Continuation of Safety Deal scheme 2022-2027

The Safety Deal scheme (Subsidy Scheme for Strengthening Environmental Safety (SVO)), will be continued. continued for the period 2022-2027. *

The total grant pot for 2022 is € 1,950,000 and the maximum grant with multiple project participants is € 500,000. There are a number of adjustments to strengthen the governance of the scheme and to increase knowledge sharing of Safety Deals results.

*Publication on 4 February in the Government Gazette.

Safety Deals, why are they there?

In the aftermath of the Chemiepack incident in 2011, the government decided in 2013 to stimulate the business community's responsibility for environmental safety in addition to improving licensing, supervision and enforcement. Since 2015, the SVO has been in operation for this purpose.

The aim of the scheme is to stimulate the business community' s own responsibility for improving the safety of employees and the environment. The resulting pro-active behaviour of companies and branch organisations can lead to an improved sustainable safety performance of the sector. A project must be realised within two years.

During the period 2017 to 2021, subsidies were provided for 48 Safety Deals and a total amount of € 9,401,335

The scheme expired in October 2021. After evaluation in 2020 it was decided to continue the scheme with adjustments. The aim of the adjustment is to further increase environmental safety.

What are the changes to the Safety Deal scheme 2022

In short:

"Strengthen the governance of the scheme and increase knowledge sharing on the results of Safety Deals."

The main differences between the old and new scheme:

• Each year the Minister may spearheads Establishing the spearheads. Safety Deals that address a spearhead will receive a 15% bonus. The spearheads will focus on best practices to speed up knowledge sharing, for example through the Safety Delta Netherlands knowledge centre;
• Recipients of € 100,000 or more in funding are required to explain their results in an audiovisual presentation. This can be a recorded video presentation or short video film about the project lasting 1 to 3 minutes. This audio-visual presentation must be made available to everyone on the website of the partnership leader and on the website of the Safety Delta Netherlands knowledge centre. This way of sharing knowledge is easily accessible for other entrepreneurs and ensures a wider reach.
• The assessment criteria for granting a subsidy have been tightened up by adding a number of indicators. The aim is to scale up projects even faster and to apply project results on a large scale at other companies that work with hazardous substances or risky processes.

A maximum subsidy amount of € 200,000 per project participant per calendar year applies to increase the variety of Safety Deal participants;

The maximum subsidy amount for external advice has been increased from €5,000 to €10,000. External advice is advice for a small or medium-sized company on strengthening its internal safety culture or internal assurance of its safety. This is expected to increase the interest of 'near-Brzo' companies in Safety Deals over the next five years.

Spearhead 2022 Safety Deals

Transparent cooperation between companies within an industrial cluster;

Future-proof and reliable process installations;

Optimisation of best working methods and techniques.

Go to the Projects of the Knowledge Centre for more information on completed Safety Deals.