Are there negative economic signals with the resurgence of the Covid-19 pandemic? While Prime Minister Jean Castex announced, Thursday, October 22, a strengthening of health measures, including the extension of the curfew to 38 additional departments, will the French economy experience a relapse? Will the state have to do even more to support our economy? “Not yet but the risk is there, of course”, considers on franceinfo Roland Lescure, chairman of the Committee on Economic Affairs of the National Assembly.
The French economy was “almost at a standstill” in the spring during confinement. “She bounced back pretty hard, maybe even stronger than we hoped for this summer, he explains, but the risk is both mechanical because we are closing activities, and the trust effect, which is very important. “
“I think that today the main thing is to get people back to work as much as possible and for those who cannot, to help them”, says Roland Lescure. Revive consumption by temporarily lowering VAT? “I’m not in favor of it, he replies. VAT has been used in the past in France. It costs a lot, a lot, of money and it is not very efficient because it is a little lost in all the meanders “ of the system. The parliamentarian believes that “recognize that there are particularly affected populations, particularly disadvantaged. We must give them additional amounts in the form of bonuses, lunch vouchers …”
Should we ask for compensation from companies that receive state aid? “We have tabled an amendment to this effect with the majority group”, explains Roland Lescure. This amendment “aims to ensure that companies – up to those with 50 employees, whereas previously only companies with more than 500 employees were concerned – to be able to publish concrete objectives in terms of climate change, parity and social dialogue “. “It was an important subject, in particular for Laurent Berger of the CFDT: discussing with the social partners about this aid and how to use it to preserve employment and guide the company towards a greener shift”, announces the leader of the Economic Affairs Committee of the National Assembly.
