Paris (AFP)
Cafes and restaurants will continue to benefit from state support to compensate for a reopening which will only be partial, but they must reopen, urged the Minister for SMEs Alain Griset on Tuesday.
"There will be support, but it is obvious that everyone must resume the activity. The restaurateurs who have asked us a lot to reopen, I would not understand why some would remain closed," said the minister on Sud Radio.
The terraces of bars, cafes, brasseries and restaurants can reopen on May 19, with a curfew extended to 9 p.m. and tables of up to six guests.
Then, on June 9, the curfew will be delayed to 11 p.m. and the reception of customers in the dining room will be possible.
Professionals and the government are currently working to define precisely the "conditions" of this recovery, said Alain Griset.
It will then be necessary to wait until June 30 for the night restrictions and the gauges to end if the situation allows it.
To compensate for this gradual reopening, the government has decided to extend the solidarity fund, paid monthly to companies in closed sectors.
From the beginning of June, this aid will be paid regardless of the loss of turnover still suffered, said Monday the Minister of the Economy Bruno Le Maire.
Bercy is currently discussing with professional organizations the amount of aid, which can currently reach 10,000 euros or 20% of turnover lost up to a ceiling of 200,000 euros.
In addition, Alain Griset announced that the aid planned for clothing, footwear, sports and leather goods businesses in a situation of overstocking will be paid on May 25.
Decided at the end of March, it should be used to compensate for the lower sales recorded by shops in recent months.
Its amount amounts to 80% of the sum received last November by these businesses under the solidarity fund.
According to Bercy, 36,000 companies with less than 50 employees should receive this aid, for an average amount of 5,600 euros.
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