CORONA VIRUS IN NEUSS​

April 24

Yesterday, we informed you about the amendment to the Infection Protection Act. As of tomorrow, the “Corona emergency brake” contained therein will now also apply in Neuss. With partly serious consequences for the economy. With the exception of hairdressers and “medical-therapeutic” services in the broadest sense, all businesses offering body-related services will have to close again. This affects, for example, cosmetic studios, chiropody, manicure and nail studios. But tightenings are also taking effect in the retail sector – for example, with regard to the number of customers allowed in the supermarket at the same time.

The regulations that will apply from tomorrow are summarised on the homepage.

We can only hope that the district-wide values will soon fall permanently below the threshold value of 100 new infections per 100,000 residents within seven days. If, on the other hand, they continue to rise and exceed the value of 150 on more than three consecutive days, the appointment shopping in the trade with goods that do not count as everyday necessities will also come to an end.

Let us all participate in a positive development by continuing to endure the current restrictions with patience and taking advantage of the test offers. And look forward to returning to our old lives with personal contact after “vaccinating the population”.

April 23

The Bundestag, with the consent of the Bundesrat, has passed the new Infection Protection Act, which was published yesterday in the Federal Law Gazette and came into force today. The amendments to the Infection Protection Act are intended to lead to uniform federal regulations if the 7-day incidence, i.e. the number of new corona infections per 100,000 inhabitants within seven days, in a municipality or district exceeds 100 for three consecutive days. These regulations then apply from the day after next. The federal government’s website provides details on the regulations for the federal Corona Emergency Brake.

The 7-day incidence for the Rhine district of Neuss is above 100 for the third day today (114). You can follow the development of the incidence for the area of Rhein-Kreis Neuss here. On the pages of the City of Neuss you will find an overview of the regulations.

April 20

The second ordinance amending the SARS-CoV-2 Occupational Health and Safety Ordinance now extends the existing measures, such as allowing home offices, until June 30 2021. From April 20 2021, employers must offer their employees who are not in a home office the opportunity to take a test to detect the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus at least once a week. In special cases, the employer must also provide two tests per calendar week, for example, if the employees come into frequent contact with other people due to the nature of their work. The tests must be purchased by the employer. Both antigen tests for self-administration, or self-tests, and the PoC antigen rapid tests are permissible. While the self-tests can be carried out by anyone, special training is required to carry out the PoC antigen rapid test. Further information is available on the homepage.

The certificate of a negative result issued in a company as part of employee testing can be used as proof of testing when taking advantage of offers that may currently only be taken up with a confirmed negative rapid test (e.g. visiting a retail shop on appointment). However, for this to be possible, the test must be carried out by trained or expert staff, i.e. at least a PoC antigen rapid test. There is a model certificate from the Ministry of Labour, Health and Social Affairs for the test certificate. You can find it on this link. On the pages of MAGS.NRW, it is clarified that a self-test carried out by the employee, but under the supervision of trained or expert staff, is also sufficient for this purpose.

The state of NRW has updated the Corona Protection Ordinance. The new version has been in force since 19 April. Among other things, there are changes to the model municipalities, which, however, does not include the Rhine District of Neuss. The existing regulations have been extended until April 26 2021. We will inform you again when new regulations come into force.

The announced improvements to Bridging Aid III have now been published. The innovations include, above all, the extension of the amount of support to up to 100% of the eligible fixed costs in the event of a slump in turnover of more than 70% as well as the equity subsidy, which grants additional subsidies in the event of a slump in turnover of at least 50% during the period from November 2020 to June 2021. Companies with a decline in turnover of at least 50% in five or more months receive, for example, 40% of the sum of the fixed cost reimbursement as an additional premium. If the decline in turnover occurs in three months, the subsidy amounts to 25%, in four months it is 35% on the sum of the fixed cost reimbursement. The eligible costs have also been updated, e.g. wholesale trade is now again included in the special regulation for the depreciation of stocks of goods. What happens if your tax advisor has already submitted the application before the changes? In this case, the application will not be changed or re-filed, but the changes will be taken into account in the final accounting reports, so that you will not suffer any disadvantage. Further information is available on the homepage and on the pages of the official funding platform.

April 7

The state of NRW has updated the Corona Protection Ordinance. The new version applies as of today. As a result of the amendment, the “relaxation” of the current restrictions is moving further away: Until now, the lifting of the “emergency brake” was foreseen if the “7-day incidence” fell below the limit of 100 on three consecutive days. In view of the lack of meaningful change of this indicator due to the partially restricted testing and reporting processes over the days of Easter, from now on seven days with a “7-day incidence” below 100 and a stable trend are still required.

For Neuss, this does not have any practical effects at first. Yesterday, at 96.3, the “7-day incidence” fell below 100 new infections per 100,000 inhabitants for the first time. Today, however, the value of 101.4 is again just above the limit. The daily 7-day incidence for Neuss is available here. Thus, in Neuss, the presentation of a daily updated rapid test remains necessary for numerous activities, including appointment shopping for goods that are not part of daily needs and body-related services except hairdressers and chiropody.

Contact tracing remains an essential tool for breaking chains of infection during the Corona pandemic. Traditionally, public health officials ask infected persons about their contacts in the days before the infection was detected. This questioning does not help in areas of life with “anonymous encounters”. For this reason, restaurateurs have already been obliged to record the contact details of their guests when they opened in May 2020. Comparable regulations apply today to appointment shopping known as “click & meet” in retail stores and the use of services where the minimum distance cannot be kept, so-called “body-related services”.

As we already reported in the last business newsletter, the city of Neuss has campaigned to replace the “paperwork” associated with contact tracking for operators and guests with an “app-based” digital recording of customer data with an interface to the health department. With the “Luca App”, this paperless option is now available throughout the area of the Rhine District of Neuss. Tradespeople can now register to use the app. All information is available on the operator’s website.

April 3

As announced yesterday, the Rhine District of Neuss has decided on the so-called “test option”. The consequence of the general order published yesterday by the district is that the opening steps or “relaxations” in force since March 8 remain in force in the district despite the continued exceeding of the limit of 100 cases in the “7-day incidence”. However, as of next Tuesday, affected services may only be made available to people who have a confirmed rapid or self-test that is updated on a daily basis. Of course, the test must be “negative” in regard to the detection of the infection. Thus, in Neuss from next Tuesday, in addition to the use of libraries, museums and art exhibitions, etc., in particular “Click & Meet” in shops as well as the use of “body-related services” with a test will remain possible.

The legal situation regarding operating restrictions is not very clear. There are establishments that must remain completely closed and those that are allowed to open almost normally. In between, there are establishments that are subject to a multitude of special regulations, which can also change depending on the incidence. This does not happen automatically when the limit value is reached or exceeded, but depends on decrees issued by the state and the Rhein-Kreis Neuss. We have therefore fundamentally revised the corresponding section on our homepage, where you will find the new presentation.

April 2

In the district of Neuss, the so-called “emergency brake” will intervene from Tuesday after Easter, April 6. This is the result of the general decree of the state of NRW from 1 April 2021. On Thursday, the so-called “7-day incidence” in the regional district had been above the value of 100 for the third day in a row.

The district of Neuss has declared that it will make use of the so-called test option, as stated in the press release of April 1 2021. Accordingly, as of Tuesday, will be possible  to utilise and partake of many offers or activities upon presentation of a daily updated quick test. In spite of the emergency brake. We will inform you about the details as soon as the wording of the district’s decision is available.

Until Monday inclusive, the previous regulations will apply. This means that, for example, “click & meet” appointment shopping is still permitted in shops on Holy Saturday without the presentation of a test result. The same applies to crafts and services, where a distance of 1.5 m between the craftsperson or service provider and the customer cannot be maintained. You can read the rules applicable to the individual sectors up to and including Monday on the homepage.

Performing a rapid antigen test prior to potentially infectious contacts is of course also useful regardless of whether the presentation of the test is required by law or by the authorities for the use of an offer or service. A list of providers who carry out free rapid antigen tests in Neuss can be found on the website.

March 26

The state of North Rhine-Westphalia has, surprisingly, decided against the announced state-wide “emergency brake”. This means that there will be no nationwide rollback of the relaxation measures implemented at the beginning of March in NRW. Thus, there will be no tightening in Neuss at the beginning of next week.

The “emergency brake” will be applied if the so-called “7-day incidence” (number of new infections within seven days per 100,000 inhabitants) in a district or city exceeds 100 for three days in a row. But even then, the emergency brake does not come into effect immediately or automatically. Rather, it requires a determination of the intervention of the restrictions by the responsible health ministry of the state. The ministry also announces the date from which the restrictions apply. As a rule, it can be assumed that they will come into force on the second working day following the third day with an incidence above 100. The restrictions are lifted when the incidence falls below 100 for three consecutive days.

The figures published daily by the North Rhine-Westphalia State Centre for Health are authoritative, which can be found on their website.

In the Rhine district of Neuss, the 7-day incidence of laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 cases has been below 100 again for a few days. Even in the event of a very unfavourable development, there is therefore no reason to worry about a tightening of the current regulations before the middle of the week.

The regulation, which is valid as of Monday, provides that exceptions from the restrictions are possible despite exceeding the values if area-wide testing strategies are used. Corresponding regulations require coordination with the Ministry of Health. We will keep you informed about this.

