The first phase of the aid measure was activated in the form of a subsidy for fixed costs for the expression of interest from businesses, after the publication of the Official Gazette GDOU504/28,5,2021 (Government Gazette Β΄ 2236) "Procedure for submission of expression of interest for the temporary aid measure in the form of subsidizing fixed costs to businesses that have been financially affected due to the emergence and spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, during the months of April to December 2020".

The purpose of the new regime is to subsidize businesses, through credit, which can be used until the end of the year, to repay current tax debts or insurance contributions that become payable from 1.7.2021 to 31.12.2021, while eligible businesses will be those cumulatively meet the following:

• employed at least one (1) full-time employee or two (2) part-time employees, in a dependent employment relationship, on August 1, 2020 or on October 28, 2020 or on May 1, 2021;
• belonged on December 31, 2020 to affected sectors as defined in the relevant MLA,
• έχουν υποβάλει τις δηλώσεις ΦΠΑ και φορολογίας εισοδήματος,
• are active and have commenced operations before 31 December 2020;^η Δεκεμβρίου 2020,
• are SMEs not subject to VAT or subject and exempt or are subject to VAT regardless of size,
• were not already problematic in 2019, with the exception, however, of very small or small enterprises.

In addition, it is recalled that, as announced on March 11, 2021, the scheme applies to loss-making businesses that show a drop in turnover of at least 30% in 2020 compared to 2019. A special provision, however, will exist for new businesses (starting operations after 1.1.2019) and businesses that recently acquired a branch (from 1.4.2019 to 31.12.2020), as well as for KTEL.

The amount of support will be determined as a percentage of the difference between the fixed costs paid by the company and the support it has received. In particular, as fixed costs will be calculated the costs paid in 2020 by the company for specific categories of costs, as reflected in the E3 form, such as employee benefits, insurance contributions, energy, water supply, telecommunications, rent, other operating costs, debit interest and related costs.

The determination of the amount of the aid, the intensity of the aid, the upper limits and other details of the implementation of the scheme will be determined with a newer KYA (Phase B), after the completion of the expression of interest, based on the available budget of the program, which estimated at 500 million euros.

As already noted from the initial announcement of the measure, the beneficiaries are obliged to maintain on average the number of staff they employ until 31 December 2021.