The Minister of Economy and Finance has however excluded bars, cafes and restaurants which will be subject to “specific treatment”.
A total return to normal? A gradual recovery? Case by case? If any questions remain three weeks before deconfinement, the government is trying to be reassuring despite the vagueness that surrounds May 11th.
Example this Thursday 23rd April 2020 with Bruno Le Maire, who recalled his support for the hotel and restaurant sectors, very affected by the Covid-19 health crisis, but does not envisage that they reopen their doors at the moment of deconfinement.
“Le 11 mai nous rentrons dans cette phase de transition, de retour progressif à l’activité économique, le premier principe c’est la sécurité sanitaire”, affirme Bruno Le Maire, ministre de l’Economie
Suivez le direct ⤵ https://t.co/0naQZOp7fu pic.twitter.com/K63Pljrr1z
— franceinfo (@franceinfo) April 23, 2020
A “specific treatment” for restaurants
At the microphone of France Info, the Minister of Economy and Finance has thus expressed his wish to review “all businesses […] reopen in the same way, for a principle of equity, without distinguishing a business from another. “But specifies in the process that bars, cafes and restaurants are not affected.
These businesses should be subject to “specific treatment because they are places of conviviality” and therefore spaces conducive to the spread of the virus, he argued. No reopening date has been released for them, however.
“Nothing would be worse than reopening in a hurry, because it would be bad for restaurateurs, for customers, for all French people who are eager to go to bars and cafes.”
Le #11mai, la reprise du travail pourrait suivre des principes clairs
1⃣Sécurité sanitaire totale
2⃣Simplicité du retour : protocole de déconfinement national et guides métier par métier
3⃣Equité: nous proposons que tous les commerces rouvrent sauf bars et restaurants @franceinfo— Bruno Le Maire (@BrunoLeMaire) April 23, 2020
90% drop in activity
When speaking on Sunday, April 19, 2020, Prime Minister Edouard Philippe confirmed that cafes and restaurants will remain closed after May 11. A “heartbreaker” necessary according to him, their activity does not allow to “limit at first the circulation of the virus”.
The hotel and restaurant sectors are suffering the brunt of the coronavirus crisis and regularly express their concern about the future. The drop in activity in cafes, shops and restaurants is close to 90%.
This Thursday morning, Bruno Le Maire calls for vigilance during confinement, which must be organized as best as possible: “I cannot give you a precise answer, I set down principles: health security, simplicity of this return to economic activity and equity. It is of course necessary to take into account different regional health situations, whether it will require differentiated opening according to the regions or not. ”
“The situation is not the same in Nouvelle-Aquitaine where there have been fewer cases of Covid or in Ile-de-France where the virus circulates a lot. It will be up to the health authorities to make recommendations to us.”
As May 11 is fast approaching, the implementation of deconfinement is more than arduous. Emmanuel Macron is meeting this morning with the mayors of France concerning, among other things, the second round of the municipal elections or the reopening of schools.