March 22

The Ministry of Labour, Health and Social Affairs of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia announces that there will be no changes in the Corona Protection Ordinance for possible openings, for example in outdoor catering, until the decisions of the Conference of Minister Presidents on Monday, 22 March 2021.

Due to the ongoing lock-down, gastronomy businesses have not yet had the opportunity to provide their guests with the tents or windbreaks purchased through the City of Neuss’ grant programme for winter-proof outdoor gastronomy. The City of Neuss would like to continue to support its gastronomy during the period after opening. Consequently, the Neuss City Council has extended the previous subsidy programme to the coming winter season 2021/2022.

Neuss restaurateurs now again have the opportunity to apply for subsidies. Applications can be submitted in the period from 15 March 2021 to 30 September 2021. Further information can be found on the homepage.

The Federal Government wants to provide more support to training companies during the Corona pandemic. Therefore, the Federal Cabinet decided on 17 March 2021 on further measures for the federal programme “Securing Training Places”. A doubling of the training premium for companies is planned, so that in future up to € 6,000 per training place can be provided. In addition, companies with up to 499 employees are to receive the trainee bonus in the future. The limit is currently 249 employees. The take-over bonus is also to be extended until the end of 2021 and doubled to € 6,000. You will receive further information via our Corona Aid update as soon as the Bundestag has also passed the package of measures.

March 11

Due to suspicious cases in which applicants are said to have gained unlawful access to state aid funds, the criminal investigation authorities have been informed. In the course of the investigations, the payments on account are being examined and therefore stopped at short notice. The disbursements of the Bridging Assistance II as well as the November and December assistance and the New Start Assistance are not to be affected by this short-term stop of disbursements. Further information is available on the federal government’s funding platform.

The application deadlines for the Bridging Assistance III and for the New Start Assistance have been extended again. These aids can now be applied for until 31 August 2021. The new start-up aid is aimed at solo self-employed persons who were affected by the consequences of the Corona pandemic in the funding period from 1 January to 30 June 2021. The financial grant of up to €7,500 can be applied for directly via the funding platform. Solo self-employed persons with employees, freelancers as well as companies from all sectors can make use of the Bridging Assistance III, which offers a financial subsidy depending on the decline in turnover and fixed operating costs. The aid is applied for through an auditing third party such as a tax advisor.

March 8

In our last Corona Help update, we already referred to the new Corona Protection Ordinance of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, which has been in force since 8 March, and announced that we would also be compiling the associated innovations for “Trade & Services” for you on our homepage.

In addition to the news on trade, you will now find detailed information on crafts and services under the heading “Regulations for businesses“. Body-related services such as facials/cosmetics, nail studios/manicures, massages, tattooing and piercing are now permitted again under strict conditions. You can find more information on the homepage.

March 6

With the new Corona Protection Ordinance, which will come into force on Monday, the state of North Rhine-Westphalia is implementing two further opening steps of the phased plan agreed between the federal and state governments. We present these in the “Regulations for companies” section of our special “Corona assistance” pages on the homepage.

The “relaxations” affecting the retail trade with the opening of certain businesses, especially bookshops, stationery shops and flower shops/garden markets as well as the introduction of appointment shopping such as Click & Meet are summarised in a separate section. Detailed descriptions of the innovations for trade and services as well as for educational institutions will follow shortly.

February 15

The Corona Protection Ordinance, which has been in force in NRW since 14 February, extends the previous lockdown regulations until 21 February 2021 for the time being. A concretisation was made regarding the wearing of the mask. Thus, masks must now also be worn on the access routes to shops within 10 metres of the entrance. The valid regulation can be viewed here.

The decision of the federal-state conference last Wednesday provides for the lockdown to be extended until 7 March. There is to be an exception for hairdressers. These are to be allowed to reopen as early as 1 March, subject to conditions on hygiene, access control with reservation and the use of medical masks. Changes to the regulation as of 22 February are therefore expected and will be announced here.

The bridging grants, which provide financial support to all businesses regardless of sector and legal form, can now be applied for online for the funding period starting in January 2021. Companies with a decline in turnover of at least 30% will receive a non-repayable grant towards their fixed operating costs. The application is submitted via an auditing third party such as a tax advisor. Further information is available on our homepage and on the federal funding platform.

January 26

The Corona Protection Ordinance renewed by the state of NRW, which has been in effect since the beginning of this week, extends the lockdown until February 14 2021. In addition, the obligation to wear medical masks, FFP2 masks or comparable masks such as those with the identifier KN95/ N95 in commercial establishments, during passenger transport and when providing medical services applies. Everyday masks are no longer permitted in these establishments or activities. The valid regulation can be viewed on the web.

Until March 15, additional special occupational health and safety measures to protect workers from the corona virus and its rapid spread will apply when the new “Corona” Occupational Health and Safety Ordinance comes into force on January 27 2021. You can view the promulgated regulation on the web. For example, employers are obliged to allow their employees to work from home, provided there are no compelling operational reasons against this. Stricter requirements also apply to working at the workplace. At least 10 m² must be available per person. Companies with ten or more employees must divide them into small, fixed work groups. In addition, if the distances are not observed, a mouth-nose protection in the form of a medical mask or an FFP2 mask or comparable respirator must be worn, which is provided by the employer. Further information is available on the homepage. You can find a FAQ on the website of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs.

January 8

The state of North Rhine-Westphalia has issued a new Corona Protection Ordinance, which will be valid from January 11 2021. This extends the lockdown until January 31. This means that restaurants and cafés, retail outlets with the exception of goods for daily use and some services are still not allowed to operate. The current valid regulations can be found on the homepage. However, Click & Collect will continue to be permitted. Company canteens and refectories of educational institutions may be operated by way of exception if work processes cannot otherwise be maintained. Access is only permitted to employees or users of educational institutions.

In addition to the extension of the measures, there will be a tightening of the contact restrictions from next Monday. Persons from one household may meet with no more than one person from another household, who may be accompanied by children from their household who are to be cared for. The “15-kilometre radius rule” for regions with a 7-day incidence of more than 200 is not set in NRW in the ordinance; it is up to the respective municipalities to arrange this.

The new aid is intended to support businesses affected by the November and/or December closures or the January closures, as well as those businesses that were not affected by the closures but nevertheless suffered a drop in turnover. Companies that experienced a decline in turnover in the period April to December 2020 are also eligible to apply. The aid is to be applied for from January via a tax advisor or accountant and will run from January to June 2021. Companies that were affected by the November closures can also apply for the November and December aid. An overview of the application requirements and deadlines can be found on the homepage. Please note that the bridging aid II can still be applied for until 31 January 2021, but the application requirements are not the same as for the phase III aid.

The Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology is funding research and technology projects for the production of innovative personal protective equipment. Applications for funding can now be submitted by companies and research institutions. The funding is intended to provide new impetus and incentives for increased innovative activity along the entire value chain of protective equipment and thus strengthen production in Germany. The programme runs until 2025 and provides a total of 163 million euros in funding. Funding priorities include sustainability and recyclability, functionality and the development of new areas of demand, as well as the automation and digitalisation of production and services. The funding guidelines can be found in the Federal Gazette, Bundesanzeiger.

December 16

During the conference of the Federal Chancellor and the Minister Presidents last Sunday, the nationwide lockdown from 16 December was already decided. Now, the regulations for the state of NRW are anchored in the new Corona Protection Ordinance. This will initially apply until January 10 2021. Among other things, retailers will also have to close as of today. There are exceptions for shops with goods for daily use. Also, body-related services, with the exception of medical necessity, are prohibited as of today.

Further information on the closures as well as the regulations in the areas of gastronomy, trade, crafts and services can be found on the homepage.

For businesses affected by the closures since 02.11.2020 such as restaurants, bars, caterers, etc, the November assistance grants a non-repayable subsidy amounting to 75% of the turnover of the comparative month from 2019. This support will be continued as December assistance and thus also supports businesses affected by the current closures since 16.12.2020, for instance retail, hairdressers, etc. In addition, Bridging Assistance II for the funding period September to December 2020 can be applied for until 31.01.2020, which takes effect in the event of a drop in turnover of at least 50% in two consecutive months or at least 30% on average in the months compared to the same period of the previous year. The subsidy reimburses a share of the fixed operating costs and is applied for online via a tax advisor. This assistance will also be extended in 2021. Bridging assistance III covers the months of January to June 2021 and has been expanded with regard to eligible costs so that, for example, conversion work to implement hygiene concepts is also taken into account. From January 2021, it will also be possible to apply for this aid online via a tax advisor. In addition, the new start-up aid will provide support for solo self-employed people who, due to their low fixed costs, have not been able to benefit from the bridging aid so far. With a one-time lump sum for operating costs of 25% of the comparative turnover of up to € 5,000, solo self-employed persons with low fixed operating costs are also to be supported. We will also inform you about the financial support on the homepage and will be happy to answer any questions you may have.

ARD, ZDF and Deutschlandradio allow further relief from the broadcasting fee for companies that are particularly affected by the Corona pandemic due to plant closures. An exemption can be applied for via the link. For the exemption, the company must have an official order to close for a total of three months. However, the period does not have to consist of three consecutive full calendar months. For the calculation, all days of a corona-related closure can be added together. Further information is available here

December 11

Do you run a restaurant in Neuss? Then use the time of the current closure to apply for a grant for the preparation of winter-proof outdoor terraces by December 15 2020. With the grant programme and the free use of the outdoor terrace areas in the winter season, the City of Neuss wishes to support the local gastronomy businesses for the time of reopening by funding the purchase of tents such as pavilions and pagodas or windbreaks. The money will be paid out when the restaurants reopen. Further information can be found on the homepage.

