14/12/2022

​​The economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic put millions of jobs at risk. Against this background, the EU put in place a temporary instrument, SURE (Support to mitigate Unemployment Risks in an Emergency). SURE provided up to €100 billion in loans to Member States under favourable terms for new, or the extension of existing, job retention schemes. We conclude that the Commission reacted quickly to the challenge, reflecting the emergency context. While there are indications that SURE funding reached millions of people, the lack of comprehensive Member State data limits the Commission’s ability to assess how many jobs were preserved. We recommend that the Commission should evaluate the experience of SURE to learn lessons for future crises.

​ECA special report pursuant to Article 287(4), second subparagraph, TFEU.