29.11.2021
LET'S PUT GENDER EQUALITY FIRST
This article is authored by Josep Borel, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission, Utah Urpilainen, Commissioner for International Partnerships, and Svetlan Stoev, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria. It is supported by more than 30 foreign and international development ministers from EU member states. The text was reprinted by Dnevnik.
Rare are the situations in the world where the rights of women and girls are denied, as in Afghanistan. Recent developments are a matter of serious concern. The EU has made it clear that future EU development assistance to Afghanistan will depend on compliance with international human rights law and norms, including the rights of women and girls. The EU is committed and committed to continuing to support women and girls in Afghanistan and around the world, adhering to European values and beliefs.
Together with human rights, freedom and democracy, equality between men and women is one of the fundamental values that make the European Union what it is. It is a treasure for our societies and strengthens their resilience. Gender equality is at the heart of peace, security, economic prosperity and sustainable development. The protection and promotion of this basic principle is also enshrined in the EU Treaties.
That is why political, operational and financial work to promote and ensure progress in the field of gender equality is a political priority and a key objective for the EU. The EU Action Plan on Gender Equality 2021-2025 and the new EU External Action Budget provide a roadmap for global action and a world of equal opportunities. To achieve these goals, we work closely with multilateral, regional and bilateral partners, including civil society organizations. We have a long way to go and there is no room for complacency. However, together we are stronger, although many challenges still lie ahead.
In many countries, the COVID-19 crisis has exacerbated existing gender inequalities in various areas such as education, vocational training, health, security and safety, sexual and reproductive health and rights, participation in decision-making and economic opportunities.
Due to restrictions on the spread of COVID-19, there has been an increase in cases of violence against women, in particular domestic violence, and women's and girls' access to sexual and reproductive health services has been limited. At the same time, women and girls bear a significant part of the burden of caring for others. Those working in the informal economy and in low-skilled jobs (most of whom are women), migrants and persons belonging to minority groups are at greater risk and face numerous and mixed forms of discrimination.
In addition, school closures put girls at increased risk of sexual exploitation, early pregnancy, child labor and forced marriages. The Malala Fund estimates that another 20 million girls are at risk of dropping out of school this year, bringing the total number of girls with no prospects of education to 150 million, equivalent to a third of the EU population.
A recent UN report states that in 2020, military budgets still exceed global health spending, even in a year marked by a pandemic. For COVID-19 recovery to be sustainable, we must redouble our efforts to promote gender equality.
Now is the time to do more
This challenge requires a global response and must be overcome now that we are building the future after the pandemic. The future in which we want our children and grandchildren to grow up in a more equal and diverse world, where equal opportunities are a reality. We need to tackle the root causes of gender inequality and gender-based discrimination in order to achieve lasting change.
During the pandemic, the European Union and its Member States, as well as European financial institutions, stood by women and girls around the world. Through Team Europe, we have already mobilized € 46 billion in support of more than 130 partner countries, with a focus on women and youth.
Examples of this are: in Nepal, we have helped one million girls and boys to continue their education by studying with the help of radio. In Togo, we supported the creation of a universal basic income scheme and the appointment of women to run new municipalities. Globally, the EU-UN Spotlight initiative has helped 650,000 women and girls avoid or deal with violence against them, and 880,000 men and boys have been trained on topics such as positive models of masculinity, non-violent conflict resolution and parenting.
However, greater and more effective action is needed to meet the growing challenges. This is the goal of the Action Plan on Gender Equality for the period 2021-2025 (GAP III). It promotes leadership and the full participation of women, girls and young people in political, economic, social and cultural life, as well as knowledge in the field of peace and security.
We are working for a new rise in human development
This plan is already being implemented with the help of the new Neighborhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument - Global Europe, worth € 79.5 billion, which will support the EU's external action over the next seven years.
Support for education, and in particular for girls' education, will play a central role. In the same way that it supports education in emergencies during a pandemic, the EU is working with partner countries to minimize its impact on children's education and well-being and to facilitate their safe return to school.
As Team Europe, we already provide more than half of global education aid. We will also increase funding to promote gender equality through quality education at all levels. Our joint commitment to transforming education for girls and boys in 90 countries and territories of € 1.7 billion for the Global Partnership for Education from July 2021 is part of this new beginning.
We are stepping up our efforts in all areas, from supporting the education and economic opportunities of women and girls to improving their access to sexual and reproductive health services. By 2025, 85% of new EU external action in all sectors will contribute to gender equality and women's empowerment.
