The Covid-19 epidemic, if not over, had serious consequences from the start self-employed activity. It has left its mark: concerns for the coming months, lack of cash, difficult recovery for some …
In this spirit, the Ministry of the Economy sets up a three-part recovery plan to support professionals during the recovery phase:
- simplify cash flow and work environment
- supporting the digital and ecological transformation of artisans
- revitalize local trade in the territories.
These measures complement those already instituted in October 2019 to strengthen crafts and local trade.
They have already been completed by
- the national solidarity fund that self-employed people have used since March
- State guaranteed loans (PGE).
The reduction of contributions and the extended fund
An activity that stops overnight without warning, orders stopped net, stocks of food or supplies that can no longer be sold: these exceptional factors were right for the cash flow of freelancers and professionals who n were able to continue their activity.
In this context, additional support measures are put in place.
Special measures for microenterprises
Among those specific to autoentrepreneurs:
- the reduction of social security contributions for the year 2020. On this point, we are still waiting for the form it will take for microentrepreneurs; a measure which weighs for a total amount of 400 million euros
- the solidarity fund extension until December, under certain conditions
- the removal of the condition of refusal of the EMP to benefit from the second part of the fund
- for companies in sensitive sectors, specific measures are set up
Measures for VSEs and conventional IT
For other plans,
- VSEs that employ employees will automatically benefit from a exemption from employer contributions and contributions for the period from February 1 to April 30, 2020
- very small businesses holding Madelin contracts or individual retirement savings plans issued under the Pacte law will be able to make a total or partial redemption for a maximum of 8,000 euros (2000 euros will be tax exempt)
- for three years, conventional IT that does not belong to an approved management organization will not be increased by 25%.
Revitalize local trade
More generally, the government is showing its will to revitalize local trade and provides for this purposehelp local authorities to create real estate *, up to 100 throughout the territory and in particular in vulnerable areas.
* A real estate is a company that owns real estate for the purpose of renting it. Municipalities, metropolises, and all of the local authorities as a whole will be able to acquire premises and then rent them out in order to revive small businesses with moderate rent.
A timely measure! Small shops, abandoned in the early 80s with the arrival of large shopping centers, have proven their role during this period of containment, especially as the consumer is more and more aware of short circuits.
The displayed objective is thus to renovate at least 6000 shops over five years.
A measure that may interest autoentrepreneurs with storefront! A moderate rent will thus allow them more easily to settle in a room (attention however on the long term to make sure that the form of the micro-enterprise is adapted, according to the operating expenses).
A communication campaign is planned for the fall of 2020 to promote crafts and local trade.
Go digital
As we saw during the crisis, some territories did not hesitate to develop platforms where businesses could promote their products and take orders.
Deploy the activity of traders
In terms of catering, already installed platforms have been able to adapt by offering restaurateurs the rapid implementation of a delivery or take-out service.
Through these initiatives, restaurateurs have maintained and are still maintaining an activity or developing a new source of turnover.
The use of digital has also demonstrated to merchants the need to adapt to new modes of communication in order to face competition from online commerce platforms such as Amazon.
Adapting to new consumption patterns
The consumer has become demanding and is buying more and more “in one click”. Offering its services both in-store and online makes it possible to address the various consumer profiles in a sustainable manner.
It is in this spirit that the government plan provides forspeed up the digitization of very small businesses, and this, from the month of July by setting up a tailor-made course to help them increase their digital-related turnover.
We await the form of this course (training, website funding) and the conditions of eligibility.
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