1. Supported companies cannot fire
Companies that receive support through credit lines launched by the Government will not be able to dismiss workers. It is one of the measures approved at the meeting of the Council of Ministers this Friday, March 20, through the decree-law that embodies the declaration of the state of emergency.
“The set of credit lines accessible to companies is subject to the maintenance of jobs,” said the prime minister at the press conference that followed the Government meeting and after a meeting with the President of the Republic.
Asked about support for families, António Costa said that this “is the most important measure” to guarantee people’s income, “even if there is some break”, said the head of the Government.
“This will be a very tough quarter for everyone,” said António Costa. “The essential thing is that we are able to face this crossing and in June assess the damage suffered”, that is, the Prime Minister admits that the crisis will last at least another three months, the entire first semester, therefore. Until then, the head of the Government considered that it will be “essential to protect employment, household income and avoid the closure of companies”.
“It would be unrealistic to be presenting a program to relaunch the economy, it is about concentrating on saving lives, income and companies”, assumed the Prime Minister, admitting that this first phase of the state of emergency should be prolonged. As for support from banks, António Costa said that they are “working with Banco de Portugal and the Portuguese Association of Banks to use all the flexibility given by the European Central Bank and renegotiate contracts with both companies and individuals” in the sense to create a moratorium on interest and capital.
2. Rents about to expire gain three months
The lease contracts about to expire will be extended for another three months, António Costa announced this Friday. The measure will, in practice, suspend the duration of the contracts for the duration of the exceptional situation in the country, thus preventing the expiry of the contracts that are at the end, but also the counting of the time for renewal, according to a note from the Ministry of Finance. Infrastructure and Housing.
The stop on the lease clock (residential and non-residential) will be in effect “during the periods of alert, emergency or any other state of exception”.
3. Unemployment benefits and social benefits automatically renewed
In addition to suspending the time counting of contracts, Social Security will also automatically renew unemployment benefits, solidarity supplements for the elderly and social insertion income, Costa said on the new social support measures that, in addition to those previously announced ( quarantines, support for salaries with suspension of classes) should stay here for now. The government says it wants to tackle “the problem at the source” with regard to household income: ensuring job maintenance, with more measures to support treasury for companies (now on condition that there are no redundancies).
The Prime Minister put aside, for now, measures that include direct support for the electricity and water bill, imposition of lower rents, exemption from tuition fees at universities that are closed, or even direct delivery of checks to the population (cases USA and Hong Kong in response to the crisis). “The biggest concern we have to have in order to avoid disturbing the entire economic circuit as much as possible is to tackle the problem at the source. And tackling the problem at the source is called maintaining employment, maintaining income. If we keep the job and if if we maintain the yield, all other consequences will be less. This is where we have to concentrate all our effort and this is where we have to invest the leeway we have “, defended the government leader.
But there are more social support measures under discussion in parliament, recalled António Costa, who also did not rule out the extent of support that is being given until March 30 to parents who are taking care of their children due to the suspension of classes, and that should only be revised on April 9th. If schools remain closed, support for salaries should continue. “If we have on April 9 to prolong this closure of classroom activities, this will surely determine that schools will remain closed, which will have different impacts, right from the start on the lives of families and on the support we have to give families to continue. supporting children under 12 “.
4. Companies can postpone VAT, IRS, IRS and TSU until the second semester
Companies that wish to do so may postpone all or most of the payments due for the highest taxes and contributions, for about three months, “until the second half of this year”, announced the Prime Minister, António Costa. The government will “allow to postpone the payment of two thirds of social contributions until the second half of this year”.
And also “postpone the VAT, IRS and IRC deliveries that would take place in these next three months (until June) in order to help them to preserve their activity and conserve jobs”. It is yet another measure to “improve the liquidity of companies” in these “hard” moments of “health emergency” and “economic emergency”, he added.
5. Government can order health services and goods from private
The Minister of Health can request private health services to fight the pandemic of the new coronavirus and even industries or factories. In the decree-law approved this Friday by the Government it is stated that “the member responsible for the health area determines the temporary requisition of industries, factories, workshops, fields or facilities of any nature, including health centers, services and health establishments private “.
The diploma also states that the Minister of Health can “issue orders and instructions necessary to guarantee the supply of goods and the functioning of services in the production centers affected by the scarcity of products necessary for the protection of public health”, that is, whatever is needed and available. Finally, the article referring to the guarantee of public health also defines that the person responsible for the health area can make “the temporary requisition of all types of goods and services and impose mandatory benefits to any entity, in cases where this is appropriate and indispensable for the protection of public health, in the context of the emergency situation caused by the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic, as well as for the treatment of Covid-19. “
According to the diploma that materializes the measures of the state of emergency due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the authorities can request “namely health equipment, respiratory protection masks or ventilators, which are in stock or which will be produced from the entrance into force of this decree “.
“By decision of the health authorities or the civil protection authorities, any goods or services of legal persons under public or private law that may be necessary to combat Covid-19 disease may be requested”, it is also read in the decree released today and already signed by the President of the Republic.
6. Extended time for car inspection
Vehicles with periodic inspection until May 31 have an extension. “Motor vehicles and their trailers, light or heavy, which should be submitted to periodic inspection between 13 March and 31 May 2020, see their deadline extended by two months from the date of registration,” says one statement from the Ministry of Infrastructure and Housing (MIH). Minister Pedro Nuno Santos justifies this decision taking into account “the exceptional and temporary measures to respond to the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic.” Thus, “the Ministry of Infrastructure and Housing has decided to extend the deadlines for periodic inspections of motor vehicles”, states the note released this Friday.
“During this period, non-compliance with the obligation of periodic inspection is not relevant for the purpose of civil liability insurance or the insurance company’s right of return,” the statement said. But there are exceptions to this regime, specifically “some essential services that must be performed, even by appointment, referring to the following vehicles:
a) Heavy passenger cars (M2 and M3); b) Heavy goods vehicles (N2 and N3); c) Trailers and semi-trailers with a gross weight equal to or greater than 3500 kg (with the exception of agricultural trailers (O3 and O4); d) Licensed light cars for public transport of passengers and ambulances; e) Light passenger cars (M1), used for international transport, for authorized travel; f) Cars used for school transport;
“Managing entities should inform the Institute of Mobility and Transport about the inspection centers that, until April 9, 2020, ensure the provision of essential services”, adds the statement.
Read all about economic measures and the effects of this crisis on the economy at dinheirovivo.pt
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