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Hamburg city center in shutdown
Photo: Bodo Marks / dpa
The trade and the travel industry have criticized the easing of the corona restrictions decided at the Prime Minister's Conference with the federal government as inadequate.
"For many of our businesses affected by closings, the resolutions do not bring the hoped-for opening option in the near future," said Hans Peter Wollseifer, President of the Central Association of German Crafts.
In order to prevent companies from dying on a broad front, economic life must be made possible again as quickly as possible, wherever this is epidemiologically justifiable, said Wollseifer.
There would have been a lot more possible at the federal-state conference "than to present an opening timetable with the handbrake on".
The German Travel Association (DRV) was also disappointed.
DRV President Norbert Fiebig told the newspapers of the Funke media group that it was “unacceptable that we are being forced to remain in lockdown for another month due to the lack of tests and the far too slow vaccination process”.
Fiebig called on politicians to end their appeals to not travel.
In particular, the quarantine when returning to Germany discourages people from going on vacation.
"Here we absolutely need ways to circumvent an impending quarantine with a negative corona test result - more tests definitely help here," said Fiebig.
Wholesale and foreign trade are also demanding more and faster tests and vaccinations.
"To get out of the mess, we need more speed when testing and vaccinating," says Anton Börner, President of the Federal Association of Wholesale, Foreign Trade, Services (BGA) to the newspapers of the Funke media group.
"We have specialists in trade and industry who can handle logistics and distribution as well as developing opening strategies without compromising health protection." In solving the crisis, politicians must finally use the competencies of companies and bring business to the table, so Borner.
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fdi / Reuters / AFP