France is aiming for a return to economic activity before the health crisis in the first half of 2022, the Minister of the Economy, Bruno Le Maire, said Monday, May 10, on franceinfo.

Regarding the release of the European recovery plan of 750 billion euros, Bruno Le Maire considered that the European procedures were much too long.

France is still waiting to receive 40 billion euros from this plan.

The minister added that there would be no second stimulus package.

He admitted, however, that the question of a long-term investment plan could arise.

Favorable to opening shops on Sundays

Bruno Le Maire has, moreover, said to find "legitimate" the request of businesses closed during the health crisis to be able to open on Sundays.

"We are going to look at this with (the Minister of Labor) Elisabeth Borne, but it is a request which seems perfectly legitimate to me", declared Bruno Le Maire.

"I am in favor of showing flexibility on Sunday openings," replied the minister when asked whether he was in favor of shops being able to open every Sunday.

"I put myself in the shoes of all these retailers in clothing and footwear who have lost a lot of turnover during these months of closure, they want to restart quickly, they want to restart strongly", explained Bruno Le Maire, while all businesses closed due to the third wave of the Covid-19 epidemic will be able to reopen on May 19.

Towards new aid for businesses

He also confirmed to traders that "whatever your loss of turnover, there will be compensation" by the solidarity fund for the months of June, July and August.

"This will be in proportion to the loss of turnover between June 2021 and June 2019, July 2021 and July 2019, August 2021 and August 2019," said Bruno Le Maire.

A draft decree to be presented this week by the government to Parliament provides for an additional allocation of 6.7 billion to the solidarity fund, as well as 500 million more for partial unemployment.

In addition, "we will maintain support - the rate is not yet decided - over the months of June, July, August, to encourage hoteliers, restaurateurs, the world of culture, the world of sports to hire" , he said again, recalling that this support was currently 20%.

With AFP and Reuters 

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