The Catalan government has announced a new aid package for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and self-employed individuals in Terres de l'Ebre, following the impact of Storm Alice in October. Miquel Sàmper, the Minister for Business and Labour, confirmed the €500,000 fund, which will cover damages from the severe floods.
Businesses can claim between €5,000 and €20,000, depending on the certified damages. The aid will cover structural repairs to shops and premises, damage to furniture, machinery, and IT equipment, as well as extraordinary cleaning operations carried out between 7 October 2025 and 30 June this year. Applications for the grants close on 22 May.
Government Responds to Business Needs
Minister Sàmper made the announcement in Santa Bàrbara, Montsià, one of the municipalities most severely affected by the floods. He visited Instal·lacions Sebastian, a company that suffered significant losses, estimated at €170,000, primarily due to damage to work vehicles and tools. Sebastian Albiol, the company's manager, stated, "We were unable to work for a week."
Sàmper criticised the insurance consortium for not adequately responding to claims from businesses affected by the severe weather event, known locally as a DANA. He explained that the new aid line was created to help those businesses and self-employed individuals who received insufficient compensation. Albiol confirmed that Instal·lacions Sebastian covered initial damages with a low-interest loan from the Catalan Institute of Finance, but noted that accessing further aid can be "complicated."
Addressing Insurance Gaps
Sàmper acknowledged that the new subsidies directly address requests from around 20 businesses for non-repayable grants. He cited Instal·lacions Sebastian as an example, where the insurance consortium only covered 15% to 20% of their damage costs. "There is a gap that they should be able to reverse. A business should not have to pay for the effects of rain, because it should not be like that," the minister stated.
He urged the insurance consortium to "respond in these cases for those things that have truly been lost and destroyed, damages that the affected business owner should not have to bear directly." The Ministry for Business and Labour estimates that the total cost of damages from Storm Alice in the Ebre region will exceed €19 million, covering both public works and aid.
Eligibility and Future Steps
The floods caused substantial damage to establishments, facilities, equipment, machinery, and stock, leading to temporary suspensions or reductions in activity for some businesses across the four counties. The new aid structure provides €5,000 for expenses between €2,001 and €25,000, €10,000 for expenses between €25,001 and €50,000, and €20,000 for expenses equal to or greater than €50,001, all for damages directly attributable to the storm.
Eligible expenses include repairs and construction work, machinery, equipment, furniture, and extraordinary cleaning. The government's move aims to provide essential financial relief and support the recovery of the local economy in Terres de l'Ebre, ensuring businesses can rebuild and resume full operations following the natural disaster.
