Energy cost subsidy II – advance registration and basis information
Already at the end of the year 2022, first details of the energy cost subsidy II were announced (please refer to our newsletter dated 3 January 2023). The relevant guideline itself has not yet been published and is currently subject to review by the European Commission (notification procedure). The approval is expected soon. According to the recent media and basis information of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Economy and according to information of the Austria Wirtschaftsservice Gesellschaft m.b.H. (aws) the advance registration for the energy cost subsidy II has already started. The following details are known (last updated 17 October 2023):
Advance registration
The advance registration for the energy cost subsidy II is already open and can be made until 2 November 2023 via the aws Fördermanager. The technical advance registration is a requirement in order to be allowed to subsequently submit the request. Analogous to the energy cost subsidy I, only minimal data (e.g. general company data, authorised representatives, contact persons) will be required.
Based on the order in which advance registrations are received, each applicant will be allocated a time period by aws within which an application for the energy costs subsidy II can be submitted. An extension of the allocated application period is not possible. The “first come, first served” principle applies to both the advance registration and application processes.
The filing of the application is – subject to the approval by the European Commission and the final agreement on the guideline – possible as of 9 November 2023.
Basis information on the energy cost subsidy II
The energy cost subsidy II subsidises additional energy costs for energy that was used in the period from 1 January 2023 to 31 December 2023 and is divided into two subsidy periods:
- subsidy period 1: from 1 January to 30 June 2023
- subsidy period 2: from 1 July to 31 December 2023
The application relates to both subsidy periods. For subsidy period 1, the actual costs must be reported which form the basis for both the subsidy calculation for subsidy period 1 as well as for the determination of an upper limit on the subsidy amount for the subsidy period 2. For the actual determination of the subsidy amount for the subsidy period 2, a separate actual cost report has to be submitted in the year 2024.
In contrast to the energy cost subsidy I, there are the following changes to the energy cost subsidy II:
- Energy types eligible for the subsidy: Electricity (all levels, except greenhouses), natural gas (all levels), heating/cooling directly produced from natural gas or electricity (all levels), fuels petrol and diesel (only in the basic level and not for greenhouses), wood pellets/wood chips/heating oil (only basic level)
- For level 1 and 2, the criterion of energy-intensity is dropped
- In the new added level 5 non-energy-intensive companies may be subsidised for subsidy amounts exceeding level 2, up to a maximum of EUR 100,000,000, in the energy types electricity, natural gas as well as heating/cooling directly produced from natural gas and electricity
- In the individual levels, there is a higher subsidy intensity of additional costs as well as new upper limits for the subsidy amount
- In all levels, either a negative EBITDA without subsidy in the requested subsidy period or a decrease in EBITDA in the requested subsidy period by at least 40% compared to the EBITDA of the reference period 2021 must be proven. In level 1, the criterion applies for a subsidy amount of EUR 250,000 (EUR 125,000/subsidy period)
- For all levels, there are premium restrictions and a new prohibition of dividend distribution
- For subsidies, which in total (energy cost subsidy I, energy cost subsidy I Q4 and energy cost subsidy II) exceed EUR 2 million, there is an obligation to maintain by 1 January 2025 a workforce which corresponds to at least 90% of the full-time equivalent workplaces existing on 1 January 2023
Further information on the energy cost subsidy II can be found here: https://www.aws.at/ukraine-krieg-sonder-foerderungsprogramme/aws-energiekostenzuschuss-2/
Authors: Cornelia Kalina, Alexandra Velic