This initiative is currently being finalized with partner countries on the basis of close consultations with civil society organizations, women's rights and youth activists.
We must resume the rise of human development and achieve the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals without abandoning a single woman or girl.
It is crucial that we take the right action.
29.11.2021
RELIEFS ARE OFFERED FOR BULSTAT COMPANIES
The government is offering relief to companies with changes to the Tariff of State Fees collected by the Registry Agency, uploaded for public discussion.
They envisage the abolition of the fee for entering changes in the circumstances for issuing a new card for identification of the registered persons in the BULSTAT register.
They also eliminate the need to collect fees and to issue an original, copy or duplicate of an identification card.
Due to the publicity of the BULSAT register, the need to pay a fee for providing inquiries electronically from the information system of the register is eliminated, the petitioners from the Council of Ministers explain.
They add that the changes are necessary in order to bring in line with the changes in the BULSTAT Register Act, referring to the elimination of the requirement for issuance of identification cards to registered persons, as the information about them is public and free of charge, through the website of the register, as well as dropping the issuance of a card for certifying the code of the subjects of the BULSTAT register and its replacement with a certificate for last entered circumstances.
The adoption of the amendments to the Tariff will lead to a reduction of the administrative and financial burden on the subjects of the special register BULSTAT. The changes will take effect on January 4, 2022.
29.11.2021
WILL THERE BE A MINIMUM WAGE BALANCE IN EUROPE?
For more than 15 years, the European Union has been looking for ways to harmonize minimum wages in the Member States, trying to find a balance between protecting workers, respecting the principles of competition and social justice.
On Thursday (November 25th), the European Parliament gave the green light to start negotiations with the Council on a directive that will guarantee all workers in the EU a fair and adequate minimum wage (MW). The regulation is expected to be adopted in the second half of next year.
Finding a minimum wage that ensures a dignified life for the lowest paid members of society, without putting pressure on companies and provoking them to export jobs to other countries, has been the subject of heated debate since the minimum wage was first introduced in the world. - in New Zealand in the middle of the 19th century.
Gradually, the institute covers more and more categories of employees and expands geographically, and is currently in force in 21 of the 27 EU member states. Universal minimum wage is not provided for in the legislation of Italy, Denmark, Cyprus, Austria, Finland and Sweden, where wages are regulated by collective agreements.
The minimum monthly wage in the EU varies greatly - from 332 euros (650 levs) in Bulgaria to 2202 euros in Luxembourg and given the gradual deepening of integration and price dynamics, this huge difference provokes social discontent and political tension in both countries on both ends of the income scale. .
The issue of the minimum wage at European level is among the hottest in the current term of the European Parliament. Involving European and national institutions, employers' organizations, expert and civic groups, it has been further exacerbated by the severe economic and social crisis caused by the Kovid-19 pandemic.
The proposal for a directive was presented by the European Commission on 28 October 2020 and aims to ensure that "minimum wages are set at an adequate level and workers have access to protection guaranteed by the minimum wage in the form of a legal minimum wage or remuneration, determined in accordance with collective agreements ".
According to Art. 153 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU, the possible determination of the minimum wage falls within the competence of the member states and therefore the planned directive does not set a minimum pan-European wage threshold, but rather principles to ensure fair and sufficient remuneration for workers in individual member states.
The reference value by which the adequacy of the minimum wage is assessed is the ratio of the minimum wage to the average wage of 50 per cent and respectively 60 per cent of the median wage.
In BULGARIA, CITUB representatives propose to increase the minimum wage to BGN 764 from January 1, 2022, through which our country will meet the reference value, exceeding the ratio of 50 percent of the average wage.
Among the EU member states, in addition to the size, there are significant differences in the regime of negotiation, determination and scope of the minimum wage.
THE GREAT ECONOMIES
GERMANY is among the countries that have relatively recently applied a single minimum wage - since the beginning of 2015. The single minimum wage was introduced after lengthy discussions that took over much of the campaign ahead of the country's 2013 parliamentary elections.
It was a major election promise of the German Social Democratic Party (GSDP), and was supported by the Greens and the Left. Opponents of the measure, especially from the conservative and right-wing political space, feared job losses and damage to businesses due to rising company costs and distortions of competition - worries that were not justified. The flat rate has replaced sectoral collective bargaining, but German unions continue to play an important role and periodically negotiate and enter into agreements with employers in individual industries for higher wages and better working conditions.
