Retail: Decision on rent waiver is still pending
The Federal Council is currently preparing a bill to regulate rent waivers for companies that had to close their businesses during the corona pandemic. However, implementation will still take several months.
The National Council and the Council of States have instructed the Federal Council to draw up a bill providing for a reduction in rent of 60% for the period during which companies had to close their stores by order of the authorities. Companies paying up to CHF 20,000 in monthly rent are to benefit from this.
According to Guy Parmelin, the Minister of Economic Affairs, the Federal Council has already started this work. He is well aware of the urgency of the matter, but the procedure is taking its time. However, according to Parmelin, the consultation period will be shortened, and the Federal Council intends to submit the dispatch to parliament in mid-September. The councils could then deal with the bill in the urgent procedure in the winter session and, if necessary, put it into force immediately.
This leaves open for the time being the question of how much rent the owners of closed stores will have to pay for the period of the lockdown. It is also unclear how the vote on the implementation bill will turn out. The votes in the National Council and the Council of States on the rent reductions were very close. (ah)
