In accordance with the new Temporary Crisis Framework, on 27 April 2022 the Commission approved the €80 million supplied by the Irish government to support the road haulage sector in the context of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Adopted on 23 March 2022, and in place until 31 December 2022, the Framework enables Member States to use the flexibility foreseen under European State Aid rules to support the economy in the context of the Ukrainian crisis, thereby complementing the latter’s ample possibilities to design measures such as, amongst the others, limited amounts of aid in any form, liquidity support in form of State guarantees and subsidised loans, and aids to compensate for the increase of the energy prices.

The scheme aims at providing liquidity support to road haulage operators affected by the fuel prices increase caused by the current geopolitical crisis and the related sanctions, thereby mitigating their risk of insolvency while ensuring the uninterrupted movement of goods by road. The measure will be open to road haulage operators of all sizes with a valid operating license in Ireland that are affected by the current crisis, which will be entitled to receive limited amounts of aid in the form of direct grants.

According to the Commission, the scheme is in line with the conditions set out in the Temporary Crisis Framework and by Article 107(3)(b) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), since the aid will not exceed 400.000 EUR per company and will be granted no later than 31 December 2022.

Marco Stillo