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Basel-based companies that are particularly affected by the consequences of the Covid 19 pandemic will receive financial support from the cantonal and federal government worth 31.25 million Swiss francs. The Basel Bidder District administrator On Thursday, it approved Corona’s living conditions aid for SMEs by 66 votes to 12 and 4 abstentions.
Of the 31.25 million, a maximum of 15.62 million francs are earmarked for À-fonds-perdu contributions, that is, money that does not have to be repaid. Companies can also request such contributions if they have not obtained a new loan from the bank.
On November 18, the Federal Council decided to increase funding to alleviate the economic consequences of the Covid 19 pandemic by CHF 600 million to one billion. Initially, the federal government wanted to make only 400 million francs available for hardship cases.
The federal government and the cantons will each contribute half of the first 400 million Swiss francs. For the second tranche of the emergency fund, the federal government will assume 80 percent and the cantons 20 percent.
The final decision is still pending in Bern. After the National Council on Wednesday, the Council of States also approved the amendments to the Covid-19 law in principle. However, the Federal Councils still do not agree on some points.
Little benevolence for the government’s proposal
The emergency assistance provided by the Basel government in the federal bill originally stipulated that the canton would guarantee 80 percent of the loan made to a company by the bank. In addition to the loan guarantee, the company would have received a contribution from À-Fonds-perdu, which would have amounted to 20 per cent of the bank’s approved loan, but a maximum of 20,000 francs.
Am District administrator the government’s proposal had little good will. For example, an SP spokesperson criticized the fact that Basel companies would only receive À-fonds-perdu contributions if they had previously obtained a loan from a bank. This solution would push companies into new loans, he said.
The Finance and Church Director, Anton Lauber (CVP), protested against this statement: companies can deal very well with the issue of credit, he said.
An FDP spokesperson described the government’s proposal as sensitive, as it would leave companies at the mercy of the bank.
A proposal from the SP, which required the payment of the À-fonds-perdu contributions without being linked to new loans, was finally accepted by 49 votes to 31 and 3 abstentions. You can apply for loans of up to 25 percent of sales, À-funds-perdu contributions of up to 10 percent of sales.
A motion by the SVP was also accepted by 70 to 5 votes and 7 abstentions, which required the government to avoid the misuse of these funds.
As Lauber said, the implementation of aid in difficult situations in the Basel area can already start on Friday.
