The temporary Support to mitigate Unemployment Risks in an Emergency (SURE) is available for Member States that need to mobilise significant financial means to fight the negative economic and social consequences of the coronavirus outbreak on their territory. It can provide financial assistance up to €100 billion in the form of loans from the EU to affected Member States to address sudden increases in public expenditure for the preservation of employment. SURE is a crucial element of the EU's comprehensive strategy to protect citizens and mitigate the severely negative socio-economic consequences of the coronavirus pandemic.
Specifically, the SURE instrument acts as a second line of defence, supporting short-time work schemes and similar measures, to help Member States protect jobs and thus employees and self-employed against the risk of unemployment and loss of income.
Loans provided to Member States under the SURE instrument are underpinned by a system of voluntary guarantees from Member States. Each Member State’s contribution to the overall amount of the guarantee corresponds to its relative share in the total gross national income (GNI) of the European Union, based on the 2020 EU budget.
The establishment of SURE is a further tangible expression of Union solidarity, whereby the Member States agree to support each other through the Union by making additional financial resources available through loans.
Following proposals for additional assistance of €3.8 billion to 7 Member States (Belgium, Cyprus, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania and Malta), the Council has approved a total of €94.4 billion in financial support to 19 Member States, based on Commission's proposals.
With the latest disbursement (29 March 2022), the EU has provided €91.8 billion in back-to-back loans. All 19 EU Member States which have asked to benefit from the scheme have received part or all of the requested amount. Other Member States can still submit requests to receive financial support under SURE which has an overall firepower of up to €100 billion.
Country | Proposed loan amount |
Disbursed |
---|---|---|
![]() |
8.197 billion |
8.197 billion |
![]() |
511 million |
511 million |
![]() |
603 million |
603 million |
![]() |
230 million |
230 million |
![]() |
5.265 billion |
5.265 billion |
![]() |
21.324 billion |
21.324 billion |
![]() |
1.02 billion |
1.02 billion |
![]() |
651 million |
651 million |
![]() |
2.473 billion |
2.473 billion |
![]() |
27.438 billion |
27.438 billion |
![]() |
957 million |
957 million |
![]() |
305 million |
305 million |
![]() |
420 million |
420 million |
![]() |
11.236 billion |
9.736 billion |
![]() |
5.934 billion |
5.934 billion |
![]() |
4.099 billion |
3 billion |
![]() |
1.113 billion |
1.113 billion |
![]() |
630 million |
630 million |
![]() |
2 billion |
2 billion |
Total | 94.4 billion |
91.8 billion |
Note: Amounts displayed in the table are rounded down to the nearest million.
The financial support is provided in the form of loans granted on favourable terms from the EU to Member States. These loans will assist Member States in addressing sudden increases in public expenditure to preserve employment in the context of the pandemic crisis. Specifically, they will help Member States to cover the costs directly related to the financing of national short-time work schemes, and other similar measures they have put in place as a response to the coronavirus pandemic, in particular for the self-employed. As an ancillary, SURE could also finance some health-related measures, in particular at the work place, used to ensure a safe return to normal economic activity.
EU SURE social bond
To finance the instrument, the Commission has been issuing social bonds. The Social Bond Framework is meant to provide investors in these bonds with confidence that the funds mobilised will serve a truly social objective.
By 22 March 2022, the European Commission had issued €91.8 billion social bonds in eight rounds under the EU SURE instrument to help protect jobs and keep people in work. The issuances consisted of bonds ranging from 5 to 30 years. There was very strong investor interest in these highly rated instruments, and the oversubscription resulted in favourable pricing terms for the bonds. The raised funds are transferred to the beneficiary Member States in the form of loans to help them directly cover the costs related to the financing of national short-time work schemes and similar measures as a response to the pandemic.
On 27 October 2021, the EU SURE social bond was listed on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange, and will be displayed on the Luxembourg Green Exchange, the world’s leading platform exclusively dedicated to sustainable securities.
Latest
Timeline
- 20 June 2022
The Commission proposes to amend Council Implementing Decision 2020/1355 of 25 September 2020 granting support to Romania.
- 29 March 2022
The Commission disburses €1.5 billion to Poland, €523 million to Portugal and €147 million to Hungary.
- 4 January 2022
The Commission proposes to amend Council Implementing Decision 2020/1354 of 25 September 2020 granting support to Portugal.
- 21 December 2021
The Commission proposes to provide €147 million additional support to Hungary
- 25 May 2021
Commission disburses €14.1 billion to 12 Member States
- 23 April 2021
The Council decides to grant additional financial support to six Member States
- 30 March 2021
The Commission disburses €13 billion to 6 Member States
- 30 March 2021
The Commission proposes to provide €3.7 billion additional support to 6 Member States
- 16 March 2021
Commission disburses €9 billion under SURE to seven Member States
- 26 February 2021
Commission proposes to provide €230 million to Estonia under SURE
- 2 February 2021
Commission disburses €14 billion under SURE to nine Member States
- 01 December 2020
Commission disburses €8.5 billion under SURE to five Member States
- 17 November 2020
The Commission has disbursed €14 billion to Italy, Spain, Greece, Croatia, Lithuania, Cyprus, Slovenia, Malta and Latvia.
- 16 November 2020
The Commission proposed financial support of €2.5 billion to Ireland
- 27 October 2020
The Commission has disbursed €17 billion to Italy, Spain and Poland
- 23 October 2020
The Council decided to grant financial support of €504 million to Hungary
- 7 October 2020
The Commission proposed financial support of €504 million to Hungary
- 25 September 2020
The Council decided to grant financial support to 16 Member States
- 22 September 2020
SURE is activated
- 24-25 August 2020
The Commission proposed a financial support of €87.3 billion for 16 Member States
- 19 May 2020
The Council approved the proposal and adopted the SURE regulation
- 2 April 2020
The Commission proposed the creation of SURE