“Monday, at the first hour, I seize the Council of State in summary.
Like many entrepreneurs, Jean-Michel Karam is an angry boss after the publication of the decree which specifies the businesses authorized to remain open in the 16 reconfigured departments.
At the head of the beauty group IEVA which in 2020 acquired the Atelier du eyebrow, i.e. 112 shops and 550 employees, he finds it incomprehensible that hairdressers can open and not their beauty institutes: "With hairdressers, we have the same NAF code (
Editor's note: French activity nomenclature
), we exercise the same profession.
They can open and we can't!
Is it a matter of hair?
He asks, ironic.
If it's on the head, you can work, if it's growing elsewhere, you can't.
It is bullshit.
"
The same anger, barely contained, among the shoemakers, who discovered that the shoemakers could work but they could not.
"As long as the shops left open were really essential, the measure, even very painful, was accepted, summarizes Emile Wakselman, secretary general of the Federation of shoe retailers in France.
But by expanding to non-essential businesses, it has become inaudible.
"
"It is up to the one who shouts the loudest to remain open or the Prime Minister throws the dice and depending on the figures he or she authorizes a certain activity to work", continues, furious, Jean Michel Karam.
Bruno Le Maire wants to be reassuring
Saturday morning, invited on France Inter, Bruno Le Maire, Minister of the Economy, justified himself.
“I hear the anger, distress and fatigue of a lot of businesses.
I do not claim that this is ideal, but each time it corresponds to a simple logic: guaranteeing the health security of the French while preserving economic activity as much as possible.
"
Thus, if the florists are authorized to open, “it is because in spring they sell almost half of their stock, explained the Minister.
For chocolate makers, it's because Easter is coming.
They make a very large part of their turnover in that period.
For car dealers, there are tens of thousands of workers who are affected ”.
Restaurateurs, fixed charges: @BrunoLeMaire announces new decisions to support businesses.
#Narretepasleco @franceinter pic.twitter.com/uDPrMcavK3
- Alexandra Bensaid (@Alex_Bensaid) March 20, 2021
In an attempt to contain a discontent that has been mounting since Friday, the minister announced several measures.
First, the solidarity fund will be accessible from a 20% loss in turnover and not 50% for businesses forced to close due to the confinements in force.
For entrepreneurs who have recently taken over a business, their fixed costs, such as their rent, will be fully covered.
Finally, for textile stores, forced to close, he asked his Minister for SMEs to find a solution to deal with “clothing stocks”.