Currently, the state informs recipients of emergency aid about the settlement procedure by e-mail. Recipients are free to decide whether they want to settle their accounts in the current year and repay any overpayments or whether they want to settle their accounts in the coming year. Those who wish to settle their accounts in the current year can request further information as well as the feedback form via the e-mail contained in the state’s link. Therefore, please only use the link if you actually want to settle the emergency aid this year. For further information, please visit the NRW.Soforthilfe website.

The November aid can still be applied for via a tax advisor until 31.01.2021. The calculation of the aid is based on the turnover from the month of November 2019, without including off-premises sales, as these remain possible in November 2020. In addition, the November aid will be offset against subsidies claimed from the bridging aid in order to avoid over-subsidisation. Furthermore, based on previous practice, it was recommended to enter the e-mail address of the recipient and not that of the tax advisor in the application form so that the documents of the application, including confirmation, etc., are also sent directly to the recipient of the November grant via e-mail. The tax advisor’s own e-mail address is stored in the system in parallel. The November Aid is paid out in instalments. Due to ongoing closures, November Aid will continue for the month of December. The application procedure is still being drawn up. We will provide you with the latest information here.

December 3

In yesterday’s conference of Chancellor Angela Merkel with the Minister Presidents of the Länder, the current situation was again discussed. The infection figures have not fallen strongly enough, so it was decided to extend the partial lockdown until January 10 2021. The goal is to reach an incidence level of 50. In the Rhine district of Neuss, the value is 97.4 as of 3 December 2020. We will inform you about the corresponding adjustment of the current Corona Protection Ordinance in NRW via our mailing.
You can watch Chancellor Angela Merkel’s press conference here.

December 2

Since yesterday, the new NRW Corona Protection Ordinance has been in force for the time being)with effect until December 20 2020. The regulations, which were initially limited until 30.11.2020, especially the closures of catering establishments, have been extended until 20.12.2020. You will find a summary of the regulations on the homepage. Due to the continuing restrictions and business closures, the federal government is planning to extend the extraordinary economic aid, “November aid”, to the month of December as well. As soon as there are more details on this, you will find them summarised here with us.

Despite the ongoing lockdown, more than 30 Neuss restaurateurs have already applied for a grant to make the outdoor terrace winter-proof for the time after the closure. With the grant programme and the free use of outdoor terrace areas in the winter season, the city of Neuss is supporting local restaurateurs, also for the time of the reopening. Applications for a grant for the purchase of tents, such as pavilions or pagodas or windbreaks can be submitted until December 15 2020. The funds will be paid out when the catering facilities reopen. Further information can be found here.

The Jubilee Foundation of Sparkasse Neuss supports artists living in Neuss with funding totalling 70,000 euros. Funds are provided for targeted project proposals. Applications can be submitted until 15.01.2020. Further information is available on the homepage of Sparkasse Neuss.

The third funding phase of the bridging grants will continue to support companies affected by the pandemic response measures in the coming year. Grants will be paid from January to June 2021 and will be based on the amount of the company’s fixed costs. Further improvements are to be made compared to the first two funding phases. Especially for solo self-employed persons, the subsidy will be replaced by a new start-up subsidy, which is aimed at those who cannot claim any fixed costs within the framework of the bridging subsidies. Accordingly, 25% of the reference turnover December to June 2019 is to be paid out as a one-off lump sum for operating costs. The maximum funding amount is 5,000 euros. Further information is available on the homepage.

The BMWi’s “Digital Now” investment funding for small and medium-sized enterprises experienced very high demand, so that the funds for 2020 were quickly exhausted. From December 1 2020, however, companies can register online again and thus take part in a random allocation of funding. From January 2021, the grants will then be drawn by lot among companies. The full application will only be submitted once the company has been drawn. The programme consists of two modules: Investment in digital technologies and investment in the qualification of employees. The funding consists of a non-repayable grant, which is proportionate to the investment costs of the company and is scaled according to the size of the company. For example up to 250 employees, up to 45%. Further information is available on the BMWi website.

November 26

The November aid can be applied for as of now. The application deadline is 31.01.2021. For businesses that are particularly affected by the current Corona restrictions, the extraordinary economic aid will take effect, which is intended to compensate for the financial losses of the businesses. The November assistance grants non-refundable subsidies amounting to 75% of the corresponding turnover in November 2019, which is calculated on a pro-rata basis by day for the duration of the ordered closures. As with bridging grants, the application is made by a tax advisor, lawyer or accountant. Solo self-employed persons are eligible to apply directly up to a maximum subsidy of 5,000 euros and do not have to commission a tax advisor or auditor with the application. Further information on eligibility and the application procedure is available on the homepage.

In yesterday’s conference of the Chancellor and the Minister Presidents, the extension of the partial lockdown for December was discussed. We will inform you about the regulations from December 1 as soon as they are published in the form of the new Corona Protection Ordinance of the State of NRW. The federal government plans to provide financial aid, so-called “December aid” for affected companies in December as well.

November 6

Novemberhilfe – financial support from the federal government. As announced in our last mailing, we would like to inform you today about the requirements of the extraordinary economic aid now defined by the Federal Government. Companies that are directly or indirectly particularly affected by the current Corona restrictions in November can apply for the November aid (out of a total volume of 10 billion euros) in the next few days. The aid is intended to compensate for the financial losses caused by the temporary closures. A reimbursement of 75% of the corresponding turnover of the previous month is intended to cover the running costs of the businesses. We have compiled further information on eligibility, requirements and the procedure on the homepage.

Support for the catering industry. Catering establishments offering out-of-home sales during the November closure period can benefit fully from the November aid. The special rule for the catering trade is that 75% of the turnover from the comparable period in 2019 is limited to the turnover generated by the sale of food in the restaurant. Revenue from the collection and delivery service in the same month of the previous year is not taken into account when calculating the aid. In return, these revenues from out-of-home sales during closures will be excluded from the calculation of aid in order to encourage the expansion of this business. Further information on this and a practical example of the regulation of out-of-home sales can also be found on the homepage.

But the support of the city of Neuss will also continue in November. Use the time of the closure, for example, to apply for a subsidy for tents/windbreaks for your outdoor catering. You can find the support offered by the City of Neuss, such as the support programme “Winter-proof outdoor catering”, here. You can continue to advertise your delivery or pick-up service for your customers free of charge on the Rheinkreishelden portal after registering.

Updated corona protection regulation. The Corona Protection Ordinance was updated again in a few parts on November 5. The changes made can be viewed in the amendment regulation. An important innovation is the ban on selling alcoholic beverages between 11 pm and 6 am. This does not only apply to sales in kiosks, but also to sales outside the premises by the catering trade. In addition, the list of fines has been updated in view of the new provisions of the Corona Protection Regulation.

Special programme on environmental economics. SMEs as well as newly established companies in the environmental sector can receive non-repayable grants for innovative projects. Five million euros will be made available for this purpose. The Ministry for the Environment, Agriculture, Nature and Consumer Protection of the Land of North Rhine-Westphalia wants to use the special programme for the environmental economy to support companies which have got into difficulties as a result of the Corona crisis. Further information on the funding programme can be found on the website of the project management organisation Jülich.

October 23

Second funding phase of the NRW bridging loans launched. Applications for the NRW bridging assistance can now be submitted for the period from September to December 2020. The requirements of the so-called NRW Bridging Assistance II are linked to those of NRW Bridging Assistance I, June to August 2020. The funding, in the form of a non-repayable subsidy of the fixed operating costs, supports small and medium-sized companies as well as solo self-employed and freelance workers affected by the corona pandemic. Further information on eligibility and the application procedure can be found on the homepage.

When must NRW emergency aid be repaid? If you have received NRW emergency aid and find that the aid you received was higher than your actual liquidity requirements in the period in which you received the NRW emergency aid, you must repay this portion of the aid. The re-registration deadline for the funding gap has been extended to November 30 2020. Therefore, if you find that your company may have received excess funding from NRW-Soforthilfe, this part should be remitted to the district government. Repayment is to be made by March 31 2021. In addition, the State of NRW has successfully lobbied for an improvement of the accounting possibilities concerning personnel costs, deferrals and the crediting of delayed payments. Further information and details on NRW emergency aid can be found here.

Apply now for an outdoor terrace for the coming winter season. Neuss catering establishments pay attention! Would you like to operate your outdoor terrace in public spaces during the winter season 01.11.-31.05.2021? Then apply for the extension of the existing special use permit until 31.10.2020. This will be granted free of charge. Please contact the Office for Traffic Affairs, Ms Delmes, telephone 02131/90-3924 or Mr Grützmacher, telephone 02131/90-3915 or by e-mail.

New regulations for the city of Neuss. With an incidence value of over 50, the Rhine District of Neuss and thus the city of Neuss is also a risk area, with the consequence that the general ruling of the Rhine District of Neuss applies. The obligation to wear a mouth-nose cover now also applies outdoors on certain streets. These can be seen on the linked map on the homepage of the city of Neuss. We have compiled the further restrictions due to the Corona pandemic for you on the homepage.

