Hoekstra’s appeal to companies: ‘Pay back support if it was not needed’ | Financial

The company from Deventer recently decided to return the 1.2 million euros in aid it had received at the start of the corona crisis. The company was entitled to the money, because turnover fell sharply last spring. But because the company ultimately achieved more turnover in 2020 than a year earlier, Auping decided to return the government money.

As far as Hoekstra is concerned, this is an example that deserves to be followed. He points out that about a fifth of the companies that received support last year, despite a dip at the beginning of the crisis, eventually turned over more sales over the whole of 2020, despite a dip at the start of the crisis.

“I really want to appeal to all companies that have done better than usual,” says Hoekstra, referring to Auping’s action. “I wish all of us that they would follow that example.”

Working method Booking.com

The outgoing cabinet also sees that Auping’s action is in stark contrast to Booking.com’s working method. That received about 100 million euros in support at the start of the crisis, but later in the year it laid off thousands of people and handed out generous compensation to its own top. From left to right, this is described by the House as ‘scandalous’, ‘immoral’ and a ‘sad dissent’.

“I can’t get my head around it,” said Minister Koolmees (Social Affairs). But he also adds: “My personal standards are not the legal standards.” And in the first round of wage support, the only one that Booking.com used, there was no ban on the distribution of bonuses or dividend. “There was no time to think about all kinds of conditions,” says Koolmees, indicating that he has no legal leg to stand on if it wanted to reclaim aid.

Extend support packages

The cabinet will debate with the House of Representatives on Wednesday about extending the support packages until September. The House has little to be desired, except in the area of ​​tax deferral. As far as the cabinet is concerned, this must be ready from 1 July, for fear that companies will otherwise build up too much debt.

The Chamber thinks otherwise. “I don’t think that makes sense,” says VVD MP Aartsen. “Because companies that are not yet open are the first to receive that blue letter on the mat. We have to start paying back at some point, but July 1 is really too early.” He therefore asks for an extra three months from the Tax Authorities, and is supported by almost the entire House.

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