Corona - vdma.org

Optimally informed - travel restrictions and national measures for work assignments by Corona

On a special page, the Medical Technology Working Group in the VDMA provides an overview of the development of production capacities for infection protection equipment in Germany and Europe.

The VDMA has compiled advice and experience from various companies in the mechanical and plant engineering sector on how to maintain production despite a pandemic.

According to the LAG Düsseldorf, no vacation entitlements accrue during short-time work zero due to the lack of a duty to work.

Description

A quarantine order by the employer without an official obligation does not lead to the loss of the obligation to continue to pay wages.

To further curb the incidence of infection and the opening strategy agreed on 3 March 2021, rapid and self-testing for infection with SARS-CoV-2 by companies came into focus.

The tenth Corona Flash Survey on the economic impact of the Corona pandemic ran at the end of March/beginning of April. You can see the aggregated feedback of 726 member companies according to the six German VDMA regional associations and for the second time also the special evaluation for Austria.

Bavaria's mechanical and plant engineering sector expects to make up, at least in part, for the severe economic setback suffered by Corona in the current year.

The VDMA offers information events on current foreign trade topics, on the web and live on site.

The mandatory offering of self-tests in companies is manageable for machine and plant manufacturers. The VDMA now expects the public authorities to ensure that the vaccination campaign in Germany continues to gain momentum and is organized efficiently.

The mechanical and plant engineering sector is defying the pandemic and picking up speed again. Many companies expect production to increase in 2021. The government is now called upon to accompany this with an innovation-friendly policy for small and medium-sized enterprises.

The tenth VDMA Corona Flash Survey on the economic impact of the Corona pandemic ran from 30 March to 1 April 2021, with 726 mechanical and plant engineering companies taking part.

The machinery and plant engineering sector expects to make up, at least in part, for the severe economic Corona setback in the current year. The VDMA has raised its growth forecast for production in 2021 to plus 7 percent in real terms.

Since the beginning of the year, the People's Republic of China has tightened the entry requirements for foreign specialist staff to such an extent that it is hardly possible for SMEs to comply. As a result, many machines and systems cannot be installed or maintained. The VDMA is calling for pragmatic solutions.

The interaction of different measures increases safety in closed rooms. A workshop on aerosol and SARS-CoV-2 brings experts together on an interdisciplinary basis.

The federal and state governments have corrected their decision concerning additional "days of rest" during Easter. This is a good signal: in principle, the dialogue between politics and industry is working, even under the pressure of the Corona pandemic.

Holy Thursday as an official „day of rest“ - this presents companies with major organisational challenges and causes considerable costs. It is not clear what can be gained if industry is shut down for an additional day.

The amended SARS-CoV-2 occupational health and safety regulation was published on 11 March 2021. It comes into force on 13 March and is applicable until 30 April.

President Biden has reaffirmed the travel ban from the Schengen States. Now the criteria for national interest exemptions have been changed. Update March 12, 2021.

As of June 11, 2020, persons from Germany and other countries are allowed to re-enter Turkey. Since December 30, 2020, a negative PCR test is required upon entry.

New bilateral agreement since January 2021. Additional post-arrival testing remains mandatory.

Update 03.02.2021: Entry from Germany and 19 other countries prohibited

Entry into Russia has been possible without special permission since the beginning of April. Normal business trips can also be planned again.

Visa requirement extended until May 1, 2021. Procedure simplified.

Validity of suspended visas restored

China is changing its entry regulations into the country again as of March 2, 2021.

On January 19, 2021, further tightening was passed to supplement or amend existing measures to contain the Corona pandemic.

A faster fight against the pandemic can also succeed with the help of Corona tests in the companies. Many machine and plant manufacturers are actively preparing for this - but it must be a voluntary measure for employees and companies.

Entry by car without PCR test.

Two new VDMA information leaflets on Covid-19 offer assistance in assessing the risk of infection in enclosed spaces.

The updated SARS-CoV-2 Occupational Safety and Health Rule has been officially published in the Joint Ministerial Gazette. As a result, the changes in the Occupational Safety and Health Rule now receive presumptive effect.

The global Corona crisis has also led to high export losses for machinery and plant manufacturers. In 2020, machinery and equipment worth 160 billion euros was exported from Germany - 12 percent less than in the previous year.

On the question of whether the employer may demand a negative Corona test for entry to the company, there is a first decision which in this respect proves the employer right.

Die neunte Corona-Blitzumfrage zu den wirtschaftlichen Auswirkungen der Corona-Pandemie lief vom 20. bis 22. Januar 2021. Es nahmen 575 Unternehmen des Maschinen- und Anlagenbaus teil. Erstmals können durch die rege Beteiligung hierzulande auch Ergebnisse aus Österreich ausgewiesen werden.

Germany needs growth to pay the enormous costs of the Corona crisis and to be able to invest in the future. To achieve this, industry in Germany and Europe must remain competitive.

The Corona pandemic has had Germany firmly in its grip since March 2020. The effects of the Covid 19 pandemic have not stopped at the world of work.

Against the backdrop of still rising infection figures, the federal and state governments agreed on 19 January 2021 on further tightening measures to contain the Corona pandemic.

The increasingly resurgent calls for border closures within the EU must be buried as a matter of urgency. Border closures in the internal market would have unforeseeable consequences.

The employer is entitled to order the wearing of a mouth-nose mask during working hours.

After Corona Lockdown, air travel to Colombia has resumed (as of 14.01.2021).

Back in March 2020, various tax measures were taken to secure liquidity. After these measures were limited until the end of 2020, the BMF has granted an extension of these measures.

Even in Corona times, machine manufacturers have to fulfil their social responsibility and maintain production. A legal home office obligation with fines would therefore be absurd.

Companies and research institutions can apply for funding for research and technology projects for the production of innovative personal and medical protective equipment.

The quarantine rules that have been applied to entry into Austria since 19 December have now been extended. Exceptions to entry continue to apply to commuters and "occupational travellers", among others. Registration prior to entry is mandatory. The province of Tyrol has also been declared a "restricted area".

In spring 2020, special arrangements were introduced with regard to the receipt of short-time allowances and the reimbursement of social security contributions to cushion the impact of the Corona pandemic.

In its ruling of 25.09.20, Ref: 3 O 261/20 (BeckRS 2020, 27363), the LG Paderborn expressly regarded the Corona pandemic as a case of "force majeure" in the light of a so-called force majeure clause.

As expected, the legislator has again extended the suspension of the obligation to file for insolvency (initially) until 30 April 2021. In addition, protection against avoidance is granted for pandemic-related deferrals.

Customer letter as proof required (as of 31.03.2021)

Negative PCR test required for entry (update 31.03.2021)

No restrictions on work assignments of 120 hours or less (as of 6.4.2021).

Four out of five mechanical engineering companies are reporting a drop in sales in 2020, despite a year-end spurt. According to the latest VDMA flash survey, however, the outlook for the future is cautiously positive: slight sales growth is in sight for 2021.

Brazil has updated the residence rules for temporary visas, as they also exist for technical services, with regard to the pandemic exceptions.