Berlin, July 26, 2022 – With a joint initiative, the Central Real Estate Committee (ZIA) and the German Retail Association (HDE) want to convince political decision-makers to come up with an effective strategy and evidence-based handling of the pandemic before the fall. That is why the two associations have presented a strategy paper entitled “Corona before next autumn: what to do now”. “The protection of health must also have top priority in the third year of the pandemic,” the paper says. “This requires a targeted prevention and containment strategy that builds on the lessons learned from previous pandemic management and relies exclusively on measures that have been proven to be effective.” The associations emphasize: “The Federal Government’s Expert Committee has clearly rejected lockdowns and 2G/3G regulations. A repetition of the blanket containment measures of the past would also further aggravate the still precarious economic situation and, above all, put massive pressure on the retail, hotel and catering sectors that were particularly affected.” ZIA and HDE therefore reject lockdowns and 2G/3G in retail and hotels.
The demands on the federal and state governments in detail:
- The current legal regulations in the Infection Protection Act (IfSG) are to be largely retained.
Adjustments are needed in Section 28a of the law: lockdowns or access restrictions (2G or 3G) should also be ruled out in an epidemic situation of national scope.
- There should be further efforts in prevention: The “vaccination campaign of the federal government must be intensified again”, according to the demand.
- The high value of masks (“mouth-nose cover”) to protect against corona should be communicated more effectively through better communication
- The health authorities should use the digital possibilities.
“Of course, health protection is the top priority,” explains the President of the Central Real Estate Committee (ZIA), Dr. Andreas Mattner, the joint advance. “Therefore, measures to prevent and contain corona infections must be tackled in a targeted and very decisive manner.” The ZIA President adds: “General closure measures, now documented by the expert committee, definitely meet this requirement for a targeted and tailor-made fight against corona Not. There can be no question of the proportionality of the funds.” In view of the higher immunization and the nationwide vaccination offer in Germany, lockdowns “can no longer be justified”.
“In the third year of the pandemic, a sense of proportion and accuracy are required when fighting the pandemic. The days of snap shots with business closures or access restrictions must be over,” said the President of the German Retail Association (HDE), Josef Sanktjohanser. “The federal government is required to set a framework based on scientific findings with which Corona can be combated in a targeted and efficient manner. And the vaccination campaign has to pick up speed again. The retail trade and the commercial real estate industry will continue to make an important contribution with their industry campaign ‘Life instead of Lockdown’,” said the HDE President.
The ZIA and HDE paper describes the sometimes dramatic consequences of the Corona crisis for many companies: “Economically, those sectors that operate stationary and depend on public transport, such as retail, hotels and restaurants, continue to suffer from the Consequences of the double lockdowns and the further restrictions.” And: “They have used up a large part of their reserves, some companies have even had to file for bankruptcy.” Loss of sales could often not be compensated for. The effects of the war in Ukraine – the explosion in energy costs, disrupted supply chains and rising inflation – amplify the effect. In addition, there is often a shortage of skilled workers. “Now, renewed general closures would be all the worse. For many companies, they are a serious, and for some even an existential, threat,” warns Mattner.
The ZIA
The Central Real Estate Committee (ZIA) is the central association of the real estate industry. Through its members, including 30 associations, it speaks for around 37,000 companies in the industry along the entire value chain. The ZIA gives the real estate industry in its diversity a comprehensive and uniform representation of interests that corresponds to its importance for the economy. As an association of entrepreneurs and associations, it gives the entire real estate industry a voice at national and European level – and in the Federation of German Industries (BDI). The president of the association is Dr. Andrew Mattner.
The HDE
The HDE is the voice and mouthpiece of the German retail trade. As the leading association in the industry, it represents the interests of retail in politics, other economic sectors and the public. He is supported by a nationwide network of state and regional associations. As an employers’ association, the HDE actively shapes the employment conditions in the industry together with its social partners.