Around 6,000 companies were granted the €5,000 direct aid while approximately 7,000 applications were rejected. Ministers Lex Delles and Franz Fayot explained in a reply to a parliamentary question by CSV MPs Martine Hansen and Marc Spautz that a large number of the applications were rejected because the companies did not fulfil the eligibility criteria of having to close down due to the crisis.
The ministers added that it was understandable that nearly all companies would apply for the state support even if it was clear from the start that they would not meet the criteria. The government therefore later decided to award additional support packages to companies that saw their revenue dwindling due to the virus restrictions.