The determination of the amount of the minimum wage was entrusted to an independent commission, which in its decisions must balance between protecting workers, ensuring fair competition and employment, without interference for political reasons. When the minimum wage was introduced, it was EUR 8.50 per hour and gradually increased, as from January 1, 2022, according to the plans of the commission, it should have become EUR 9.82 per hour, and from July next year - EUR 10.45 per hour.
The coalition agreement of the "traffic light coalition", reached last week, set a minimum rate of 12 euros per hour, thus interfering in the sphere of activity of the commission in fulfillment of election promises. However, the coalition partners from the Social Democrats, the Greens and the Free Democratic Party (SDP) are adamant that this is a one-time increase at the political level and they do not intend to decide on the issue again in the future, returning it to the special commission. Following the increase, the monthly minimum wage in Germany will exceed the threshold of 2,000 euros for full-time employees.
The minimum wage in FRANCE is among the highest in the EU, it is guaranteed by law and employers are subject to criminal penalties if they do not comply with the requirements for its size. consumer prices and overall wage development in the country. Revaluation of the minimum wage is made on January 1 each year.
It applies to all types of remuneration of private sector employees, whether working time (hourly or monthly), productivity, assigned tasks or commissions, applicable in mainland France and the overseas territories.
In 2021, the monthly gross minimum wage in France is EUR 1,589.47 or EUR 1,258 net on the basis of the statutory 35-hour working week, or EUR 10.48 gross per hour. The annual minimum wage is EUR 19,073 gross or EUR 15,084 net.
Every year on January 1, the government re-evaluates the monthly interprofessional salary in accordance with the Labor Code, and a particularly important criterion is the inflationary pressure on the 20 percent of households with the lowest incomes.
On September 28, 2021, SPAIN announced an increase in the minimum wage to 965 euros. With this amount, which came into force retroactively on September 1, 2021, Spain is closer to other leading countries in Europe and the next goal is in 2023 to reach 60 percent of the average salary in the country, which was 2064.37 euros per month in the second quarter of 2021.
Authorities in Madrid took this path in 2019 with a sharp rise in the minimum wage - by 22.3 percent to 900 euros. In 2020 and 2021, its amount was set at 950 euros, to which an additional 15 euros were added in September. Despite the increase, the country did not climb the list of countries with the highest minimum wage and maintained its seventh position.
The calendar for the next increase in the minimum wage in Spain shows the different positions between the departments of the executive branch. While the Ministry of Labor, headed by Yolanda Diaz, is pushing for a new increase in January, other agencies are more restrained and leave the door open for a similar step later in 2022.
The minimum threshold of 965 euros was exceptionally agreed only with unions without the involvement of employers' organizations, after the minimum wage was frozen due to the economic shock caused by the pandemic.
The government has not yet initiated a debate and unions have not been invited to the negotiating table for the expected new increase next year. The labor ministry expects discussions to begin in December.
ITALY is one of the six EU members that do not have a single minimum wage, although in the last year there has been increasing discussion about setting the minimum level to the law, not just collective bargaining, as is currently the case. There are many proposals for regulating the minimum wage on the Apennine Peninsula, but so far none of them has been accepted or approved by the social partners.
In Italy, there are uniform minimum pensions, while the level of minimum wages is negotiated by sector. According to the National Council for Economics and Labor, 888 national collective agreements are currently in force.
Due to the lack of a law on the minimum wage in Italy, everything is based on collective bargaining, in which trade unions have enormous power, especially those with a larger number of members. In Italy, however, the collective agreement does not have to be applied in individual employment contracts and the consent of the trade unions is not required, so that each company can make a unilateral choice.
In this way, some employees risk being left without the protection of a collective agreement.
The minimum wages in some sectors are: tourism - 7.48 euros per hour; textile industry - EUR 7.09 per hour; social services - 6.68 euros per hour.
Italy also has a problem with the phenomenon of the "working poor", whose incomes are below the corresponding relative poverty line, as they are part-time, even though they are regularly employed. According to the latest report "Internal Poverty in the EU" in Italy, 11.7 percent of employees receive a salary that is below the agreed minimums.
For this reason, some political forces even before the European proposal called for the introduction of a minimum wage at national level. The aim is to overcome the scheme of collective agreements and to regulate the minimum threshold for agreements between individuals.
An interesting institute in Italy is the "civic income", which was introduced in 2019. It is an economic support to supplement family income, which is associated with reintegration into the labor market and social inclusion. Recipients of this income sign agreements committing them to start work as soon as possible and to join the social processes.
In the draft budget for 2022, the Italian government introduced some changes in civilian income. From 1 January 2022, it will be reduced by EUR 5 per month, starting with the first refusal of a job offer. The right to receive it is lost after the rejection of two job offers (currently the limit is three).
