The Minister of Trade and Industry opens to look at the maximum ceiling in the wage support scheme – NRK Norway – Overview of news from different parts of the country
On Friday night, the government came up with another corona support scheme.
This time they will pay companies not to lay off employees. We are talking about 30,000 kroner per employee.
Minister of Finance Trygve Slagsvold Vedum blamed the EU’s set of rules when he set the maximum limit of 30,000. ESA has denied this.
In addition, everyone must be at work to receive support. SV is now also behind this.
The industry is not satisfied.
Opens to look at the maximum ceiling
Now the Minister of Trade and Industry opens to raise the maximum ceiling of 30,000. The Minister of Trade and Industry says they are in dialogue with ESA to assess the amount.
– The Minister of Finance has also made it clear over the weekend that if it is possible to calculate this in a different way, then we will of course look at the possibility of strengthening the scheme, says Vestre.
– So this maximum limit of 30,000 is not fixed?
– No, it is an expression of a consideration of what 80 percent of maximum salary could be. It should then mean that you add employer’s contribution, Vestre answers.
The Minister of Trade and Industry points out that many of the relevant occupational groups for the scheme, for example within catering, tourism and the restaurant industry, are at this wage level.
He emphasizes that the estimate to the government was based on the best calculation that was possible in the short time last week.
Vedum blame on regulations – ESA denied
On Saturday, Minister of Finance Trygve Slagsvold Vedum blamed the EU’s competition rules when he explained why the maximum limit for employees could not be more than 30,000 kroner.
This has been rejected by ESA, the supervisory body of the EEA. The measure has been decided by the government itself, pointed out communications manager Jarle Hetland in ESA to NTB on Sunday.
– What I experienced that the Minister of Finance said on Dagsrevyen was that the state aid regulations say that it is not possible to give more than 80 percent of the salary in support. That is correct, says Vestre.
In a reply to NTB on Sunday, Vedum defends itself by saying that the ministry was in dialogue with ESA in connection with the preparation of the scheme.
The Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Trade and Industry have agreed on a meeting with ESA on Monday eve.
– Confusing
FRP leader Sylvi Listhaug stated on Sunday that it is necessary for Vedum to come to the Storting on Monday to settle the matter. This is also the opinion of deputy leader Tina Bru.
– We must get clarity on whether the Minister of Finance has misinformed the Storting when he was working out about the scheme on Friday, she says.
At the Minister of Trade and Industry now opens to look at the ceiling, she thinks she is good.
– As the scheme is now, at least up to the change that came last night, the scheme was almost useless, she adds.
Vedum promises no written briefing to the Storting, NTB reports on Monday eve.
Everyone has to go to work to get support
Vestre points out that it is the SV government that will cooperate with to secure a majority in the Storting.
– Our goal has always been that we will reach an agreement with the government before Christmas so that we can prevent dozens of people from being laid off, says SV deputy leader Torgeir Knag Fylkesnes.
The tourism industry has also reacted to the fact that receiving this support, one can not have a single permit. Everyone must be at work. SV also agrees with this premise.
– When it comes to redundancy versus wage support, we completely agree with the government and LO in it. It should not be possible to combine, he says.