Covid-19, Financial Services, Latvia, Legislation, Markets and Companies

The amendments to the regulations will allow requesting downtime benefits for April in May. 

According to a decision taken by the government last Thursday, May 7, downtime benefits should be applied for only for the current month and not for the past months. 

The amendments also adjust the definition of export, allowing for a broader range of recipients of downtime benefits. Ieva Erele, the executive director of Latvijas Mebeles furniture producers association, told LETA earlier that definition of exports has restricted the ability of companies to qualify for support because EU members have not been considered as export countries. The amendments now will apply the definition of exports as it is in the Law on the Value Added Tax.

It has also been proposed to provide downtime benefits to employees who are also involved in economic activity or are doing educational or creative jobs in state or municipal institutions, earning up to EUR 430 per month for this additional work.