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Symbolically already dead: protest by organizers in Berlin
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After a meeting with Federal Minister of Economics Peter Altmaier (CDU), representatives of business associations have called for a significant expansion of aid against the corona crisis.
This includes a so-called entrepreneur's wage, which the self-employed could also use for living expenses.
"Many self-employed people work from home or for customers," said Andreas Lutz, Chairman of the Board of the Association of Founders and Self-Employed.
"If, for example, their income is lost due to ban on events, it is often not the office rents that cause them sleepless nights, but how they pay the living costs, health insurance and rent for themselves and their families."
Altmaier has spoken out in favor of the entrepreneur's wages.
In the coalition, however, this is controversial because the solo self-employed have already had easier access to basic social security.
The economy minister said they were working on a solution.
"Basic security, so Hartz IV, is not a solution," said Lutz.
The self-employed would not have received any short-time work benefits.
In addition, with two out of three self-employed persons, the operational fixed costs would be less than 1000 euros.
Guido Zöllick, President of the German Hotel and Restaurant Association, also called for an entrepreneur's wage.
It could not be that "seasoned" entrepreneurs are dependent on basic security.
In addition, Zöllick spoke out in favor of expanding the so-called loss carry-back.
Companies can use this to offset current losses against past profits for tax purposes.
The legislature must also make it clear that lease contracts can be adjusted in the current crisis - otherwise the vacancy rate in inner cities threatens to expand.
"The hospitality industry is clearly struggling to survive," warned Zöllick.
Jörn Huber from AlarmstufeRot, an alliance of the event industry, also described the situation as dramatic.
"We have companies that currently burn an entire annual profit every month," said Huber.
The entire industry has been in a "permanent lockdown" for eight months without "any prospect of a return to normal".
Among other things, Huber demanded an 80 percent subsidy towards the fixed costs, without the previous cap of 50,000 euros.
Previously, Altmaier had exchanged views with representatives of a total of 35 business associations via video conference.
Similar meetings took place in April and June.
The Minister of Economic Affairs then promised that the economy would also be supported beyond the end of the year.
Bridging aid until the middle of the year
Altmaier wants to let the bridging aid for self-employed and medium-sized companies run until mid-2021.
The program can be extended for three or six months from January.
He did not comment on the exact amount of aid in this phase.
The grand coalition is currently coordinating the details.
Finance minister and SPD chancellor candidate Olaf Scholz has already signaled that he wants to pay the necessary aid next year.
Politicians had already decided on aid programs worth billions to protect companies and jobs.
Bridging aid for particularly stressed companies now applies until the end of the year, the federal and state governments are planning a further extension.
The federal government had budgeted 25 billion euros for the bridging aid.
According to the Ministry of Economic Affairs, only 1.2 billion euros of this have been approved according to the current status.
The President of the Federal Association of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises, Mario Ohoven, criticized the previous balance sheet on bridging aid.
One main reason for this is the complicated application process, which urgently needs to be improved.
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dab / Reuters / dpa
