Isha Sesay
THE Government of the Balearic Islands has passed an extraordinary measure to help the self-employed in the region.
Using a pot of €11.4 million, the self-employed will be able to apply for a non-refundable payment of between €2,000 and €3,000 on the condition that they continue their activity this year.
Revealing the plans yesterday, President Francina Armengol explained that the aid has been introduced to stimulate economic recovery in the islands and to curb unemployment.
Armengol detailed that there would be two types of self-employed workers eligible for the funds.
The first are those who work all year round and who are able to justify that they have been registered with the Social Security office in the Special Regime for Self-Employed Workers (RETA) during the state of alarm.
The second are seasonal self-employed workers who have been unable to start their activity due to the COVID-19 crisis.
The sum granted will vary according to the number of individuals that they employ.
Those without employees will receive €2,000, those with up to two workers will receive €2,500, and those with more than two will be given €3,000.
So far, the government has contributed €8 million, with the Consell de Mallorca adding €2 million, the Consell de Ibiza handing over €650,000, the Consell de Menorca contributing €500,000 and the Consell de Formentera committing €250,000.
Armengol stated that the final sum collected will likely reach over €15 million with the town halls of Palma de Mallorca and Calvia also stating their intentions to provide funds.
Out of the 94,000 self-employed workers registered in the Balearic Islands, the aid is expected to benefit some 10,000 people.
Details of how to apply will be published in the next few weeks.
It comes as more than 185,000 autonomous workers across the country joined a political initiative to defend and protect the interests of the self-employed.
Triggered by the coronavirus pandemic, the A.P.E group (Autonomos, Pymes y Enprenedores) was created to denounce the ‘lack of protection and support from the government.’
Although a €200 billion package to aid the self-employed, employers and laid-off workers through the coronavirus crisis was introduced in March, members of the A.P.E claimed that the scheme was unfair to both business owners and staff.
