Besides the extension of partial unemployment, among others, the Minister for the Middle Classes Lex Delles has launched three additional aids, which are particularly helpful to those sectors most affected by the Corona crisis: hospitality, tourism, culture and events.

New direct assistance to cover operating costs

With this direct aid, companies from the tourism, hospitality, culture and events sector will be reimbursed part of their costs from 1 November 2020 to 30 March 2021. “Many companies do not receive any money, but the costs remain,” said Guy Arendt, the rapporteur for the bill.

For micro and small enterprises 90% of the costs are eligible, for medium and large enterprises it is still 70%. If the business has to close, even 100% of the costs are considered eligible. 120 million euros are available for this assistance.

The recovery fund is being extended and expanded

“The current sanitary crisis has not yet been overcome. This is also what our companies are feeling, “said rapporteur Simone Beissel in the Chamber of Deputies. Within the framework of the Relaunch and Solidarity Fund, therefore, the Relaunch Aid for companies from the tourism, hospitality, culture and events sector will be extended and expanded. In future, companies from commerce, companies from assimilated activities such as personal care, and companies from the field of vocational training may also benefit from this assistance. Eligible companies will receive non-refundable direct assistance amounting to 1,250 euros per employee working from December 2020 to March 2021. The company receives 250 euros for every employee who still has to remain partially unemployed.

Compensation for the minimum wage increase

“The DP is aware that the minimum wage increase will put a heavy burden on businesses, especially now at a time when the economy is no longer turning smoothly due to the global covid crisis and some sectors had to even stop their activities a second time to get the virus under control, in order for our clinics to not get overloaded. That is why we have committed ourselves to this new aid, which supports sectors most affected by the crisis and represents compensation for the increase in the minimum wage”, said rapporteur Carole Hartmann. The tourism sector, hospitality sector, events sector, commerce, training centers and various cultural enterprises now receive non-refundable direct assistance amounting to 500 Euros per employee, whose salary is situated between the non-qualified and the qualified minimum wage. This way, an additional tool was created to strengthen employment, which gives businesses the opportunity to keep their people in work during these difficult times.