German Economy Minister Peter Altmaier and Finance Minister Olaf Scholz arrive for a news conference on the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in front of the Chancellary in Berlin, Germany, April 1, 2020. REUTERS/Michele Tantussi
April 1, 2020
BERLIN (Reuters) – Germany is planning to allocate 2 billion euros ($2.19 billion) to help support start-ups during the coronavirus crisis, Finance Minister Olaf Scholz said on Wednesday.
“All the normal aid programs are of course also available to start-ups but we also want to do something for companies that have fewer options for obtaining credit lines and who benefit less from short-time working,” Economy Minister Peter Altmaier told reporters during a joint statement with Scholz.
“That’s why we have come up with this tailored 2 billion euro program which will help start-ups to survive this difficult time,” he said.
(Writing by Paul Carrel and Thomas Escritt; Editing by Michelle Martin)