October 20

Press Office: With the Corona Protection Ordinance of the State of NRW, which came into force on Monday, the obligation to wear a mouth-and-nose covering also applies in regularly heavily frequented outdoor areas such as pedestrian zones, where the minimum distance can hardly be maintained. The city of Neuss, in coordination with the Rhein-Kreis Neuss as the infection protection authority and the other local authorities in the district, has now determined the areas to which this applies. In Neuss, these are the main street with adjacent streets such as Markt, Neustrasse, Sebastianusstrasse and Meererhof, the area around the railway station up to the bridge over the harbour basin 1, and the town hall and its surroundings. In the next few days there will be a corresponding publication of the Rhein-Kreis Neuss. The public order office will monitor compliance with the obligation to wear a mouth-nose cover in these areas. The streets concerned in detail are:

Main road

Oberstrasse between Hessenstrasse and Markt, Hymgasse, An der Münze, Markt, Krämerstrasse, Freithof, Münsterplatz, Münsterstrasse, Neustrasse, Büchel, Sebastianusstrasse, Glockhammer between Münsterstrasse and Büchel, Spulgasse, Meererhof, Niederstrasse, Am Konvent and Krefelder Strasse.

Railway station and surroundings to Pierburgbrücke

Theodor-Heuss-Platz, Marienkirchplatz, Elisenstrasse, Collingstrasse, Pierburgbrücke.

Stadthalle and surroundings

Am Obertor, Augustinusstrasse between Am Obertor and Stresemannallee,
Stresemannallee between Augustinusstrasse and ZUE Neuss, Selikumer Strasse between access to Stadthalle and Augustinusstrasse.

October 15

Press Office: In view of the increasing number of infections, the Rhein Kreis Neuss has published a general decree with the aim of preventing and combating the spread of the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. The relevant 7-day incidence value on Thursday, October 15 2020, in the Rhein Kreis Neuss was 40.7, which is above the value of 35 new infections per 100,000 inhabitants.

On Friday, October 9 2020, Mayor Reiner Breuer had already informed the parliamentary party leaders about the current infection situation following an exchange with District Administrator Hans-Jürgen Petrauschke. Due to the increase in new infections above the incidence value of 35, further restrictions apply with immediate effect. Events on special occasions – such as weddings – are now limited to a maximum number of 50 participants. Should the incidence value increase further to 50, the number of participants will be limited to a maximum of 25 persons. 

The city of Neuss appeals to all citizens to comply with the “AHA” rules: ABSTAND, HYGIENE, ALLTAGSMASKE or DISTANCE, HYGIENE, EVERYDAY MASK.

As part of the development and for the protection of the general public, the city of Neuss will intensify controls. The general decree of the district can be viewed under the link.

October 1

Recast of the Corona Protection Ordinance. The so-called “7-day incidence” has become even more important due to the latest version of the Corona Protection Ordinance that is valid from today. If a value of 35 new infections is exceeded within one week based on 100,000 inhabitants, the permissible number of participants in parties is reduced. Further information on this and also on changes in the catalogue of fines can be found on the homepage.

Bridging aid can still be applied for retroactively for June to August 2020. Applications for the 1st phase of the bridging aid can still be submitted until October 9 2020. This phase relates to the funding months June to August 2020. After October 9, no applications for support for these months can be submitted retroactively. From mid-October, applications for the 2nd phase can be submitted, which grants financial aid for the funding months September to December 2020. The bridging assistance is financial support for small and medium-sized companies, self-employed persons and non-profit organisations from the Federal Government and the State of NRW and subsidises part of the fixed costs incurred. The amount of funding is based on the expected decline in sales. Applications can only be submitted via tax consultants and auditors. Further information is available on the pages of the bridging grant.

Outdoor gastronomy I: Extension of the terrace season. With the end of the summer, the situation of the gastronomy in the Corona pandemic threatens to deteriorate further. The terrace season normally ends on October 31. In order to help businesses in the current situation, the city of Neuss has now decided to extend it until spring. As a result, the city’s catering businesses are now allowed to “play” in the streets and squares and serve their guests food and drink in the open air in winter as well. And all this without having to pay the otherwise “usual” fees to the city. Businesses that wish to expand their outdoor terrace areas or create an outdoor terrace for the first time can continue to take advantage of our on-site consulting services.

Outdoor Catering II: Grant programme “winter-proof outdoor catering” – application now possible. The city of Neuss goes one step further in supporting its catering businesses. On the basis of a concept with design specifications, gastronomers can better protect guests on their outdoor terraces from the autumn weather. The town will pay a subsidy upon application for the purchase of tents, pavilions, pagodas or wind protection elements. Applications can be submitted until December 15. The application form, the underlying concept and further information on the procedure can be found on the website. We will be happy to send you the documents by other means as well. Please contact them.

September 8

During the coalition committee of 25 August 2020, several existing measures in connection with the COVID 19 pandemic have now been extended. On the one hand, the short-time working allowance was extended from a period of twelve months to up to 24 months. The maximum short-time working allowance is to be paid until 31 December 2021. Further information on eligibility and application for short-time working allowance can be found on our homepage. The bridging allowance has also been extended. A second phase will cover the funding months September to December 2020. Information on the application and requirements for the support programme can be found on our homepage. The suspension of the obligation to file for insolvency for over-indebted companies has also been extended until the end of this year. You can find more information here.

July 10

Even after the end of the emergency aid programme, the Federal Government and the State of NRW will continue to provide financial support to small and medium-sized companies. The bridging aid gives companies that continue to be affected by significant sales declines due to corona requirements or closures the opportunity to receive a subsidy at monthly fixed costs. A total of € 25 billion is available for this purpose, with a maximum subsidy of € 50,000 for companies with more than 10 employees. Further information on eligibility for application and the content of the grant.

The Ministry of Economic Affairs, Innovation, Digitalisation and Energy of the State of NRW supports the stationary retail trade in questions concerning the digitalisation of their own company in order to remain competitive, especially in times of the corona crisis. The support includes a non-repayable grant of a maximum of 12,000 €. This grant can be applied for until 30.08.2020. Further information.

July 2

Press Office: The subsidy programme initiated by resolution of the Neuss City Council on May 8 2020, the Location Strengthening Fund of the City of Neuss, expired at the end of June 30 2020 despite the advance resolution passed by the Neuss City Council on June 19 2020. Although the Council’s anticipatory resolution had created the possibility of extending the location strengthening fund for a further three months over the period of June 30 2020, the programme was not extended. However, this could not be implemented: The system of the Location Consolidation Fund is based on the privileged period of the special regulation under federal law on the protection against dismissal of commercial tenants/leaseholders and on loan agreements, Article 5 §§ 2, 3 of the Act on the Mitigation of the Consequences of the COVID 19 Pandemic in Civil, Insolvency and Criminal Procedure Law, so that only if the special regulation under federal law had been extended would the Location Consolidation Fund have been adjusted accordingly. The government has refrained from extending the federal regulation.

The application procedure for the location strengthening fund of the city of Neuss, which thus ended on June 30 2020, was taken up by around 200 companies. To date, around 80 percent of the applications have been approved. The majority of the applicants have already received a favourable decision on the approval of the grant payment and the amount determined. The remaining applicants will receive the decisions electronically in the next few days so that a speedy payment can also be made. In the course of processing the remaining 20 percent of applications, the administration will have to make inquiries of the applicants, in particular regarding the decrease in sales caused by the Corona pandemic of at least 50 percent compared to the same month in 2019. Only a very small portion of the grant had to be refused. The applicant companies mainly came from the catering sector. Even though many companies were allowed to reopen in compliance with hygiene and infection standards in accordance with the Corona Protection Ordinance NRW, sales did not reach “pre-crisis” levels. In addition to the catering trade, many retailers and wholesalers from the textile sector as well as companies from the fields of trade fair construction, event technology and the travel industry also applied for subsidies.

With the establishment of the Location Strengthening Fund, the city of Neuss is one of the few cities in the region to provide financial support for the local economy in times of the Corona pandemic.

June 12

An application for the location strengthening fund of the city of Neuss has been possible since May 29 and is available until the end of day on June 30. The application form and further information on our homepage. In addition, we have set up a hotline for questions about the subsidy programme for you. The number of the hotline, which can be reached during the opening hours of the city administration, is 02131 909 060.

A new version of the Corona Protection Ordinance of the state contains further relaxations. These will apply from June 15. Saunas, wellness facilities and bars may reopen from next Monday. New regulations will also come into force for events; for example, events and meetings with more than 100 people will again be possible under certain conditions. In the retail sector, the number of people who can be in the shop at the same time will be increased to one person per seven instead of per ten square metres.

An overview of the changes can be found on the pages of the state government. The annex to the Corona Protection Ordinance with the hygiene and infection protection standards is available. We have adapted the information sheet on gastronomy accordingly with regard to the changes.

All tables on the terrace regularly occupied? Nice weather but only tables in the restaurant? Do the ideas for the design of the restaurant comply with the Corona Protection Ordinance and how can the ordinance be implemented in practice?

Contact us by mail, or phone: 02131 903 101. We will be happy to advise you in a team with the colleagues from the specialist departments. We are of course also available for further questions and suggestions.

The NRW emergency aid programme ended on 31 May. On our homepage, however, we will continue to inform you about topics that are important after the application procedure. This includes, for example, information on the documentation of financial support.

The Oleadent division of the Neuss-based company Iduna Foods GmbH offers coronavirus throat-swab tests and coronavirus antibody tests in cooperation with human medical laboratories. The required samples can be taken independently by the user. Further information and the company’s contact details can be found here.

