Disqualification of sole proprietorships

Priority question for written answer  P-001269/2021
to the Commission
Rule 138
Beata Mazurek (ECR)

The criteria which the Commission has approved for providing financial assistance to companies hardest hit by the negative economic impact of more than a year of the COVID-19 pandemic clearly discriminate against entrepreneurs who do not employ workers. As a result, many Polish companies have been deprived of any support. This applies, for example, to pilots providing air passenger transport services.

Could the Commission therefore answer the following questions:

• 1.The rule of law includes equality before the law. How does the Commission believe this applies if sole proprietorships are disqualified from receiving financial assistance in times of economic hardship owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, when it is precisely these micro business which are at most risk of bankruptcy?
• 2.Does the Commission intend to bring in measures to provide financial support to the self-employed, and if so what measures, with a particular focus on pilots working in passenger aviation?