In view of the devastation, it seems evident that the cessation of activity benefit will not be sufficient to cover the magnitude of the losses of the thousands of self-employed that carry out their activity in the areas affected by the DANA. The most representative associations of self-employed workers are beginning to deploy a series of claims beyond those already provided for in the law in exceptional situations.
As the Labor Inspection recalled this Monday and the Ministry of Social Security has emphasized in recent hours, the self-employed have the right to benefit for extraordinary cessation of activity. This has an amount equivalent to 70% of the regulatory base and the days that the benefit lasts will not be computed for similar future situations and, in addition, will be computed as a contribution period. Affected self-employed workers will be able to access it by going to their mutual insurance company and without a waiting period, that is, without a prior contribution period, which is usually twelve months for ordinary benefits.
However, both the self-employed associations and the company itself Valencia Chamber of Commerce They are pointing out that neither this figure nor the ERTE due to force majeure that those self-employed workers with employees in charge can benefit from will be enough to be able to start up the most affected businesses. «If there is no monetary aid there will be layoffs and closures“he assured José Vicente Moratapresident of the Valencia Chamber of Commerce, ensuring that at least 4,500 businesses have been affected by the catastrophe, of which 1,800 would be completely devastated, and also warning that among the most damaged areas there are industrial estates full of SMEs with thousands of workers on their staff and who have lost everything.
Aid of up to 12,000 euros
According to the calculations of the ATA self-employed association, in the areas of the Valencian Community affected by DANA they work 51,000 self-employedthe equivalent of one in three self-employed workers in the province of Valencia. There are, in total, 54,000 companies that are located in these areas, with more than 377,000 workers.
«The situation is a disaster, a total loss in many ships and businesses. And we want to warn that this has nothing to do with Covid. It’s another scenario. In order to reopen, ERTE and cessation of activity will not be enough. That is why we propose a reconstruction aid plan,” explains the president of the association, Lorenzo Love.
In this sense, ATA proposes the granting of urgent direct aid of up to 6,000 euros for individual self-employed individuals who request benefits for cessation of activity due to force majeure so that they can rebuild their business and activity. The recipients would be obliged to maintain activity for at least 24 months since the aid was granted.
It also proposes that this help can reach up to 12,000 euros if the self-employed person has maintained a staff of two workers in the last yearwith the obligation also to maintain employment 24 months after receiving the aid.
Thus, the organization proposes the granting of an extraordinary benefit for cessation of activity for all affected self-employed workers and, failing that, a partial benefit compatible with the activity or benefit due to force majeure: in both cases it would be necessary reduce the quote. It is recommended until March 31, 2025 without the need for a minimum contribution period and without counting the months of benefits received.
Likewise, ATA claims the deferral of taxes and contributions interest-free (October quote takes place on November 30); the suspension of the second payment of the 2023 Income for all self-employed workers, the urgent establishment of a line of ICO Credits for self-employed workers affected by DANA, with reduced interest and five years for its return, and the elimination of interest, surcharges and penalties for those affected.
At the same time, demand reduce modules for the self-employed in objective estimation; suspension of information obligations to the AEAT and Social Security; suspend electronic notifications from the Administration; establish a new fiscal calendar for the affected areas; eliminate the need for the ITSS report in ERTE due to force majeure, and suspend or freeze the maturities of financial operations. Lastly, ask paralyze payment terms to suppliers for the self-employed and companies that negotiate their debts with suppliers.
ATA wants this aid to be extended to self-employed people who, not having activity in the Valencian Community, have been affected by DANA, such as truck drivers, taxi drivers, drivers, delivery people, commercial agents and of insurance who have lost their truck, vehicle or work tool as a result of the storm.
Moratoriums on rent payments
For its part, from the self-employed association UPTA They assure that they have already contacted the Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration to implement an extraordinary aid framework, beyond the cessation of activity. Measures that could be announced in the Council of Ministers this Tuesday.
The association demands, in line with the demands of the rest of the organizations, the implementation of an extraordinary benefit for cessation of activity; the temporary reduction of modules; ICO liquidity credits; direct non-refundable aid for the acquisition of machinery and materials necessary for the restoration and start-up of premises and establishments; Moratoriums on mortgage and rent payments; suspension of administrative and contractual deadlines; suspension of payment for supplies; temporary suspension of municipal fees and taxes; moratoriums on Social Security contributions and state taxes and the elimination of interest, surcharges and penalties.
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