Enlarge image
Access regulation in front of a restaurant: Corona aid even if continued operation would be uneconomical
Photo: SASCHA STEINBACH / EPA
They should actually expire at the end of March, but the Federal Minister of Economics has now announced an extension of the corona aid.
Although he hopes that the situation will change by the end of March, Robert Habeck (Greens) told the newspapers of the Funke media group.
"But if it should be necessary to extend the aid again to ensure the survival of hard-hit companies, then we in the federal government will provide the funds for this."
The first partial payments of the current aid have been paid out to those affected since January 18th.
Applications for “Bridging Aid IV” have been available since January 7th.
So far, 4370 such applications with a volume of around 222 million euros have been made, as reported by the Funke newspapers, citing the Ministry of Economics.
Almost half of the application sum comes from two sectors
With the bridging aid IV, companies that continue to be severely affected by the corona pandemic receive state support for the period from January to March.
The money does not have to be paid back.
Unsurprisingly, a particularly large number of applications come from the catering and hotel industries - more than half of the application sum comes from these two sectors.
According to the report, there are also 28,847 applications for restart aid with a funding volume of 130 million euros.
Restart Assistance is a self-employed program.
You can get up to 1500 euros per month from the state, so a total of 4500 euros.
The new Economics Minister had announced that access to economic aid would be made easier.
Companies can take advantage of the bridging aid IV in January and February even if they close temporarily.
Drops in sales are recognized if maintaining business operations would be uneconomical due to the corona restrictions.
"Then these companies can receive bridging aid IV if there is a drop in sales of at least 30 percent," according to Funke from the Ministry of Economic Affairs.
According to Habeck, the rapid spread of the omicron variant of the corona virus is a new endurance test for many companies and their employees.
"We are therefore continuing to provide support with the Corona economic aid."
jlk/AFP