May 29

The application for the location strengthening fund of the city of Neuss is now possible! The fund is intended to provide financial support to companies in Neuss that are severely restricted in their earning opportunities by the corona pandemic and the measures taken to counteract it. The subsidy is intended to give these companies a perspective for future development and remain permanently in the Neuss location. The guidelines, the FAQ and the application form are now available. Please note that you can only apply online using the application form provided.

The Bundestag has decided to reduce the sales tax on food from 19% to 7%. This regulation is initially limited in time from July 1 2020 to July 1 2021 and is intended to support catering businesses during the period of reopening.

The revised Corona Protection Ordinance of the State of NRW contains further relaxation of the contact restrictions; these will apply from Saturday May 30. Among other things, cinemas will be allowed to operate again from tomorrow. The indoor swimming pools can also be visited again from Whitsun Saturday onwards. Information on the hygiene and infection protection standards applicable in this respect are available. As of Saturday, up to 10 people may again be in public spaces, regardless of the number of households. This also has an effect on the possibilities of table occupancy in the catering trade. We have revised the information sheet on gastronomy accordingly and marked changes in red).

At this point we would like to draw your attention once again to our offer of on-site consultations. In the course of an on-site appointment, we would be pleased to check with you the possibilities of setting up a new or expanding an existing outdoor catering facility. We are also happy to advise you on the implementation of the unchanged complicated regulations in the gastronomy sector.

Employers who wish to increase their employees’ short-time working allowance will now enjoy tax relief. Thus, top-ups of up to 80% of the salary remain tax-free. Already, social security contributions do not have to be paid for top-ups up to 80%. Taxation will now be adapted to this procedure, initially limited until 31.12.2020, and will thus ensure that the full amount of the payments reaches employees.

May 15

Until now, startups after 31.12.2019 were excluded from emergency aid. This regulation has now been repealed. Together with the tax consultant, founders can now submit their application. The prerequisite for this is that they have fulfilled at least one of the following criteria prior to 11.03.2020: turnover already generated, at least one customer order has been placed, long-term or permanently recurring payment obligations already entered into, for instance  a lease agreement. Obtain information from the Office of Economic Development.

• Have I correctly implemented the hygiene and infection protection standards now applicable in my restaurant? Or is there still room for improvement? Is it also important to “be on the safe side” in case of complaints.
• Can I set up a new outdoor restaurant in the immediate vicinity of my restaurant or expand my existing one? This would help to compensate for the loss of tables due to the distance regulations.
• Is there any possibility of extending my opening hours?

We will discuss these questions with you “on site”. After arranging an appointment by telephone, we will visit you at short notice with experts from the Citizens’ and Public Order Office and “Traffic Control”. Find more information about this service.

The rules for the catering trade, which came into force on Monday, raise questions in practice: Are pure “pubs” permitted or must a range of food be provided? As a restaurateur, do I now have to check the family circumstances of my guests if they want to sit at a table? When do the guests have to wear a “mask”?

The responsible Ministry of the State of NRW has now commented on these questions. The explanations have been incorporated into the revision of our leaflet and are highlighted in red.

Press Office: The Board of Trustees of the Sparkasse Neuss Jubilee Foundation has decided to provide financial support to needy artists from Neuss. The foundation will provide 50,000 euros immediately until September 30. If necessary, the amount of funding will be increased by another 20,000 euros to 70,000 euros. A one time support per artist of a maximum of € 2,000 is planned. Support will be given to full-time cultural workers whose primary residence is in Neuss or to artists whose main activity is in Neuss. “It is a matter of particular concern to me to support cultural workers in Neuss so that the cultural landscape in our city remains as colourful and diverse as ever,” says Mayor Reiner Breuer, Chairman of the Jubilee Foundation’s Board of Trustees. In recent weeks, numerous events have had to be cancelled or postponed due to strict regulations. This is associated with considerable economic consequences for artists. For this reason, on the initiative of the mayor, the Board of Trustees of the Jubilee Foundation of Sparkasse Neuss reacted quickly to the situation and decided to provide extensive emergency aid.
“Artists of all genres enrich our lives in many different ways. It is a small but sincere sign of gratitude when we support them in this doubly difficult time for them,” said Dr. Christiane Zangs, the City of Neuss’ Department of Culture. “Doubly difficult because they cannot pursue their profession and therefore have no income.”
Michael Schmuck, Chairman of the Board of Sparkasse Neuss and Deputy Chairman of the Board of Trustees, emphasised that Sparkasse Neuss can be relied upon, even and especially in challenging circumstances: “Together with our seven foundations, we are doing everything in our power to keep the economic consequences of the pandemic for the people, businesses and associations or institutions in our region as low as possible.
According to Dr. Volker Gärtner, Chairman of the Board of the Jubilee Foundation, the path to immediate aid is simple: the relevant application form will be available from the Sparkasse from Monday, May 18.

May 13

The LKA warns against further cases of fraud in combination with the Corona aid packages. Criminals pretend to be employees of NRW.Bank on the phone and thus try to get hold of sensitive data. The LKA tells you how you should best behave in such cases of fraud. We also provide you with the LKA’s prevention tips for phishing e-mails.

The NRW state government has decided to open up the NRW emergency aid also for living expenses. Solo self-employed persons and freelancers who applied for the NRW emergency aid in March or April and did not apply for basic support from the Employment Agency in these two months, can now apply a one-off lump sum of 2,000 euros of the funds paid out for the months of March and April for their private living expenses. Artists can also make use of this procedure if they have not received the immediate programme for artists.

Since the funds of the special programme for artists were quickly exhausted and many applications could not be considered, the programme is now being increased. Anyone who can prove their freelance artistic activity and has not yet received any funding can now receive a financial grant of 2,000 euros for the months of March and April – provided that no benefits were received from the MKW programme, NRW emergency aid or basic support during these two months. Applicants who have already received funds but who have been paid less than 2,000 euros will now also receive the difference on application. Information on the application procedure will follow shortly from the Ministry of Culture and Science.

May 11

Press Office: The state of North Rhine-Westphalia has ordered a model for the gradual opening of day-care centres from Thursday, May 14, which will also be implemented in Neuss. From this day on, the day care centres will be opened for pre-school children who are entitled to the Education and Participation Package (BuT). Children with disabilities and children threatened by a significant disability can also return to the daycare centres on this day. The day care centre is to be reopened for children who have reached the end of their second year of age.
From May 28, all pre-school children are to be re-admitted to the day care centres. In June, an exact date is not yet known, all children will then be able to attend a day care centre or nursery.

May 9

The state of NRW has published the new version of the Corona Protection Ordinance that is valid from Monday.

The “hygiene and infection protection standards” announced as an annex to the ordinance are likely to be even more important in practice.

Rules for the hairdressing trade and pedological treatments have been in place for a week. Now the hygienic conditions under which the following establishments may reopen have been described in detail: Gastronomy, indoor and outdoor; Cosmetics companies, nail studios, manicure; Massage, massage studios; Gyms.
We will review the new regulations and provide you with additional information at short notice. If you have any questions resulting from the examination of the standards, please do not hesitate to contact us.

The location of the new version of the Corona Protection Ordinance valid from Monday, together with the appendix Hygiene and infection protection standards, have changed.

In addition, we have now, once again presented the legal situation in the gastronomy sector as of Monday in an information sheet or FAQ for you.

We hope that this will be of some help on a weekend that will certainly be a strenuous one for the owners of these establishments. We wish you a pleasant Saturday.

May 8

As reported, further relaxation of the restrictions and bans to prevent the spread of the “coronavirus” will come into force in NRW from next Monday, May 11. Unfortunately, there are currently no binding guidelines regarding the general conditions under which restaurants in particular, but also fitness and dance studios, will be able to reopen in three days. For the catering trade, DEHOGA NRW has compiled the previous announcements of the state government on the content of the new version of the “CoronaSchutzVO” and any supplementary regulations on hygiene standards. As soon as the binding regulations are available, we will inform you.

With a large majority at its meeting today, the City Council of Neuss approved the proposal submitted by the administration to set up a location strengthening fund. We have repeatedly reported on the programme. Companies affected in particular by the operating restrictions and bans to combat the Corona pandemic will receive a subsidy from the City of Neuss for their ongoing rental payments upon application. The total volume of the location strengthening fund amounts to five million euros. A maximum of €5,000 is to be paid out per company. Applications will only be possible “online”. We will inform you about the conditions of funding and also about when it will be possible to apply.

If you suffer a loss of earnings as a self-employed person or freelancer because you have been quarantined, you are entitled to compensation. This is provided for in the law on the prevention and control of infectious diseases – provided that the health authorities have ordered isolation. The application can now also be made online via the LVR. The digital process shortens the processing time and speeds up reimbursement.

May 6

Elimination of the 800 square metre limit  in the retail trade from Monday, May 11. Parallel gradual opening of gastronomy and tourism. Development of concepts for trade fairs and events. These are just some of the easing of restrictions announced by Prime Minister Armin Laschet today, Wednesday, to combat the further spread of the Corona pandemic.

Earlier, Chancellor Angela Merkel had announced that from now on there would be a stronger regional distinction. This means more possibilities for the federal states to shape their own policies.

We will inform you as soon as the future regulations take shape.

Next Friday, May 8, politicians will discuss the Neuss “Location Strengthening Fund” in the Neuss city council. As already reported, the administration is proposing to provide direct financial support to companies in Neuss that are particularly hard hit by operational restrictions and their consequences. The support should amount to a maximum of € 5.000 per company. The consultation document 12/018/2020 can be viewed via the council information system of the city of Neuss.
As usual, there is the possibility to follow the meeting of the city council via an audio live stream from 4 pm.

