COVID-19 law: health funding, family aid and business support

Automatic summary, not yet reviewed

1. An extraordinary credit of 1,000 million euros is granted to the Ministry of Health to cover extraordinary expenses of the national health system caused by the COVID-19 emergency. The credit can be increased.
2. Advance payments to the autonomous communities, which are under a budget extension, are updated using the tax revenue forecasts available for the 2020 budget draft. The additional amount is paid within the two months after the law takes effect.
3. During an exceptional health situation, the Interministerial Commission on Drug Prices may set the maximum retail price of non-prescription medicines and other health protection products, for as long as that situation lasts.
4. Families with school cafeteria grants affected by school closures will be entitled to cash aid or direct food distribution. To fund this, 25 million euros are granted to the Ministry of Social Rights and Agenda 2030. Education authorities may also adapt the minimum number of school days for the 2019-2020 school year if in-person classes are interrupted.
5. Periods of isolation or infection due to COVID-19 for civil servants under the administrative mutual scheme are, exceptionally, treated as equivalent to a workplace accident for the temporary disability benefit.
6. The financing line created for those affected by the Thomas Cook insolvency is extended to all companies and self-employed workers in certain tourism-related sectors, with an additional 200 million euros. The 50 percent Social Security employer contribution rebate for seasonal (fixed discontinuous) workers in tourism, retail and hospitality is extended to February through June 2020, and SMEs and the self-employed may defer tax debts for six months, with no interest in the first three.

Who it affects

• Ministry of Health and autonomous communities: They receive extra money to cover COVID-19 health expenses.
• Families with school cafeteria grants: They receive cash aid or food while schools are closed.
• Civil servants under the administrative mutual scheme: If isolated or infected by COVID-19, they receive the temporary disability benefit as if it were a workplace accident.
• Tourism companies and self-employed workers in related sectors: They can apply for the expanded ICO financing line, and seasonal workers can benefit from a 50 percent employer contribution rebate.
• SMEs and self-employed workers: They can defer tax debts for six months with no interest in the first three, and defer industrial loan payments if the crisis prevents them from paying.

Words worth knowing

Entregas a cuenta

Advance payments the State makes to the autonomous communities from tax revenues, later adjusted in the final settlement.

Prórroga presupuestaria

Budget extension: no new State budgets are approved, so the previous budget keeps being used.

Mutualismo administrativo

Special Social Security scheme covering civil servants.

Trabajador fijo discontinuo

Permanent seasonal worker who is only called to work during certain periods, depending on the company's activity.

Tramitación de emergencia

Special public procurement procedure that allows immediate purchases of goods or services in serious situations.

It summarizes the law as published in the BOE. It is written by artificial intelligence and may contain mistakes: the official text is what counts. Read the official text · How we make summaries