The situation still leaves a lot to be desired for restaurant and bar owners: While their customers are slowly trickling back in, many are still hesitant because of the required tests.
On Tuesday, a number of representatives from the Horesca Federation met with Minister for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises Lex Delles at the Ministry of the Economy.
The representatives demanded that the government present a precise roadmap, detailing the upcoming steps towards a full reopening.
Overview of the Horesca's demands
In detail, the Horesca Federation demands the following:
- Continuation of the state aids for the sector until at least 31 December 2021, as authorised by the European Commission;
- Lifting of the curfew and return to pre-pandemic opening hours, with the Horesca reiterating that their businesses are "part of the solution and not the source of the problem";
- The limitation of how many people can sit at one table should be equivalent to how many people can meet in a private home;
- A decrease of VAT to 3%, and this until the end of 2022;
- Spreading the social security debt settlement plan over a period of at least 48 months;
- A phasing out of compulsory rapid tests after 12 June 2021;
- Increasing the aid ceilings for companies, especially those with less than 10 employees, in line with the European framework for state aid;
- Increasing support per working employee in the stimulus package.
