“Group” means the definition as set out in Section 1-6.
The group must designate an enterprise that will be responsible for providing information on the group’s ownership structure and other information submitted by the group. A contact person must be appointed within this enterprise. The group cannot change the responsible enterprise within a grant period. Enterprises that are part of the group can apply either separately or jointly. It is important that all applications from a group state the same responsible enterprises.
The responsible enterprise must prepare an overview of the enterprises that were part of the group (group overview) as of the first day of the grant period. If the group submits a joint application, the group overview must also indicate how the grant will be distributed within the group. Before the grant is paid out, the responsible enterprise must be able to show how the grant ultimately is divided.
The group’s choice of application form, i.e. individual or joint group application, will be binding for all grant periods.
Confirmation of group application
The same auditor or authorised accountant must verify the information provided in the applications in a grant period for all enterprises in the group.
Consolidated group applications
Groups of companies can also apply jointly as if the group were a single enterprise for the Norwegian part of the group.
Groups seeking support according to this method must include all entities in the group which are liable to pay tax to Norway, except for entities operating in industries which are exempt from the grant scheme. Entities that are to be included in the calculations are referred to below as the Norwegian part of the group.
The decrease in turnover and fixed, unavoidable costs must be calculated collectively for the Norwegian part of the group. The calculations will be considered to be consolidated as if only these entities were included in the group, according to ordinary principles for the consolidation of financial statements. This means that income from other entities in the Norwegian part of the group will be eliminated against costs in these entities. Income and expenses attributable to group entities outside the Norwegian part of the group must not be eliminated, but included on an equal basis with income and costs with respect to external parties.
The grant scheme includes a requirement that the enterprise must have employees in order to be eligible for grants. This requirement applies collectively to the Norwegian part of the group, so that at least one of the companies in the Norwegian part of the group must fulfil the condition. The conditions stipulated in Sections 2-4 to 2-6 of the Regulation must be met for all enterprises in the Norwegian part of the group.
The enterprise that applies on behalf of the group will be responsible for the information that is given in the application. The enterprise that submits the application must also obtain the consent of all the enterprises in the Norwegian part of the group. Consent may be provided by persons who are eligible to apply for support on behalf of the enterprise under Section 4-4 of the Regulation. Consent must also include the duty to pay back grants following chapter 3a and the group overview with how the grants are divided within the group.
Support awarded collectively for the Norwegian part of the group under Section 3-4 second paragraph of the Regulation will be awarded and paid to the enterprise that submitted the application.