Lunchtime News Tuesday 14th April 2020

Financial aid due to coronavirus epidemic - France’s Economy Minister Bruno Le Marie has announced this morning, that the solidarity fund reserved for companies threatened with bankruptcy will be reinforced with a total investment in the fund of 7 billion euros.

Beyond the 1,500 euros for companies having a drop of more than 50% of their turnover, there will be a "second stage which will be raised from 2,000 to 5,000 euros" for companies threatened with bankruptcy.

The average monthly turnover over the last 12 months will now be considered in the calculation, added Bruno Le Maire.

Le Maire added that 24 billion euros will be injected to finance partial unemployment. Saying that "Certain sectors such as hotels and restaurants will not be able to resume from May 11th for reasons of health security and that therefore partial unemployment will be extended,"

"For the sectors which will not be able to resume, they will receive aid. As of this week, he said he is going to offer hotel and restaurant representatives to work with Jean-Baptiste Lemoine, responsible for tourism, to see what they need, " assuring that" from the moment you do not have any turnover, there will be a cancellation of charges ".

Initially, the State had released 45 billion euros to help businesses in this period of the health crisis.

But given the magnitude of the pandemic and the period of confinement and its extension, Bruno Le Maire ensures that "more than 100 billion euros will be made available to save the economy.

 Bruno Le Maire announced on Tuesday morning that due to the confinement lasting longer than what had been anticipated, there will be an impact on growth "which will be set at - 8% ".

Union releases press release following Macron’s speech - The main union of hotel trades and industries sector has said in a press release today that the continued closure of cafes, hotels and restaurants in France beyond May 11th, the date of gradual reopening of nurseries, schools and high schools in France, constitutes the "worst possible scenario" and an "economic disaster"

Emmanuel Macron announced on Monday the beginning of the end of the confinement period in France from May 11th, accompanied by a gradual reopening of schools, nurseries and high schools closed since March 13. However, "restaurants, cafes, hotels will remain closed," he said.

The union nevertheless welcomed the president's "open door" to "total cancellations" of catering charges "which are easily explained by the sector's zero revenues".

The union also welcomed the president's words inviting insurers to "be at the rendezvous of this economic mobilization”.

Number of viewers is a record for French President - President Emmanuel Macron's speech was followed on Monday evening by a total of 36.7 million viewers on the eleven channels that broadcast it, according to Médiamétrie data published on Tuesday morning.

"It is an absolute record," said an official of Médiamétrie, with a million spectators more than on March 16. The speech had an overall audience share of 94.4%, thus attracting almost all French people who watched television between 8:02 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.  

Breaches of non-compliance with confinement measures - 704,000 breaches of non-compliance with confinement have been recorded in France since March 17th. Since the start of confinement, more than 11.8 million checks have been carried out throughout France.

The number of reports for “abuse by the authorities during a control” is just under 300 said the Ministry of the interior. Cases of abuse can be reported on the platform of the Ministry of the Interior website.

Return to school - Invited on France 2 this Tuesday morning, the Minister of National Education, Jean-Michel Blanquer, clarified that the return to school will not be "compulsory on May 11th". If Emmanuel Macron announced Monday evening the extension of the confinement until May 11, its lifting will be done gradually said the Minister of National Education.

Boat trips offered to nursing staff and care workers at the end of the confinement period - A 64-year-old from Nice has launched “the boats of the heart” offering nursing staff outings on his catamaran. Overwhelmed by demands, Jean-Luc Guitard has called on others to join him.

A week ago, Jean-Luc published a proposal on Facebook: for three or four months, as soon as the confinement ends, he intends to "offer as many care workers and hospital staff free boat trips, of two or three days, so they can relax. "

Having received hundreds of applications from all over France. The movement "the boats of the heart" therefore aims to respond to these requests and put them in touch with boat owners.

For more information go to the facebook page “Les bateaux du Coeur”

 

 

 

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