Government supports energy-intensive SMEs with TEK scheme

Companies from small to large have been hit hard by soaring energy costs. The government has completed its inventory of options for targeted support for SMEs, which cannot escape high energy consumption. For these so-called energy-intensive SMEs, the Energy Cost Contribution Scheme (TEK) will be introduced.

Subsidy ceiling

The TEK is based on an entrepreneur's energy consumption and turnover. The compensation then consists of a portion of the cost increase this year and in 2023. Energy-intensive SMEs will then receive aid equal to a percentage to be determined of the increase in the energy price (gas and electricity) of their energy consumption up to a fixed maximum per company (subsidy ceiling).

Conditions and design TEK clear in the short term

The government expects to announce the conditions of the TEK in terms of target group, total budget, percentages and maximum support per company in the short term. Such a scheme must comply with European state aid rules and be approved by the European Commission. As a result, actual opening through the Rijksdienst voor Ondernemend Nederland (RVO) may take until early 2023.

That is not enough for energy-intensive SMEs that are already in acute trouble and still have the winter of 2022/2023 to go. Therefore, the commitment is to have other measures ready as early as November to (temporarily) reduce operating costs for entrepreneurs. The government will work out the options for this as soon as possible.

Rijksoverheid.nl