Companies want a one-year postponement of repayment of corona debts. 30 to 40 percent will run into problems otherwise, industry associations warn. Earlier, the Ministry of Finance announced that about 135,000 companies are in danger of getting into trouble, now that they have to repay their deferred tax debt from 1 October.
There is no sign of a significant increase in bankruptcies (yet) and business terminations are rising slightly, but the numbers are not alarming. Nevertheless, sector organizations, including INRetail and Koninklijke Horeca Nederland (KHN), are concerned.
INRetail is already seeing the first signs: the order book of the home furnishings sector has decreased by 20 to 30 percent compared to last year, and stores are also receiving 10 to 15 percent fewer customers than in the same period last year.
“The combination of declining turnover, rising costs and repayment of corona debts is causing many companies problems,” fears KHN chairman Robèr Willemsen. As of October, some 270,000 companies will have to repay their deferred tax debt. On average, it is about 100,000 euros.
To recover
This may – under certain conditions – be spread out over seven years. The trade associations see more benefit in postponement. “Companies are still recovering from corona. With this, the government can prevent many bankruptcies”, Meerman thinks. Will the companies be able to repay next year? “A lot is unclear right now. We must assume that the situation will then be more stable.”
In addition to deferral, the trade association is also arguing for a higher work-related costs scheme, with which staff receive a higher net allowance, without the employer having to pay extra premiums. Would they not be better off paying more wages? KHN chairman: “Wages are already rising. It is impossible to correct the entire inflation.”
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