THE SCANDINAVIAN CHOICE
The Scandinavian countries stand out as a characteristic group not only by being at the top of the EU income scale, but mostly by the specific structure of their labor regulation. The EU member states of this group do not have a single legal minimum wage, but rely on agreement between the social partners. From these countries comes the strongest opposition to the directive proposed by Brussels, mainly due to fears of political interference in an issue that is considered social and labor in Scandinavian societies and is estimated to harm the autonomy of the social partners.
The model on which the labor markets of SWEDEN and DENMARK are built is characterized by a wide range of collective agreements, high wages and high levels of membership in trade unions and employers' organizations. The rate of syndication in this group of countries is among the highest in the world - in Denmark it reaches 67 percent, in Sweden - 66 percent, and in Finland - 65 percent.
It is proposed that the resistance of these countries be overcome by including in the directive an "option to negotiate through the social partners", which will allow Member States not to transpose the common requirements if they meet three requirements: they do not have a mandatory uniform minimum wage system, declaring collective agreements to be generally binding; the protection of minimum incomes is carried out exclusively through collective bargaining between autonomous social partners; and if the implementation of this option is requested jointly by the social partners in both the private and public sectors.
EASTERN EUROPE
Eastern European EU members are generally a diverse group, with large differences between them, although they are generally at the bottom of the minimum wage rankings. However, they are also the countries with the strongest growth of the indicator - a trend most pronounced in the Baltic States, which are enjoying not only some of the fastest economic growth rates in the world in the last 30 years, but also a stable recovery from shock of the coronary crisis.
LITHUANIA from January 1 next year will reach a minimum wage of 730 euros compared to only 238 euros in 2010 - according to the Ministry of Social Security and Labor, the increase of 88 euros compared to the current year is among the largest for the last decade. According to local labor legislation, the minimum can only be paid for unskilled labor. The social partners in ESTONIA last month agreed to increase the minimum wage to 654 euros next year or 3.68 euros per hour, which is 39.5 percent of the basic salary, according to estimates by the Estonian Central Bank for 2022, after last year's minimum wage was frozen due to the coronary crisis. In 2023, the ratio of the average wage is expected to rise to 40 percent, as it was in the year before the pandemic.
LATVIA in 2021 increased its minimum wage to 500 euros, after it was at the level of 430 euros from 2018. At the same time, the country supports its citizens with the lowest incomes through a tax-free minimum, which will increase from 300 euros this year to 350 euros in the first half of 2022 and 500 euros in the second half of the year, equaling in practice with the minimum salary.
In the region, CYPRUS is the only country without a fixed uniform minimum wage. Instead, minimum wages are negotiated each year in nine sectors where trade unionism and the scope of collective agreements are weak - salespeople, clerks, support staff, support staff (eg babysitters) in crèches, kindergartens and primary schools, security guards, carers and cleaners. For security guards and cleaners, the minimum rate is fixed on an hourly basis, and for other categories - on a monthly basis. For the lowest paid categories, a minimum wage of about 870 euros per month is formed.
29.11.2021
WHAT AMOUNTS CAN BE REFUNDED FROM TAXES
By the end of December, we want relief for children through an employer
Parents of children and children with disabilities will be able to benefit from new higher tax reliefs. The tax rebate is significantly higher than in previous years and will apply only once to income from 2021.
In order to benefit from tax relief, a natural person (including a sole trader) must have received income taxable with annual taxes in 2021 (tax on the total annual tax base or tax on the annual tax base for income from business activity as a sole trader).
People without income, or only with non-taxable ones such as maternity benefit, for example, as well as only with income taxable with final and / or patent tax, cannot benefit from the benefits, but this can be done by the other parent, added the NRA.
For this year, the amounts by which it is possible to reduce the total annual tax base when using tax relief for children are: BGN 4,500 for one child, BGN 9,000 for two children and BGN 13,500 for three or more children. For raising a child with disabilities, the reduction for this year is BGN 9,000. The conditions for using the tax benefits for children and children with disabilities remain unchanged.
They are described in detail on the website of the National Revenue Agency, and next week more information will be published on the Facebook page of the ministry. One of the most important requirements for the application of the relief is that the persons have no obligations subject to enforcement. The NRA advises citizens to check their personal tax account online for liabilities with a personal identification code before using tax relief to avoid inconveniences.
Tax breaks can be used in two ways, as before. One is by filing a declaration with the employer under the main employment contract in the period from November 30 to December 31, 2021. In this case, the employer can refund the tax by the end of January 2022.
