#60 ANDORRA’S COVID-19 UPDATE AND EVENTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY as of 17h on Thursday, 21st & Friday, 22nd May, 2020

PICK OF THE WEEK: Andorra (Pyrenees)

Main places:

Andorra la Vella, Escaldes-Engordany, San Julia de Loria, La Massana, Ordino, Encamp, Canillo, Pas de la Casa

LATEST UPDATE ON COVID-19 PATIENTS IN ANDORRA.

Compared with 2 days ago

59 active cases – 12 fewer.

0 new cases – 1 less.

3 people in hospital. 2 on the ward, 1 in ICU – the same.

7 in the residencia El Cedre (4 from other residencies) – 1 less.

6 people isolated at home – 13 fewer. 2 amongst special services – the same. 16 amongst health professionals – 2 less. 652 recovered – 13 more.

51 deceased – the same. 762 Pandemic cases in total (The results from the antibody screening have not been added yet.

MINISTRY OF HEALTH

Thursday, 21st May

· Mass Screening: 31,800 tests were performed in this second round, maintaining the trend of the first. In total, more than 100,000 tests have been completed since the start of the campaign.

Friday, 22nd May

· Mass screening: so far 39,338 tests have been done in the second round.

THE GOVERNMENT

Thursday, 21st May

Self-employed support:

• Benefit of 1,083 euros to 1,577 self-employed people due to unemployed activity or a significant decrease in their income.

• 1,010 self-employed workers have applied for a reduction in their CASS contribution.

• 1,900 self-employed people have applied for the suspension of contributions.

· Employer payment for companies and self-employed workers: More than 4,000 initial applications. 686 companies remain active (the rest have benefited from STCT –contract suspension – or RJL –reduced working hours measures).

· The economic impact of the above COVID-19 measures on the state coffers has been 7.2 million euros. These grants are at a loss.

· Global STCT and RJL data: 1,378 applications were received, affecting 7,834 employees on contract suspensions and 2,265 employees on reduced working hours.

10,000 employees affected. The total cost of these measures is estimated at 100 million euros.

· Second soft loan program: 3 applications have already been received for a total of 22,000 euros.

· Of the first soft loan package, 1,506 applications have been resolved (2 left to be estimated). A total of 129.4 million euros of the 130 million budgeted have been awarded. These figures may vary slightly.

· Argentinean Winter Seasonal Workers: Yesterday a flight left from Madrid to Buenos Aires with 288 Argentineans on board. Another flight is scheduled for 22nd May from Madrid carrying 288 more people. A third flight should leave on 25th May with 160 people.

Friday, 22nd May

· Bills coming before the Consell General shortly. Measures for economic and human resources rationalization and the reduction of salaries of elected officials in the public sector (emergency procedure): In order to contain public spending the Head of Government has agreed to take a salary reduction of 20% while Ministers, Secretaries of State, the General Secretariat, the Head of Cabinet, the Head of Protocol and Ambassadors are taking a 15% reduction and non-resident ambassadors will have a 10% reduction. The Consell General, the Comuns, the High Council of Justice and the Constitutional Court may also take similar measures. They will apply from June to December 2020 (including December overtime pay).

· With regard to appointed positions such as advisers and human resources staff, they will also have a salary reduction: between 10% for salaries equal to 4,000 euros to 20% for salaries equal to or greater than 6,000 euros.

· Rationalization plans for economic and human resources are proposed, such as the modification of organizational structures, staff mobility measures, the establishment of training and qualification programmes and the suspension of incorporations from voluntary leave. More efficient models in the management of public structures are also being promoted through the transition to administrative digitalisation and streamlining services to the citizen.

· This law also contains additional provisions consisting of an extraordinary multi-annual loan of 2.8 million euros, plus 710,750 euros which relates to the finance and eventual costs of joining the Council of Europe Development Bank for the year 2020.

· As its final provision, the decree technically develops the budgetary effects of the soft loans programmes and makes it possible to arrange credit operations with financial institutions and international institutions for a total amount of 350 million euros.

· The first fifteen days of August 2020 are earmarked for procedural purposes to try to recover from the recent shutdown. Preference will be given to the processing and resolution of issues relating to problems of marriage: alimony, child support and the restoration of the balance of visits and shared custody of children, to procedures related to the extension of mortgage loans and personal loans.

· Exceptional and urgent measures bill, in procedural and administrative matters (extremely urgent procedure): the aim is to expand or improve some of the measures provided for in the two previous packages of urgent measures already approved, particularly for the self-employed. This project clarifies the orderly resumption of judicial activity that has been suspended due to the situation generated by COVID-19. It also establishes measures in the bankruptcy and corporate sphere that mitigate the consequences of the application of the general rules on the cessation of payments and the dissolution of commercial companies. Finally, it establishes the necessary rules for suspended administrative deadlines.

· Self-employed workers with children under the age of 14 or with a dependent disability can apply for paid leave of 1,083 euros.

· People who contribute on the basis of 125% and 137.5% or who have started a self-employed activity between 1st and 13th March can receive the minimum wage of 541 euros per month.

· Retroactive benefit until April. This measure is compatible with the reduction or suspension of CASS contributions.

· Businesses that voluntarily suspended activity can maintain a 100% reduction in rents for commercial premises until the end of the emergency situation. The bill also states that reducing the one-month notice period for waiving the lease of a business premises includes the abolition of compensation.