The Department of Business and Work has activated a €500,000 aid package to support economic sectors in Terres de l'Ebre affected by the floods and torrential rains caused by DANA Alice last October. Miquel Sàmper, the Minister of Business and Work, announced the measure during a visit to Santa Bàrbara, one of the municipalities most severely impacted by the floods.

This aid line is part of a broader set of government actions to repair damage in the area. Initial estimates suggest these measures, including both works and aid, will involve an investment of over €19 million.

DANA Alice caused significant damage to establishments, facilities, equipment, machinery, and stock, leading to temporary suspension or reduction of activity for some businesses in the Montsià, Baix Ebre, Ribera d'Ebre, and Terra Alta counties. The government aims to help the affected economic activity recover by supporting unexpected expenses and urgent investments needed for restoration.

Aid Eligibility and Amounts

The aid is for self-employed individuals and small and medium-sized enterprises that can prove direct economic impacts from DANA Alice. The grant amount depends on the justified expenses for recovery:

  • €5,000 for expenses between €2,001 and €25,000
  • €10,000 for expenses between €25,001 and €50,000
  • €20,000 for expenses equal to or greater than €50,001

The aid will be granted on a non-competitive basis, in order of application submission, until the budget is exhausted. The department has defined three types of eligible expenses.

These include costs for repairing damaged productive machinery, replacing irreparable machinery or equipment, professional tools and implements, professional furniture, or IT and electronic equipment for professional use. Additionally, extraordinary cleaning expenses for mud, rubble, and waste, water pumping, drying and dehumidification, or waste removal, transport, and management are covered.

Another category of eligible expenses covers repair and construction work. This includes repairs to premises, warehouses, workshops, and establishments; pavements, walls, ceilings, enclosures, doors, and windows; electrical, water, sanitation, gas, and air conditioning installations; and repairs to drainage systems, drains, and water evacuation systems, along with materials and labour.

Application Details and Insurance Concerns

Eligible actions must have been carried out between 7 October 2025 and 30 June 2026. Applications must be submitted electronically via Canal Empresa. The application period is now open and closes on 22 May.

Minister Sàmper and a delegation from the department and the territorial government visited Instal·lacions Sebastian, a company severely affected by the floods, which suffered losses of up to €170,000. Most of these losses were due to the flooding of work vehicles and the destruction of many tools. "We were unable to work for a week," said Sebastian Albiol, the company's manager.

The company has recovered with financial help from a low-interest loan from the Catalan Institute of Finance. However, Instal·lacions Sebastian is one of about twenty businesses that have requested more "non-repayable" aid from the government. Sàmper acknowledged that the new subsidy line responds to these requests because the insurance consortium did not cover the costs DANA Alice caused for many SMEs and self-employed individuals. He cited Instal·lacions Sebastian as an example, noting they only received 15-20% of their damage costs.

"There is a gap that they should be able to reverse. A business cannot be expected to pay for the effects of rain, because it shouldn't be that way," the minister criticised. Sàmper called on the insurance consortium to "respond in these cases for those things that were truly lost and destroyed, damages that the affected business owner should not have to bear directly."