Decree Law 2 March 2020, n. 9 - Urgent measures to support families, workers and businesses affected by epidemiological emergency from COVID-19

DL 9/2020 establishes financial measures to support families, workers and businesses affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. Artt. 1-12 prescribe general measures that postpone deadline for tax declarations, defer courts hearings, payments for mortgages rates, utilities bills, compulsory insurance premium and measures aimed at maximizing law enforcement resources. Title II includes financial measures for public and private businesses. Art. 13 simplifies the regular wage integration mechanism (no need of consultation with Unions and deferrals terms for submitting the request) set by L. Dgs. 148/2015, for requests made by employers for production units located in the municipalities identified in Annex 1 DPCM 1 March 2020, due to suspension or reduction of work caused by COVID-19 emergency; same discipline applies for requests by employers for production units outside the municipalities referred to in the first period, with reference to workers already resident or domiciled in the aforementioned municipalities and unable to perform their work. Art. 15 extends the wage integration mechanism also to the working relationship that do not fall under the discipline of L. Dgs. 148/2015 for a maximum period of three months. Art. 17 adds a further wedge integration option for the working relationship that do not fall under Art. 15 and are located in Lombardia, Veneto or Emilia Romagna and for which the suspension or reduction of working hours is an ascertained injury and consequence of the Orders issued by the Ministry of Health, the duration is for a maximum period of one month and up to a maximum amount, for the year 2020, equal to 135 million euros for the Lombardy region, 40 million euros for the Veneto region and 25 million euros for the Emilia-Romagna region. Art. 16 offers an indemnity of a EURO 500 for a maximum of 3 months for the self-employed. Title III includes additional measures to support citizens and businesses in the economic development, health and education. For instance Art. 25 establishes a 12 months Guarantee Fund for Small and Medium Businesses. Art. 27 provides for an increase of 350 million euros in funds destined to support companies that export (fondo rotativo) Art. 33 in particular to ensure the economic and productive recovery of agricultural enterprises located in the municipalities listed under Annex 1 DPCM 1 March 2020, which have suffered direct or indirect damages, grants zero-rate mortgages, lasting no more than fifteen years, aimed at extinguishing bank debts outstanding as per January 31, 2020; and with this purpose a revolving fund is established by the Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies with an endowment of 10 million euros for the year 2020. Section 4 and 5 of same A. 33 declare that "COVID-19 virus exemption certifications" are to be considered an unfair trading practice in business-to-business relationships in the agricultural and food supply chain as per DIRECTIVE (EU) 2019/633.