Corona: The government has suspended the obligation to file for insolvency - with potentially fatal consequences, experts fear. “Zombie companies” could trigger chain reactions.
- At the beginning of the economic corona crisis *, the federal government suspended the obligation to file for insolvency for ailing companies.
- This means that more and more indebted companies will continue to exist.
- Experts fear that this could have fatal consequences in 2021.
Munich - Since March, the federal government has suspended the obligation to file for insolvency - in order to save as many companies as possible from the corona crisis . This means that many ailing, indebted companies still exist - experts speak of so-called zombie companies.
The credit reporting agency Creditreform already estimates the number of such covertly indebted companies at 550,000 - and there could be significantly more by next year. What happens then could lead to a "barely controllable chain reaction", according to Christoph Niering, Chairman of the Association of Insolvency Administrators (VID) in the world.
Zombie company due to corona crisis: Experts warn of long-term consequences
By the end of 2019, the number of zombie companies had already reached 330,000. according to estimates by Creditreform. The low interest rate policy of the European Central Bank was to blame for this high number. Far dangerous are the zombie companies that are now emerging in the wake of the corona crisis . Their numbers could increase to 700,000 to 800,000 by next year.
You could later sweep other, healthy companies with you by dividing the financial burdens among others - such as tenants, banks or suppliers, says Niering. The deferred bankruptcies are a great danger for a large number of jobs, according to the experts.
Number of "zombie companies" threatens to rise to 800,000 in Germany https://t.co/AcHzbfER0j pic.twitter.com/acozvUlW1P
- WORLD (@world) August 16, 2020Zombie company: SPD and CDU face each other
Currently, the CDU and SPD are opposed to each other in different positions: While the CDU wants to lift the lifting of the obligation to file for insolvency at the end of 2020, representatives of the SPD are planning an extension until March 2021. The CDU relies on a “self-cleaning power” of the market, the SPD would like to continue to support companies that are currently having a difficult time.
A possible way out could be to bring a “pre-insolvency restructuring process”, on which the coalition has already agreed, into a draft law as quickly as possible.
There is also an urgent need for reform in other areas: The Marburger Bund doctors' association has called for a debate on hospital reforms - with an urgent appeal. (kat / * Merkur.de is part of the Germany-wide Ippen-Digital editors network.)
