Save an ordinary entrepreneur

How the authorities of Belgium plan to support small and medium -sized businesses during the epidemic and immediately after it

In Belgium, at least 99% of VAT enterprises are considered small and medium. According to the Eurostat, these players are the “basis of the European economy”. The crisis of coronavirus put them on the front edge in the face of an economic recession.

Especially damaged by the social isolation of companies engaged in retail and wholesale, public food, car repair, construction and transport.

They do not have sufficient capital to absorb the economic shock that they experience from universal quarantine and social distance. And as follows from a survey conducted by Belfius, in the medium term 30.8% of these companies can simply disappear as a result of insufficient creditworthiness. Now the question is whether the measures taken by state intervention will be enough to survive the Belgian model of small and medium -sized businesses.

The Minister of Economics of Belgium Natalie Meil, presenting to reporters a package of economic measures, called it unique. “People abroad at this crisis are envious of our system,” she said.

These measures “have budgetary consequences”, but “are an important investment in the economy”.

The purpose of the government is to preserve jobs, prevent dismissal and even bankruptcy. Employers and employees will be able to quickly start work when anti -epidemic restrictions are removed.

Simplified the temporary unemployment scheme for force majeure. The right to receive a state allowance for the duration of the coronavirus instead of salary is given automatically.

This applies to enterprises that were forced to close (restaurants, non -food stores) or offer limited services, those who depend on the injured suppliers. The manuals are given to employees stuck abroad or upon returning to the quarantine, and those who live under the same roof with infected coronavirus. Employers must send to the social service only one electronic form with a list of employees sent for temporary unemployment, and are exempted from paying their salaries.

The manuals are increased to 70% of the salary instead of the usual 65% - however, the ceiling is installed.

“Pure” turns out about 1,500 euros, but for now they calculate the exact amount, everyone is entitled to a one -time advance payment of 1450 euros.

Self -employed, if they are forced to stop work, receive 1291.69 euros in March and April. If they have children and other dependents, then 1640.10 euros. Plus medical insurance.

The European Union is added to national measures. The EU has adopted a financial package of 540 billion euros for the so -called three security networks: for employees, entrepreneurs and governments. The temporary Sure scheme involves subsidizing salaries to employees, forced to do incomplete working day. She is designed to save jobs. The European Investment Bank (EIB) will support loans in priority by the EU small and medium -sized enterprises.

The Belgian crisis program does not consider the issue of the rent, leaving it to tenants and landlords themselves. They are still arguing, whether enterprises that have lost their income should pay for rent during the crisis.

The President of the Retail Council and Trade Centers of Belgium and Luxembourg (BLSC) Luke Plasman must, on the pages of Libr Belzhik. Yes, the retailers were badly injured. But all players in the commercial real estate sector were also injured: owners, developers, asset management, managers, real estate agents, architects, construction and cleaning companies, services providers. They also need to pay loans and interest, bear the costs of personnel, investments and maintenance, taxes, duties.

No, Dominic Michel, the managing director of the Comeos trade federation, objects to him. Some companies in the trading sector have zero sales, others on the online make only 5-10% of their turnover. To “relax” from rent is to survive for three months, and then look around. Do not think that the next day after the abolition of social isolation, everything will return to its place.

Consumers will stay at home, this is confirmed in China.

Some brands, including well -known international networks, announced their landlords about the complete suspension of rental payments, and even demanded its reduction after the crisis. They tell the owners of the area: you have a choice between a reduction in profitability for three to four months and a drop in the value of real estate in the medium term. The dull rows of abandoned stores will bring down the price of this real estate. We will have to agree on specific, flexible and fair decisions for both sides.

But many Belgian small and medium -sized enterprises have adapted to new conditions. The ODOO company, one of the offices of which is located at the site of peasant farms in a cozy brabant village of Grand Rozer, produces software for the same small and medium enterprises. Its founder and CEO Fabien Pinkaers, despite his youth, known in the country, recognizes in the Libr-Eco newspaper that he did not seek to transfer his company to the remotes (and this is 900 employees around the world, including 470 in Belgium). He changed his mind after the department in Hong Kong worked for a month. Since March 12, 700 of its employees have been working from home, and performance has not decreased.

Brussels