If a new aid package is to be introduced for companies affected by the corona crisis, stricter conditions must be imposed. That is the opinion of GroenLinks and PvdA. Among other things, they want to set sustainability requirements for companies that are kept afloat by the government.
GroenLinks leader Jesse Klaver said tonight Jinek that it should be prevented that tax money intended for the continued payment of wages ends up in the pockets of shareholders. As far as Klaver is concerned, companies that give bonuses to their top people or pay dividends to their shareholders do not have to count on support. Following the Danish example, companies located in tax havens should also be excluded from aid.
According to Klaver, it will have to be checked afterwards whether the support measures have ended up in the right place. “I think that if we as a society support large companies, they should pay a lot themselves and also pay taxes in the Netherlands in good times,” he said. Jinek. “Nobody wants that money to go to the shareholders, the top people, to the people who already have that money.”
Labor party leader Lodewijk Asscher joined On 1 in similar terms. “There is now also an opportunity to do better,” he said. People help each other. I think it is right that we help companies, but then this is also the time to make clear agreements. The money comes from society. This is also a precondition for continued support from the PvdA. During the banking crisis, the bill was paid by ordinary people. Let’s make that better please. “
Billions of profits
For the time being, the Cabinet has earmarked around € 20 billion to support companies affected by the corona crisis. They receive subsidies to continue to pay wages, bridging loans and guarantees. In principle, the measures apply until 1 July, but Minister Hoekstra has already said that the regulations can be extended if necessary.
There has also been criticism in recent days, because companies that make a lot of profit are also eligible for support. For example, Booking.com asked for support, while that company makes a billion-dollar profit. There was also fuss about the proposed bonus for KLM CEO Pieter Elbers.
The opposition parties GroenLinks and PvdA also want to use a possible extension of the support measures to enforce environmental ambitions in business. Large companies should cooperate in the introduction of a CO2 tax and small companies should strictly adhere to the agreements on energy saving.
D66 group chairman Rob Jetten said last weekend that he also wants to set further conditions for support. Like Klaver and Asscher, he believes that companies that are kept afloat should not pay bonuses or dividends.
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