In the coming council meeting on May 8, further proposals from the administration will also be discussed, which should benefit the Neuss gastronomes and retailers. Among other things, a decision is to be made to waive the “terrace fee” for outdoor gastronomy for the year 2020 in whole or in part BU 69/026/2020. The Council is also discussing the adjustment of operating hours for outdoor catering 32/011/2020. All other Council topics as well as the agenda can be found in the Council Information System of the City of Neuss.

The platform Rheinkreishelden has been available since the beginning of April. Formed on the initiative of the Neuss agency “Stadtbekannt” and with the active support of the business development agencies of the district and city, Neuss Marketing GmbH and Zukunftsinitiative Neuss e.V. (ZIN). Since then, the site has recorded around 15,000 hits. Over 350 companies from the district have already registered on the platform to draw attention to their services, some of which have been changed by Corona. More than 200 of them are companies from Neuss. Further information and registrations to the free offer are possible on their website.

Press Office: Tomorrow, Thursday, May 7, the fourth grade will start again in primary schools, following a decision by the government of North Rhine-Westphalia. The city of Neuss will provide parents and schools with hygiene recommendations. For example, the pupils should observe the distance rules of 1.5 to two metres on the way to school. A mouth and nose cover is mandatory on public transport. If a protective mask is not available, a cloth or scarf can also be used. Students will be informed about the rules of conduct at school by the respective school. However, the city recommends wearing a mouth-and-nose mask in schools as well. Parents or other legal guardians should exert influence on the children here. To support parents and schools, 5,000 protective masks have been distributed to schools as “starter packs”, which can be handed out to pupils by the schools if required. Pupils who are ill or have an infection should under no circumstances be sent to school. The schools often offer information on their respective homepages about the rules on site. The latest regulations of the state of NRW can be found on the homepage of the NRW Ministry of Education.

Press Office: Many children and parents in Neuss are longing for the opening of playgrounds. From Thursday, May 7, it will be time to play again, but the city asks all citizens to follow the following instructions for use due to the Corona virus pandemic.

Instructions for use of playgrounds in Neuss:

• Parents, accompanying persons and all children please keep a safety distance of at least 1.5 metres
• Please avoid contact with others
• Group formation or overcrowding must be avoided at all costs
• Wash or disinfect hands before and after visiting the playground
• Do not touch the face
• Protect wounds with a plaster or bandage
• Sneeze into the crook of your arm
• Do not go to the playground with sick children
• Soccer fields at playgrounds and also in schoolyards are still closed and their use is prohibited
• Water installations on playgrounds are turned off as a precaution until further notice

Of course, it is clear that it is not easy for small children to keep the required distance and that touching is not completely avoidable. Parents and accompanying persons are welcomed if they set a good example.

The city of Neuss thanks all citizens for their very responsible actions so far and hopes that the rules of conduct will be observed so that the playgrounds do not have to be closed again. They will also keep an eye on the playgrounds as part of its patrol services.

May 5

Criminals are trying to seize repayments of NRW emergency aid in 2020. The scam is perfidious: The fraudsters initially do everything they can to unsettle the companies contacted. By referring to the criminal liability of making false statements in the application procedure for emergency aid and sometimes incorrect information about a possible threat of “unjustified overcompensation”, they try to arouse a willingness to repay the funding received. Finally, the fraudsters announce that they will send a separate e-mail with the bank details and the purpose for the repayment of the emergency aid received “to your credit”. It goes without saying that this subsequent e-mail is unlikely to contain the bank details of the state.

The e-mail with the subject “Corona grant – confirmation and instruction” was also sent to companies that did not apply for immediate aid.

You should not fill in the attachments of the mail and – even if the attachments are not infected with a virus according to current knowledge, for safety’s sake, you should not open them. If you receive such a fake e-mail, we advise you to file criminal charges. You can do this online via the police’s Internet guard.

The fake e-mail address used by the fraudsters so far is: corona-zuschuss[at]nrw.de.com. Real e-mails from the NRW state authorities, on the other hand, always have the following ending: “.nrw.de”

You can see an image of such a fake e-mail in the press release of the Ministry of Economic Affairs of the State of NRW.

Since May 4 the hairdressing and pedicure businesses are allowed to open again. As the minimum distance of 1.5 metres cannot be maintained, special hygiene rules apply to these body-hugging services to ensure protection against re-infection with SARS-CoV-2. View the hygiene and infection protection standards.

The new CoronaSchVO also provides for a relaxation from May 4 for adult education centres, music schools and other public, official and private extracurricular educational institutions. These may be operated again under conditions such as compliance with the minimum distance of 1.5 metres. Read further information.

The next founder and entrepreneur interior meeting for women takes place this time in new form as video conference on Thursday May 5 at 7 pm. The theme is reducing stress, a current one in this time of crisis. As always, we are happy to welcome new participants. In addition to discussing the topic, there will be time and opportunity for mutual exchange, also about how female founders and young companies can support each other in difficult times. Read more information about the meeting of women founders and entrepreneurs, the topic and register.

Press Office: The outdoor area of the children’s farm in Neuss-Selikum, including the playground, will open again on Thursday, May 7, for visitors of all ages.  For reasons of hygiene, the following general conditions must be observed until further notice: The children’s farm can be visited by parents with their children in pairs. However, group visits are prohibited. Furthermore, a distance of 1.5 metres must be maintained; the wearing of a mouth-nose cover is recommended. There are no events taking place yet. Both the exhibition room and the pigsty remain closed.
The staff on site will ensure that the number of visitors is within the permissible range and that no gatherings or groupings take place on the premises.
Access to the children’s farm is only possible through the main entrance. From here, visitors are guided through the yard to the open-air area on a one-way street system.
The city asks you to observe these rules so that the children’s farm can remain permanently open for its guests.

May 4

Since this morning fraudulent e-mails with reference to NRW emergency aid have been circulating. Entrepreneurs are being asked in the mail to fill out a certificate to the tax office and send it to the fake e-mail address corona-zuschuss[at]nrw.de.com. You should neither open nor fill out the pdf documents attached to the e-mails!

Official e-mail addresses of the NRW state authorities always have the following ending: “.nrw.de”. The LKA, the MWIDE and the Düsseldorf District Government have been informed.

May 1

While museums, some other cultural institutions as well as zoological and botanical gardens can prepare for a reopening, no further relaxation is expected in the short term in trade, gastronomy or crafts and services. This is the result of the telephone conference between the Chancellor and the heads of government of the Länder yesterday, Thursday. Proposals for the gradual opening of catering and tourism facilities and for other cultural institutions are to be presented by the follow-up conference after next. Read the decision.

The opening of hairdressing salons next Monday May 4, which was already agreed between the federal and state governments on April 15, has not yet been legally implemented in NRW. However, a communication from the state now indicates which requirements can be expected for the hairdressing trade. According to this, owners, employees and customers must be prepared for the following hygiene rules when visiting the hairdresser:

•  Mouth and nose cover is obligatory in the salon
• Customers must wear a cape
• Disposable gloves for hairdressers to be changed after each customer
• Cleaning of materials and equipment with household cleaner after each customer

With the pending amendment of the CoronaSchutzVO, the country also wants to adopt new hygiene and protection standards for foot care, although medical foot care has never been prohibited.

We will inform you about the changes to the regulation immediately after it comes into force.

April 30

The city of Neuss provides direct support to the Neuss tradespeople wherever it can do so by virtue of its own authority. Almost everyone has to deal with the city as a creditor of taxes, duties and fees. Some are also contractually bound to the city. In detail, the city of Neuss as well as the infrastructure Neuss AöR (ISN) grant relief. View.

Next Friday May 8, the Neuss city council will also discuss the consequences of the Corona pandemic for the Neuss economy. The subject of the discussion will also be direct financial support from the city for particularly affected companies. We will report here on the decisions of the council and their implementation. Of course, we will also provide information on how to submit applications in due course. It is neither necessary nor possible to apply in advance for a possible grant.

Due to disrupted supply chains, the manufacturing industry in Germany and North Rhine-Westphalia has experienced production problems and in some cases even downtime in recent weeks. The Ministry of Economic Affairs, Innovation, Digitalisation and Energy has set up a central contact point in coordination with the Chambers of Industry and Commerce and the business and trade associations. Affected companies can now contact the central contact point via e-mail if they need assistance in restoring supply chains.

The corona pandemic and the measures to contain it are likely to lead to the worst recession in post-war history in Germany. The labour market will also come under severe pressure as a result. For the first time in April, unemployment is rising, even though the massive use of short-time work is likely to support employment. Demand for employees from companies is literally collapsing. The self-employed and short-time workers must seek support in the form of basic social security benefits. In order to present the manifold effects of the corona crisis in a bundled manner, the statistics of the Federal Employment Agency has set up a new topical page (Source: Federal Employment Agency).

Press Office: While maintaining the protection against infection, the proportion of employees in the administrative departments will be gradually increased from Monday, May 4.
The protection of all employees and customers is the focus of all further provisions for the gradual increase of the administration, in close coordination between the administration and the Staff Council.

