Will consider new measures – E24

After the emergency meeting on Friday, the minister behind believes it is important to update crisis assistance for Norwegian companies.

– We now have our own support plans for tourism and the catering industry, which have been greatly affected before, and will be now. But we cannot rule out that more are noticing the consequences. Exactly what we are going to see now, Trade and Industry Minister Iselin Nybø told E24 on Friday afternoon.

In addition to pointing out the support that may affect more companies, Nybø emphasizes that the government needs the weekend to think.

– The government wants to make adjustments to the situation we have now compared to what we had a week ago. We have a dialogue with the parties in working life and have received good feedback on what the business community needs, he says.

NHO: – Very, very serious

Among the work life organizations that met with Nybø on Friday was NHO.

– It is important that we take whatever action can be taken, but this is also a very, very serious situation for the business community in the Oslo region, says Ole Erik Almlid, CEO of NHO.

Almlid now believes the government should come up with a compensation scheme similar to the one it had this spring.

– Many companies have to close and many others will suffer a big drop in turnover overnight. We are in danger of losing many jobs, he says.

Therefore, NHO will have the compensation scheme where companies receive a cash sum each month that compensates for the reduction in turnover.

– Companies need liquidity to make sure they don’t run out. Everyone, and especially politicians, must understand that this is very, very serious, says Almlid.

He believes that rescue packages are not enough now just for parts of the business community.

– We had a meeting with the Minister of Commerce and Industry and the Minister of Finance today, and we were very clear that we need such a compensation scheme, and we need it for the entire industry, says Almlid.

New support scheme for several months

Until the next announcement from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the Minister points out that there will be another way to apply for aid in the future.

– A new scheme will be implemented. The application process will be different from the previous one, where not the Tax Administration, but the Brønnøysund Registration Center processes the application. If you use it, you order it for several months instead of one month at a time.

Nybø says the government will return with an update “early next week.” She believes that the government was flexible and energetic already a week ago.

– Last Friday we showed that we are willing to stretch 1.5 billion kronor extra. Now we will sit down and do some evaluations.

– The town hall puts a hook on the door

Oslo Handelsstands Forening perceives that the city council’s measures to stop the spill of alcohol, such as a hook on the door of discos and restaurants.

– For the industry, this will in practice be an order ban business. Therefore, it is important that the authorities recognize the responsibility of these companies that must temporarily close their doors, says the association’s executive director, Bjørn Næss.

Næss emphasizes that the members want to help get rid of the virus.

“But we must hope that the authorities, who place very heavy burdens on us, will help us stay alive through the crisis,” he said.

The association proposes two measures that the municipality can implement. All restaurants must have general access to serve and serve outdoors. In addition, specialty retailers and grocery stores, which must introduce new measures requiring personnel and equipment, must receive direct financial support for this.

Impossible situation to stand

– The tightening in Oslo and Bergen is incredibly dramatic for many companies that already had a knife to the throat, says Ivar Horneland Kristensen, CEO of Virke, the leading trade and service industry organization.

He thinks this will be the hook in the door for many, if there are no countervailing measures to match this spring.

Horneland Kristensen also points out that 18 percent of the workforce in Oslo was totally or partially unemployed in April, and that we are now approaching a similar situation.

– It is an unpredictable situation almost impossible for everyone who is now affected by culture, food, nightlife and exercise. We urge the government to guarantee them the highest possible degree of predictability, he says.

The CEO does not believe that compensatory measures only for some industries until February will not be enough.

– It should be the force with which a company is affected by the pandemic and infection control measures that determines whether it receives compensation, not in which industry the company is defined, says Horneland Kristensen.