The Walloon “Airbag Plan” or assistance to set up in self-employment has been subject to two fiercely critical Constitutional Court decisions.
In 2017, it will be exclusively reserved for jobseekers. Eliane Tillieux, Minister for Employment, announced this on Monday in Le Soir.
This provision which was created in 2012 by the Minister, André Antoine (of the Humanist Democratic Centre) providing extra help for the self-employed to take on the role of “sole trader.”
The measure was previously extended to jobseekers who received specific training at the Walloon Institute for Work-study Training for Self-employed and SMEs (an organisation which specializes in work-study training).
It also applied to those who have derived support for growing into a self-employment role (offered by the organization SAACE).
The self-employed section of the public has largely become the majority amongst beneficiaries of this form of assistance compared to those who are employed.
In recent months, the Constitutional Court has made two decisions going in the direction of enlarged eligibility to citizens in the German-speaking community. Furthermore, this imposes the need to alter the so-called “Airbag regulations” to clarify that these fall under employment policy and not economic expansion, a competence of Jean-Claude Marcourt.
According to the Tillieux Plan, only jobseekers will be eligible to benefit from the so-called “Airbag plan” in 2017.
Others who are self-employed, primarily wishing to develop their activities, will be recommended grants from the Agency for Business and Innovation (ABI).
From this organization, they might benefit from start-up grants and cheques for training in business creation.
(Source: Belga)
