;

– prolongation of the deadlines for fulfillment of certain obligations of tax and financial reporting;

– micro-loans (up to PLN 5,000) for micro-entrepreneurs.

The second package aims to cover the financial support of the businesses that will become insolvent or will face a risk of insolvency due to the corona crisis. The second package is being processed by the Polish parliament.  The key propositions include:

– financing of medium and large entrepreneurs through equity or bonds (PLN 6 billion of total financing available);

– rescue loans available to SMEs;

– state guarantees for debt-financing available to SMEs.