State after the end of the emergency state

The rules are loosening, life is gradually getting back to normal, borders are opening up and the economy…needs a helping hand to fire up. Number of measures to mitigate the effects of the crisis was introduced exactly due to this reason, already during March and April. And even if the state of emergency is over, they are needed.

Please find below summary of those which were introduced in the last days and weeks.

Allowance for taking care of children is increased to 80 % of the daily assessment base and extended until the end of June, while it can be used even after the opening of the schools and kindergartens, provided that the child cannot go there du to so called objective reasons (health risk, insufficient capacity and short operating hours in school groups).

Consumers, self-employed persons as well as legal entities may use postponement of payments of consumer and business loans concluded and received before 26.3.2020. The debtors may decide to postpone the payments up to 31.7.2020 or even 31.10.2020.

Tenants, both in renting flats as well as business premises, are - until the end of 2020 - protected from termination due to non-payment of rent payable as of 12.3.2020. In the case of apartment rents, the protection applies to rents payable until the end of the extraordinary measures, but no later than 31.7.2020, in the case of business rents, the protection applies to the rents payable up to 30.6.2020. Please be aware that the rent is still payable under the agreed contract and if it is not paid on the due date, the tenant is in delay and thus, is obliged to pay late payment interests.

The so-called postponement of social security contribution payments for employers for the months of May to July 2020 works similarly. These payments are actually not postponed; however, if they are paid latest by 20.10.2020, the penalty shall be only 0.01 % per day (instead of 0.05%).

The compensation bonus for shareholders of so-called family companies with limited liability was newly introduced.

The compensation bonus for self-employed persons has been extended for the period from 1.5.2020 to 8.6.2020.

The so-called lex covid justice was approved, which, among others, postpones the date for holding general meetings approving the financial statements to 3 months after the end of extraordinary measures, but no later than 31.12.2020. However, this regulation does not yet bring any relief from the obligation to file a return for income taxes as of 1.7.2020. Should anything change in this area, we will of course inform you without delay.