Furthermore, the core administration will remain closed to the general public. Access is generally only permitted by appointment, for example, the appointment office hours in the citizen’s office, Bürgeramt, have already been extended. Depending on the situation, this is expected to be the case until May 31. Visitors will be directed to the contact persons at the entrances by the staff assigned there.
In addition, from Monday and until further notice, visitors will be required to wear a mouth and nose cover. Persons wishing to enter the administrative buildings are obliged to wear a mouth-nose cover and are requested to bring their own.

April 27

As of today, 27 April, the “obligation to wear a mask” – the issue here is actually about textile covers – also comes into force in the federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia. This leads to new behaviour patterns and to new questions. What this means for you as a shopkeeper or as a gastronomy operator with pick-up or delivery service, we have outlined for you in our revised information / FAQ sheets available to download.

From today, 27 April, shops which can temporarily reduce their sales area that is actually “too large” down to the mandatory 800 m² are allowed to reopen in NRW. Up to now this has not been possible because the “regular” sales area was used. Of course, it is imperative that the requirements for hygiene, access control and the avoidance of queues are guaranteed. Information on these precautions can be found in our leaflet and with the state of NRW.

Anyone who has been severely affected by the Corona pandemic and expects significant losses can now receive repayments from 2019 using a simplified, flat-rate loss carry-back procedure. Under this procedure, the income for 2019 previously set for the advance payment will be reduced by a flat rate of 15% and any resulting differences will be paid out. In addition to this new, flat-rate procedure, there is of course still the possibility of presenting a higher loss that can be carried back in individual cases. See further information.

Press Office: Single parents who are working or are in the final examination phase of a school or university education can now also take advantage of emergency care in day-care centres and in schools up to and including the sixth grade. This is regulated by the new Corona Care Ordinance, which has been in force since today, April 27. However, emergency care is only possible if private care cannot be organised responsibly in any other way. In order to be able to make use of emergency care, the employer must provide written proof of the extent and location of the working hours or, in the case of final examinations, written proof from the school or university. In addition, single parents must declare that the care cannot be responsibly organised in any other way. Templates for this are available.
To further prevent the spread of the corona virus, parents should always look after their children at home. Emergency care should only be used if there is no other possibility to care for the children.

April 20

Registering for sick leave by telephone is now possible again following a rush reversal of policy and extending prior regulations today, March 20. The duration of the certificate of incapacity to work issued over the phone is one week and it can be extended only once if the illness continues.

Beyond essential stores that have been open to date, other outlets under 800m are now permitted to serve customers. The policy now covers retail sale of foods, direct sales of agricultural items, collection and delivery services, beverage markets, pharmacies, medical supply stores and drugstores, petrol stations, banks and savings banks, post offices, dry cleaners and laundrettes, kiosks and newsagents, pet supplies, wholesale facilities, bookshops, DIY superstores, garden centres and comparable specialist stores, furniture stores, baby specialty stores, motor vehicle and bicycle dealers and weekly markets.

The number of customers present in the premises simultaneously is not allowed to exceed one person per ten square metres of the premises accessible to customers.
All facilities must take the necessary precautions to ensure hygiene, control access, avoid queues and ensure a minimum distance of 1.5 metres between people.

The Office for Economic Development has prepared a leaflet in German with all the details.

April 17

The application for NRW emergency aid can now be submitted online again. Use the application form but be persistent since it is overwhelmed with visitors. Please use only the website of the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Innovation, Digitalisation and Energy of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia for the application.

From April 20, the new regulation on protection against coronavirus will come into force. With the new corona protection ordinance, the measures agreed upon in the federal-state discussion on Wednesday will now be implemented. There are some changes especially for the trade. For example, from Monday onwards, in addition to the already known retail facilities, bookstores, pet supplies stores, DIY and garden centres including comparable specialist stores, furniture stores, baby stores and outlets of the motor vehicle and bicycle trade may be reopened. In addition, shop premises may be operated subject to certain precautions being taken if the regular sales area within the definition of the NRW Retail Trade Decree does not exceed 800 square metres.

In the past, we have already reported on the possibilities for traders who, as a result of the Corona pandemic, have experienced or are likely to experience liquidity problems due to tax payments, to make deferrals together with the city and/or the tax office. The assistance provided by the City of Neuss also includes the deferral of property taxes (property tax and waste disposal fees) that are due or will become due. Learn more about the deferral possibilities.

The KfW Quick Loan 2020, about which we informed you in our last update, can be applied for since yesterday. Find further information on the requirements, conditions and how to apply.

April 16

After the application and payment stop due to increased cases of fraud, the application for NRW emergency aid can be submitted online to the district government again from tomorrow (17 April). New is the requirement to provide the bank details which are also deposited with the tax office. Please note that no payments will be made to foreign bank accounts.

The current regulation on protection against new infections with the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, which is valid until 20th April, was the subject of yesterday’s talks between the German Chancellor Angela Merkel and the Minister Presidents of the Länder. An extension of most regulations for another two weeks has been decided, as well as some exceptions to the previous strict restrictions.

April 10

In our update yesterday we informed you that the state of NRW has stopped the payment of the NRW emergency aid 2020. At this point in time, however, applications were still possible.
As the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Innovation, Digitalisation and Energy of the State of NRW has now informed us, applications have now also been suspended for the time being due to the fraud cases. The application form is not available. The online application procedure is to be resumed next week.

The Ministry has published further information: Applicants who have received a notice of approval by e-mail but have not yet received payment are requested to send them an e-mail. The Ministry also points out that no disbursements are made to foreign bank accounts.  Finally, the Ministry recommends that in the event of irregularities in the notice of approval, especially IBAN, a criminal complaint should be filed with the police Internet Security Office.

April 9

Due to questions from the field, the information sheets for gastronomy and retail trade were supplemented by further interpretation notes on the Corona Protection Ordinance. Are all catering establishments allowed to offer a pick-up service? What about the car trade? And what applies to market gardens and plant markets? Find answers to these and other questions.

In our update Corona-Hilfe of March 31 we already reported on the current tenant protection in the event of payment difficulties. Micro-enterprises also receive special protection in contracts for basic services such as electricity and gas. Further information on this topic as well as on the central advice centre for customers of Stadtwerke Neuss can be found.

Since last week, the initiative Rheinkreishelden from the well known Neuss agency Stadtbekannt and its owner Alexander Rottels along with the support of the business development agencies of the district and city, Neuss Marketing GmbH, and Zukunftsinitiative Neuss e.V. (ZIN) is active. Meanwhile, the site has recorded about 10,000 hits. Around 300 companies have registered so far and drawn attention to their services. Further information, free registrations as well as discovering who is open for business and who delivers are all possible.

The disbursement of NRW’s emergency aid for 2020 will be halted for the time being. This was decided yesterday evening by the Ministry of Economics in coordination with the State Office of Criminal Investigation, since fake pages were in circulation. Applications could and should still be made. Please use only the official website for this purpose. Applicants who are waiting for their money to be transferred are kindly requested by the ministry to forgive the delay.

April 7

In addition to the KfW Special Programme, which supports companies, the self-employed and freelancers with promotional loans in the event of liquidity bottlenecks, there is now another promotional instrument offered by KfW Bank: the KfW Quick Loan 2020, which is specifically aimed at companies with more than 10 employees that have been active in the market at least since 1 January 2019. Find further information on the terms and conditions. The KfW Quick Loan still has to be approved by the EU Commission, after which it can start directly.

For companies in financial difficulties as a result of the Corona pandemic, which are already threatened with insolvency until the liquidity support is paid out, the regular three-week insolvency application period is to be temporarily suspended until 30 September 2020. With the promulgation of the law to mitigate the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic in civil, insolvency and criminal proceedings, the regulations on the suspension of the obligation to file for insolvency will come into force retroactively as of 1 March 2020.

Companies that would like to reward the dedicated commitment of their employees during the Corona crisis with special payments can now do so tax and social security free. Subsidies and support up to an amount of €1,500 can be paid out tax-free in the period from 01.03.2020 to 31.12.2020 or can be given to employees as a non-cash benefit.

With our update Corona-Hilfen of March 31, we drew attention to the publication of our information sheets for both the catering trade and the retail trade. But also crafts and service companies are affected by the Corona crisis. A leaflet with answers to specific questions on how to deal with the CoronaSchVO is now also available on our homepage. The practical tips have been coordinated with the public order office of the city of Neuss; however, the public order office always makes concrete decisions taking into account all circumstances of the individual case.

The tailor TWO-B Design from Neuss, like other companies, felt the effects of the Corona crisis early on. The owners made a virtue of necessity and within a very short time converted the entire business to the production of simple face masks.

April 3

The economic consequences of the corona pandemic are particularly noticeable in the form of loss of customers, changes in opening hours or ordered closures for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and freelancers. With creativity and courage, however, new business areas can also be identified, processes can be reorganised or digitalised and thus the collapse in sales can be counteracted in a targeted manner. An external management consultant can support you in this step with professional expertise. The Federal Ministry of Economics and Energy (BMWi) is now providing full financing. Further information on this subsidy.

Many companies affected by closures and sales slumps are rethinking their business model in the current crisis. The temporary addition of a delivery service to an existing business registration, for example, does not pose any legal problems. In other cases, it may be doubtful whether a changed business model “fits” with the existing business registration.

In this situation, we would like to make a contribution to relieving your burden. Please describe to the Office of Economic Development in a short e-mail which change in your business model you intend to make as a result of the crisis. We will clarify for you whether this requires a business registration. And if this is the case, we will take over the administrative fees for you. This offer is only valid for the duration of the current crisis and only for re-registrations that are a comprehensible reaction to the economic crisis.

