Covid crisis cost Netherlands €82 billion

Combating the coronavirus crisis is expected to cost the Netherlands 82.1 billion euros until next year, the Court of Auditors calculated. The agency looked at all 234 measures. This latest edition of the Coronavirus Bill also included the expenses in the 2022 national budget.

Expenditure will fall in the coming year as schemes to support companies are phased out. As of 1 October, various support measures like the NOW wage subsidy, the TVL allowance for fixed costs, and the TOZO bridging scheme for self-employed are coming to an end.

A total of almost 11 billion euros in expenditure was budgeted for next year. This year, the expenditure on measures to combat the coronavirus crisis is expected to be around 6 billion euros less than foreseen in the spring. According to the Court of Auditors, the final account can only be drawn up in the years after 2022.