amounts, duration, reimbursement… Where is the aid for businesses?

After two confinements and then the implementation of the curfew to fight against the coronavirus epidemic, very many companies are hit hard by the economic crisis. Solidarity fund, partial unemployment, loan guaranteed by the State (PGE)… Faced with this situation, the government has deployed numerous aids for entrepreneurs. But as the crisis drags on, how long will they be able to count on state support? Guest Thursday from France moveson Europe 1, the Minister in charge of VSEs-SMEs, Alain Griset, took stock of the situation.

How many businesses are helped?

“The economy is holding up”, assures the minister, insisting on the fact that today, “90% of the economy is functioning normally”. But, he admits, “for the 10% who don’t work, it’s very difficult”. This is why, he adds, the State is keen to support these companies “as much as possible”.

In concrete terms, 2 million companies are supported under the solidarity fund, while 650,000 companies have obtained a PGE. “We are on considerable amounts”, recalls Alain Griset, boasting “massive and continuous support” from the State, with “27 billion for partial activity and 131 billion for PGE”.

Until when will the aid be maintained?

But while the prospect of an exit from the Cree remains unclear, how long will companies be able to count on this government aid? “As long as it takes,” replies Alain Griset. “Nobody in the world is able to give dates for the end of the pandemic,” he said, assuring that “whatever it costs, the time it takes, the government will support businesses”.

Towards an extension of the reimbursement of PGEs?

At the beginning of February, the minister in charge of VSEs-SMEs indicated that the government was in discussion with Brussels to increase the repayment period for PGEs from six to eight years, to “secure entrepreneurs”. PGEs are currently taken out for a maximum term of 6 years, and no repayment is required for the first two years.

“ Cancellation of refunds is not considered “

“The decision has not yet been obtained”, indicates Alain Griset on Europe 1, “I hope that we will get there”. For the Minister, “it is essential for entrepreneurs to give visibility. When you have 25% of your turnover, repaying it in 4 years seems difficult, so two more years seems to me something on which we should end up” .

And for the companies most in difficulty, could the government consider canceling refunds? “It is not envisaged”, dismisses Alain Griset. “It’s a loan,” he recalls. However, according to him, “to give the idea that a loan is not repaid is to no longer have a lender in the future”.

What timetable for the reopening of bars and restaurants?

Among the most affected businesses, we obviously find bars and restaurants, forced to close since October. As for restaurateurs, some are asking the government to allow them to open at lunchtime to accommodate French people working in the surrounding area. “For the moment, this is not a good lead,” said Alain Griset, aware of the “very strong and legitimate” desire of restaurateurs to reopen.

“There is a priority, it is sanitary facilities”, adds the guest from Europe 1, insisting on the “very strong” support for cafes, hotels and restaurants. And while the variants continue to make health authorities fear a strong rebound in the epidemic, “there is no timetable” for the reopening of bars, indicates Alain Griset.

“When we were in May, June, July-August and September, no one believed that we were going to have to reconfine in November”, says Alain Griset again. And to conclude: “We have a light at the end of the tunnel, it is the vaccine, which is the collective hope. It will allow us, with barrier gestures, to eradicate this pandemic.”