The association has sent its proposals to the Government of Spain, which works to reduce the spread of the pandemic and the number of those infected.
With the coronavirus crisis (COVID-19) in full swing, companies are seeking to alleviate the economic consequences that will be caused by the closure of businesses and the end or reduction of work activity in different sectors. AEVI (Spanish Video Game Association) has prepared a series of proposals with the aim of alleviating the situation and protecting the Spanish industry from economic disaster. They have divided the measures into four different sections, ranging from the interests of the industry as a whole to the most specific sectors, such as developers, training centers or stores.
AEVI proposes that the credit lines be granted under special conditions, which will help to smooth the problems in the companies' treasury. Soft and express credits or the ease of accessing remote working tools are other measures that are included. On the other hand, as far as the developers are concerned, they request an adaptation of the self-employed rates, not to mention additional bonuses. They ask that the flexibility of the temporary employment regulation files in publishers, distributors and retailers be facilitated, a position that the Sánchez government has already begun to apply.
📢This weekend, we have sent the Government a list of consensual proposals among the members of AEVI so that it may consider including them in a package of extraordinary measures to help the cultural industries. https://t.co/B4C0MtN0Fl 👇
– Arturo Monedero (@ArtMonedero) March 17, 2020
All measures broken down
Video Game Industry Set
- Enable credit lines under special conditions (rates close to zero) to help bear the extra costs and treasury tensions resulting from the crisis.
- Ease of access to soft and express credits for the purchase of fixed assets and licenses to adapt to remote work tools.
- Requirement for banks and surety entities to maintain credit and allow delay during the crisis period.
- Facilities and discounts on fees for telecommunications services and remote work tools.
- Moratorium on the rental of premises on days when there is no commercial or industrial activity. Compensation for the payment of rents for closed premises as a sanitary measure.
- Deferral or temporary financing of payments to suppliers and public administrations.
- Facilitate hiring with tax and social insurance rebates: deferment and / or reduction and / or temporary assumption of the payment of contributions to the Social Security of workers.
- Reduction and / or deferrals of payments on account of Corporation Tax. Refund of negative tax bases.
- Deferral or rebate of the payment of the VAT fee. Early return of balances to be offset from declarations of the first months. Streamlining returns for the year 2019.
- Deferral or reduction of income tax contributions.
- Deferral of other local taxes.
- Discount of tax credits generated by R & D & i activities: advance of the monetization of deductions for the 2019 financial year.
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Support in campaigns aimed at raising public awareness of the value of video games in the field of entertainment, the enjoyment of content and digital training, highlighting its remote and secure nature.
Developers
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Adequacy of the amounts and terms of payment of the self-employed fees (with discounts similar to those made for new registrations, as well as the possibility of delaying payments).
- Benefit for cessation of activity for all the self-employed who are forced to close their business and abandon their activity either due to decisions taken by the Government or due to lack of activity.
- For workers and self-employed who are forced to abandon their activity due to childcare or dependents as a consequence of the closing of schools and dependent care, the provision and bonus of 100% of the Social Security fee is proposed.
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Advancement of aid and subsidies (Red.es, etc.) already granted to minimize the impact of the crisis.
- Compensation for the purchase of 'double licenses' for developers to enable remote work.
- Aid in the purchase of property, plant and equipment necessary for employment (technology equipment: computers, laptops, general hardware for remote work, etc.).
Financial compensation for cancellation of travel for canceled events.
Retailers, distributors and publishers
- Flexibility of the temporary regulation files for the use of force majeure, as a result of the closure or cancellation of activities, restrictions on the mobility of people or goods, isolation to avoid contagion, lack of supplies; justify in the workplace the existence of force majeure as a cause for the files. Agile and urgent response from the Administration, and the procedure and documentation should be lightened.
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Extension of the mobility restrictions provided for the purchase, in person or remotely, of video games, without prejudice to adopting the necessary security measures for workers and consumers at the time of purchase (no accumulation of people, safety distances, etc.). Video games are a means of entertainment and communication that endows leisure homes with the possibility of developing safely in the family environment.
Training centers
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Flexibility of the hiring of the trainees. Possibility of remote practices.
- Provide means for telematic teaching.
- Access for students and their families to a specific line of credit guaranteed by the State to finance their undergraduate and postgraduate studies of any kind with a grace period equal to or greater than the duration of their studies.
Esports companies
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Assignment of public spaces and resources for holding e-sports competition events after the end of the crisis.
- Valuation of direct government sponsorships for esports leagues and competitions. Sponsorship of documentary and entertainment content production.
- Public aid to assume the cost of cancellation expenses for events already contracted and canceled due to the current situation.
- Promotion and financing of virtual events to boost the sector.
