The federal government recently had to take severe criticism from the economy because of the sluggish corona aid.
Now Berlin is improving.
The federal government has reacted to the criticism of the economy of the corona aid.
With the new
bridging aid III
, the bridging aid or advance payments should increase.
For the
retail trade,
there is the long-awaited
special regulation
.
Berlin - After massive criticism from business associations and companies of the state
Corona
* aid, the federal government is now improving.
Finance Minister
Olaf Scholz
(
SPD
) announced on Tuesday
that the programs to support companies should become “simpler, more extensive and more targeted”
.
Bridging Aid III will be "drastically simplified and also put a shovel on the height," promised Minister of Economic Affairs *
Peter Altmaier
(
CDU
).
According to the plans, companies should
generally receive funding
under
Bridging Aid III
if they
can demonstrate
a
drop in sales
of at least 30 percent.
Before that, businesses had to demonstrate a 40 percent drop in revenue.
Further, previously necessary requirements, such as the number of months of closure or the distinction between direct and indirect impact, are no longer applicable.
In principle, however, the staggering should remain: the higher the sales losses and losses, the higher the subsidies.
In addition, the maximum monthly
funding
amount will be increased to up to 1.5 million euros per company, provided this is permitted under EU state aid law.
The federal government had previously supported companies that had to close due to official orders with a maximum of 500,000 euros per month.
For all other companies, the upper limit was previously 200,000 euros.
Bridging aid III: Special rule for retailers
The
federal government now also wants to give more support to the stationary retail trade, which has often been under pressure during
the
lockdown
.
After that, losses in value for unsaleable or seasonal goods can now be recognized as reimbursable fixed costs.
In addition, investments in the structural modernization and implementation of hygiene concepts as well as investments in digitization and modernization should be able to be claimed as a cost item.
With this, the state wants to participate in the development or expansion of online shops in the future.
Payments on account will also be increased.
Instead of the current maximum of 50,000 euros, up to 100,000 euros per funding month are planned in future
With the improvements, the federal government is reacting to increasing criticism from business associations, who
accused
the federal government of slow implementation of the aid and too much
bureaucracy
.
Especially the
trade
had pushed for an expansion of the aid because shortly before Christmas many retail stores had to close.
Bars and restaurants as well as leisure facilities had to close at the beginning of November.
(dpa / utz)
* Merkur.de is part of the nationwide Ippen Digital editorial network.