Environmental Safety for Industrial Activities
SVO is an acronym for ‘Subsidieregeling Versterking Omgevingsveiligheid industriële activiteiten’. This Dutch title translates as: Grant scheme Strengthening Environmental Safety Industrial Activities. The concept of ‘environmental safety’ here refers to the safety status around industrial activities that involve hazardous substances or high-risk processes. The SVO scheme is designed to support supra-legal (i.e. not required by law) initiatives to enhance environmental safety, that are created by industrial partnerships and sector associations. Environmental services and safety regions can also be part of a partnership, provided they are not the lead party.
Themes and priorities
SVO funding can be applied for initiatives that contribute to further enhancing environmental safety in the Netherlands. The SVO scheme for the period 2022-2027 covers the following six themes:
- Improving security culture
- Chain responsibility
- Sustainable asset management
- Transparent sector
- Promoting safe business parks and safe clusters
- High-quality knowledge of dealing with hazardous substances and high-risk processes.
In addition to these main themes, annual focal points may be added. The spearheads identified for the year 2025 are (in brief):
- Cooperation between companies within an industrial cluster (more intensive and transparent)
- Safer design and use of process equipment, pipelines and installations (‘Safe-by-Design’)
- Optimisation of best working methods, techniques and operating procedures (aimed at safety improvements to go beyond current standards).
These spearheads are unchanged from last year. Projects that focus (in part) on these spearheads stand a chance of higher grant rates for their project than others.
Who can apply? For what, and… how much?
The primary beneficiaries of the SVO scheme are partnerships and branch organisations in the industrial sector. Additionally, also small and medium-sized (SME) industrial companies that seek external guidance on safety culture and assurance can apply.
The SVO grant can be applied for projects that fit well with the goals, themes and spearheads listed above. Furthermore, the project must take the form of one of the following four project types:
a. Process and organisational innovation
b. Training (knowledge transfer)
c. Environmental study
d. For SMEs: external consultancy.
Projects may have an intended duration of up to two years. The grants for type a, b and c projects can reach up to 500,000 euros per project (but no more than 200,000 euros per participant per calendar year). For type d projects the maximum grant is 10,000 euros. A total budget of 2 million euros has been earmarked for the SVO in 2025. Applications are welcomed from 1 January until 31 December 2025.
How can we help?
Would you like to learn more about the SVO scheme and how your project could benefit from it? Our specialists can provide you with information, guidance, and support throughout your grant application process. Please do not hesitate to contact us.