The Corona emergency aid is designed to do one thing above all: to help those who really need it quickly and unbureaucratically. The company making the application assures that it has given its information to the best of its knowledge and belief and that it is truthful. As an applicant, you keep your documents on the grants received and include them in your tax return for 2020. Using the tax number or tax ID, which must be enclosed with the application, the tax office can subsequently carry out plausibility checks (up to 10 years after payment). As a so-called equitable payment, the subsidy can therefore be reclaimed if there is overcompensation. This is the case if you have been paid out more money than your actual loss was, because then there would not be a financial emergency. Overcompensation must not occur even in the case of the generally permissible accumulation of subsidies. Anyone who deliberately makes false statements must expect legal consequences in addition to a demand for repayment. Further information on emergency aid is available from the State of NRW.

The Federal Government would like to use around 3 billion euros to make it easier for self-employed people who have run into difficulties as a result of the corona pandemic to access basic security. In this way, livelihood and housing are to be secured even in the event of loss of earnings. Find further information and forms.

Have you heard of the PorzHook? This is a practical helper with which doors can be opened without touching them. Jan Lukas Waibel from Neuss produces these free of charge for the population in cooperation with partners. In Neuss, 1,000 units have already been produced by 3D printing, lasering or milling, and in the whole of Germany, there are already about 6,000 units.

April 1

On the initiative of the Neuss agency Stadtbekannt belonging to Alexander Rottels and with the support of the business development agencies of the district and the city, Neuss Marketing GmbH, and Zukunftsinitiative Neuss e.V. (ZIN), a portal has been launched in the last few days which gives restaurateurs, retailers and service providers the opportunity to make their current range of products known. In this way, businesses can inform their customers, for example, about opening hours and the services currently offered such as collection, delivery, digital solutions. It is also possible to introduce the company and point out the goods or services offered. In this way, the portal is intended to contribute to strengthening the catering, service and retail sectors in the current difficult situation.

Yesterday we specifically addressed the retail and catering trade in our update. We have now also presented which restrictions apply for the trade and the service industry, depending on the area.

Some trade associations have already reacted to the effects of the Corona pandemic and allow their members to defer their contributions. For example, the Employer’s Liability Insurance Association for the Construction Industry (BG Bau), the Employer’s Liability Insurance Association for Wood and Metal (GGHM) and the Employer’s Liability Insurance Association for Food and Catering (BGN).

Companies that have got into difficulties due to the Corona pandemic can receive several different types of support. For example, in addition to the NRW emergency aid, a promotional loan can be taken out with the support of a subsidised consultancy service. Short-time working allowance, quarantine compensation and support through deferrals can also be combined with the financial aid. The aim is to provide the best possible support to affected companies in difficult times. As in other cases, however, the funding provider reserves the right to review the tax assessment notices retrospectively in order to prevent possible misuse of subsidies. Further information on this is available in the FAQs on emergency aid at the Ministry of Economic Affairs of the State of NRW.

The NRW start-up grant and the Start-Up Transfer funding competition are extending their funding periods. Grants that expire between 01.03.20 and 30.06.20 will be extended by three months. To support innovative ideas with growth potential even in times of crisis, NRW.Bank has upgraded its key equity capital programmes for start-ups. In addition, NRW.Bank also provides immediate assistance for start-ups founded after December 31, 2019. Further information.

March 31

Since Friday, 27.03.2020, you can now submit your applications for the immediate measures of the State of NRW online on the website of the Ministry of Economic Affairs. Find further information on emergency aid.

Applications for the emergency aid programme have also been submitted by Neuss businesses. Melanie Bachert, who is self-employed with her “KosmetikStudio Melanie Bachert”, submitted the application online last Friday evening. The procedure was very simple, she reports. Already on Sunday she had received the confirmation of the approval of the subsidies by e-mail. The owner had to close her business according to the CoronaSchVO. She now looks forward to the bridging of the existing fixed costs through the state aid.

Retail and catering businesses are existentially affected by plant closures and the resulting decline in sales due to the corona epidemic. Many retailers and restaurateurs are currently considering setting up a pick-up or delivery service as a bridging measure. Because this is expressly permitted. But which requirements must be observed? How can I enable a contact-free handover and payment process? And what other special hygienic precautions to protect against infection are currently indicated? Answers to these and many other questions on how to deal with the CoronaSchVO can be found in the information sheets which the Economic Development Agency of the City of Neuss is hereby publishing. The practical tips are coordinated with the public order office of the city of Neuss; however, the public order office always makes concrete decisions taking into account all circumstances of the individual case.

It is also intended to provide appropriate assistance for trades and services. Download the information sheets.

If a tenant is unable to pay his/her rent in the period from 1 April 2020 to 30 June 2020 due to the effects of the COVID 19 pandemic, the landlord/landlady is prohibited from terminating the lease on this account. The connection between the COVID-19 pandemic and non-payment by the tenant must be substantiated. Other termination rights remain unaffected. This is stated in the law to mitigate the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic in civil, insolvency and criminal proceedings of 27 March 2020.

If you have concluded contracts with GEMA and your business is now based on an official order, the contracts will be suspended retroactively from 16.03.2020.

Customers of Sparkasse Neuss who already use online banking can now also submit their KfW applications directly online. “Offline customers” please contact their advisor in this regard.

Customers of Volksbank Düsseldorf Neuss can submit their applications by e-mail or post, sample documents are provided.

In a press conference following a meeting of the Bavarian cabinet, Federal Finance Minister Olaf Scholz (SPD) has promised further financial aid to start-ups. More information on the two billion euro aid fund will follow in the near future.

March 26

A facilitated deferral of social security contributions has been announced by the central association of statutory health insurance funds. This will be carried out directly by the collection agencies, the statutory health insurance funds. This measure is intended to ease the burden on companies that find themselves in serious financial difficulties as a result of the Corona pandemic. You apply for a deferral directly to the health insurance companies. The document can be downloaded from the website of the German Association of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises. Further information can be found with  the GKV-Spitzenverband. Deferments for the month of March can only be submitted to the health insurance companies today!

If you are a small or medium-sized enterprise or a freelancer who has got into financial difficulties, or will get into difficulties in the near future due to the effects of the Corona pandemic, you will receive 90% of the consultancy costs, up to a maximum of € 2,700, subsidised. You can choose a qualified, external consultant yourself. The subsidy is also aimed at start-up companies and SMEs that are not in difficulty. These will each receive 50% subsidy, max. 2,000€, for your consultancy. Further information.

From Friday, 27.03.2020, you can submit your applications for the immediate measures of the State of NRW online on the website of the Ministry of Economic Affairs. We have compiled a checklist of what is required, what conditions apply and who can submit the application. If you have any further questions about applying for the grant, you can contact the IHK Mittlerer Niederrhein (02151 635 424 or e-mail) or the Düsseldorf Chamber of Trade (022 879 5555).

If you have any questions, we will be happy to help you. You can reach us by telephone under 02131 903 101 or by e-mail.

March 25

Currently, the protection against new infections with the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 must be ensured. On March 22, 2020, the CoronaSchVO of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia came into force, which imposes further operational restrictions for certain facilities (especially for gastronomy and trade), which is increasingly becoming a challenge for the economy.

On March 17 we already informed you about the first measures to support the tradespeople. We would like to continue to support you in this difficult situation and provide you with up-to-date information. On our homepage we have compiled the current support measures for businesses for you and update them continuously.

There you will find, for example, information on the possibility of tax deferral. Furthermore, there is the possibility of taking out a KfW development loan through your house bank to bridge liquidity bottlenecks. There is a new development for self-employed persons and SMEs. Here the Federal Government and the Länder are working on immediate reimbursements which do not have to be repaid. Depending on the number of employees, up to € 15,000 is paid out.

If you have employees in your company who you cannot employ and pay as usual, you will find information on our homepage about the currently simplified conditions for applying for short-time work benefits. Or are your employees or yourself in quarantine as a self-employed person? You are entitled to compensation for this loss of earnings.

The Ministry of Culture and Science of the State of NRW supports freelance, professional artists with immediate assistance. In addition, a solution is being worked on to support further education institutions.

We hope that the offers can also help the Neuss economy to avert the greatest damage caused by the Corona pandemic. If you have any questions, we will be happy to help you. You can reach us by telephone under 02131 903 101 or by e-mail.

March 17

the corona pandemic not only poses a challenge for health management, but is also increasingly affecting the economy – also in Neuss. The German government has adopted a package of measures with immediate action for companies to protect jobs and support companies in this difficult time.

Among other things, the package of measures includes facilitating the conditions for a more flexible use of the short-time work allowance and ensuring complete liquidity coverage through the provision of promotional loans by KfW Bank. On our homepage we have presented the current support measures for enterprises and provide you with further information. You can also view the Federal Government’s action plan directly.

The health department of the Rhein Kreis Neuss has set up a hotline on 02181 601 7777 for specific questions, for example a confirmed suspicious case in the company. In the appendix you will also find a public letter from District Administrator Petrauschke, in which he addresses the companies of the Rhein Kreis Neuss.

We hope that the aid packages can also help the Neuss economy to avert the greatest damage caused by the Corona pandemic. On our homepage you will find the institution responsible for the respective measures, which is entrusted with the handling. We will be happy to help you with general questions. You can reach us by phone at 02131 903 101 or by e-mail.

By Vincent Green, Apr 1 2020