Winter is just around the corner and therefore an energy-intensive time for many companies. From the point of view of the Chamber of Industry and Commerce, they now need help quickly for battered companies in the south-west. The new BWIHK President has a concrete proposal.
Stuttgart (dpa / lsw) - In view of the energy crisis, the Baden-Württemberg Chamber of Industry and Commerce (BWIHK) is pushing for emergency aid from the state for companies at the beginning of the year. Similar to the Corona aid at the beginning of the pandemic, this could be pre-checked by the IHKs, said the newly elected President Christian Erbe of the German Press Agency. "Back then we processed over 200,000 applications and compared to the later federal aid, the money also flowed quickly. We are ready to do this again if we are asked and the details are correct."
It is good that the gas price brake for industry will take effect from January and that the federal government is also considering bringing it forward from March to February for other sectors of the economy. The December aid also makes sense - but there will be a gap at least for January. And January and February are the most energy-intensive months. "The question is: How can you prevent companies from having to close their doors for a short time because they can no longer keep up with the high prices purely for liquidity reasons?"
The SPD parliamentary group supports the demand of the BWIHK. "Companies in Baden-Württemberg have had some strenuous months and difficult months ahead of them," said parliamentary group leader Andreas Stoch on Saturday. "The federal government has presented well with relief, but now it's the turn of green and black." Small and medium-sized companies as well as the trades need very concrete and sustainable support such as low-interest loans and grants. "We've dawdled and talked long enough," warned the Social Democrat. "This state government must finally act now and take the companies' call for help seriously!"
Last week, the CDU parliamentary group in the state parliament called for quick help for companies and exchanged views with associations and the Ministry of Economic Affairs. The green-black coalition recently decided to take on more than one billion euros in new debt despite significant additional tax revenue. The government wants to use part of the money for its own aid package. There could also be a hardship fund at the federal level. Here, however, details about the exact design are needed quickly, demanded Erbe.
