Several hundred amendments were tabled on Thursday by senators to the bill introducing the so-called shield 6.0. They extend the scope of entities that could benefit from government aid for companies – it is not only about new types of activity, but also companies that were established after November 30, 2019.
KO-PO Senator Adam Szejnfeld (R)
/PAP
On Thursday, at a plenary session, the Senate considered another amendment to the law on special solutions related to the prevention, prevention and combating of COVID-19, other infectious diseases and the crisis situations caused by them, i.e. shield 6.0.
As he said Adam Szejnfeld (KO) judging the bill, even if the government’s intentions are good, the effect is meager. – This is an act that could easily be called a colander, and as we know, a colander is not suitable for everything. There are some proposals here that are valuable in terms of helping entrepreneurs, but they are so few and contain so many gaps, restrictions and ambiguities – said the senator.
– If we do not improve this law (…), then obviously this help will not be optimal – he added.
According to Szejnfeld, the act contains many “blind regulations”, because there are companies registered under PKD codes, which today do not mean much in their activities, there are also companies that do not have enough help in the PKD codes, although they should get it. The senator said that the pearls in the crown of the Polish exhibition industry that did not receive help could fall, and the same is true in tourism.
– Help is perhaps for 10 percent. needy, maybe less, certainly not more. That is why I am proposing 308 amendments, hoping that you will pay attention to them with positive emotions, he said.
He explained that these amendments include expand the circle of companies covered by the aid with another, additional PKD; they will refine the legal concept of the PKD dominant in the PKD group, which are included in a given economic activity; the support will also cover companies established after November 30, 2019.
Eleven amendments were tabled by Maria Koc (PiS). She said that the government is working on new solutions for Polish entrepreneurs. – This submission we are working on, it is real help for entrepreneurs. This is the sixth amendment to this law (…), but the situation is also dynamic and requires (…) ongoing actions, she argued.
While discussing the submitted amendments, Koc said they broadened the catalog of targeted industries. – They will also contain other entries, and companies that have been registered this year will also be able to apply for this help – she informed.
She made a reservation that work on the act was ongoing, but it required precise calculations. “We cannot make our public finance system fall apart,” she said. She stressed that the government has funds to support the economy and fight for jobs for ordinary people. At the same time, she explained that the monthly cost of the provisions of the amendment was PLN 4 billion, and another PLN 40 billion was provided for in the financial shield 2.0.
The amendments were also tabled by Krzysztof Kwiatkowski (unaffiliated). As he explained, the state can afford to adopt them, because – according to the data on budget implementation after October this year, the financial safety margin is much greater than could be expected.
– It turns out that the state budget can afford to increase the scope of state aid – he said. “I am glad we cannot say that finances are preventing us from adopting good amendments,” he added. He explained that his applications apply to all industries that have suffered and which have not received aid. – We included all these companies in these point corrections – he said.
Gabriela Morawska-Stanecka (Left) assessed that the discussion was sad because the Senate was once again dealing with a hole in the shield. “It’s just a sieve,” she said. For example, she asked for help for the exhibition industry. She admitted that help was given to the fair organizers and the owners of the halls, but 90 percent. companies from the industry did not receive it. She also pointed to the tourism industry, incl. pilots or tour guides, the event or wedding industry.
As Krzysztof Mróz (PiS) explained, aid under the current shield does not apply to all industries, because the philosophy of the government has changed. Now the aid is aimed at industries that actually suffered losses, and in the spring it was comprehensive aid – he explained. Mróz tabled about 20 amendments, most of which concern support for broadly understood culture.
In the vote before the debate, the Senate did not agree (46 senators were in favor and the same number of opponents) to supplement the agenda with consideration of the project of the aid act for companies prepared by senators, which is to supplement shield 6.0. It provides, inter alia, postponing the date of entry into force of the Act on Employee Capital Plans to the end of next year and the acquisition of 100 percent. sickness benefit hospitalized or quarantined due to covid, which would be paid from ZUS funds. The initiative in this matter was decided by the Senate committees: Family, Senior and Social Policy as well as National Economy and Innovation.
Deputy Minister of Development, Labor and Technology, Marek Niedużak, explained on Tuesday during the meeting of these committees that the act provides for assistance to 32 industries that are particularly affected by the economic effects of the pandemic. Aid tools include exemption from ZUS for each employee for entrepreneurs operating in these industries, a parking allowance in the amount of approx. PLN per month, “a small subsidy in the amount of PLN 5,000”, which he presented as an evolution compared to microloans from previous shields and “an aid tool added at the stage of amendments in the Sejm, consisting in co-financing the maintenance of jobs from the Guaranteed Employee Benefits Fund in the amount of PLN 2 thousand, which takes place on the basis of a three-month contract.
They include both persons employed under an employment contract and persons employed under a mandate contract, but the order on which social security contributions are paid.
The committees proposed to expand the industries that will receive assistance from o catering companies, advertising agencies, dietitians, some transport companies, the hospitality industry, rental and leasing of certain machines, travel agents, tour operators, companies organizing artistic ventures, companies organizing escape rooms and certain types of entertainment and recreational activities.
The representative of the ministry spoke in favor of extending support for catering and transport companies, but against assistance for advertising agencies, dieticians, and companies dealing with the rental and lease of certain machines.
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