The second option to use the tax reduction is by submitting an annual tax return to the NRA within January 10 to May 3, 2022, and the amounts will be refunded after inspection by the Revenue Agency within 1 month after filing the return.
Detailed information about the tax reliefs is available on the website of the Revenue Agency www.nap.bg, the Facebook page of the department, and a telephone consultation on these issues can be made with the Information Center of the NRA by phone: 0700 18 700 and email: infocenter@nra.bg.
29.11.2021
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW IF YOU ARE INSURED FOR A SECOND PENSION
Pension companies are required to send a paper statement on the individual account of their clients once a year - until the end of May.
When submitting an application, the user can cancel the paper version of the statement on his individual account and receive it in electronic form.
This is stated in the updated Program for Consumer Protection of the Non-Banking Financial Sector for the Period 2021-2024, adopted by the Financial Supervision Commission (FSC).
Insured persons can also check their personal account through the website of the respective pension fund, after receiving an individual code.
Customers have the right to request additional statements. Some pension companies have developed procedures in cases where the accuracy of the data in the statement on the client's individual account is disputed.
In the area of pension insurance, the protection of client assets is ensured by separating the assets of the pension company from the assets of the funds managed by it.
An additional guarantee for consumers is the obligation of the pension company to have a contract with a custodian bank.
According to the Social Security Code, the boards of trustees of pension insurance companies are obliged to consider and respond to the complainants in writing within 2 months from the date of receipt of the complaint.
Pension insurance companies (PICs) maintain up-to-date websites on which the user can find out about the pension fund he is interested in and receive other information in connection with the supplementary pension insurance. The regulations for the structure and activity of the funds managed by the pension companies are also published on the FSC website.
With the amendments to the Social security code (SSC) and with the adoption of ORDINANCE № 61 on the requirements for advertising and written information materials and web pages of pension insurance companies, a requirement was introduced for informing the insured persons through advertising and information materials for the supplementary pension insurance funds. the assets of the fund are not guaranteed a positive return, but the funds deposited in the individual accounts in the universal pension fund (UPF) are retained in full.
With the amendments to the SSC, two new funds were created: a fund for payment of lifelong pensions and a fund for deferred payments. An obligation has been created for the pension insurance companies to set aside a reserve to guarantee the gross reserve of the contributions to the UPF. An opportunity was created for the insured person, who has acquired the right to a pension from UPF, to change his participation once and to transfer the accumulated funds to his individual account or the amount supplemented by a reserve for guaranteeing the gross reserve of UPF contributions, which of the two amounts is -large, in another relevant fund managed by another pension insurance company.
The insured person in an occupational pension fund (OPF), who has not acquired or exercised his right to early retirement, may upon granting a pension for insurance length of service and age under Part One of SSC or upon reaching the age under Art. 68, para. 3 to receive once or in installments the accumulated funds on the individual account or to transfer them to UPF or VPF.
Pension companies calculate and publish information on the value of one unit of the respective pension funds on a daily basis. The data on the value of the units of all pension funds are published on the FSC website.
The portfolios of the companies are also published on a quarterly basis. The annual audited financial statements of the PIC are published on the FSC website.
26.11.2021
WHAT SOCIAL BENEFITS CAN WE RECEIVE UNTIL THE NEW YEAR?
For the first time, Bulgaria is in a pandemic wave without a lockdown, which is why the economic consequences of the pandemic have faded into the background. However, the government continues to distribute millions in the form of benefits to affected employees, companies and parents. At the same time, there is an application for the additional support of BGN 300, with which the official cabinet is trying to put out the fire of the more expensive energy carriers. What financial aid is available for people on the threshold of the second pandemic winter is summarized by the Consultancy Center - Berkovitsa.
Keep me +
As of November 11, the measure under which compensations are paid for employees on forced unpaid leave due to temporary restrictions is reopened. They are entitled to receive 75% of their insurance income for July. This support is already provided to self-employed persons whose activities have been suspended due to the emergency - a category that was excluded from almost all measures at the beginning of the pandemic.
It should be borne in mind that this aid is provided for only 90 working days this year. The latest edition of the measure covers unpaid leave used between 7 September and 31 December. The application is now only online, and the compensations are paid by the National Social Security Institute. The provided financing is BGN 100 million, and the expected scope - 60,000 workers, employees and self-insured. All about the scheme, see the website of the Employment Agency.
Benefits for parents
Parents of children under 14 who do not attend school, nursery or kindergarten due to the anti-epidemic restrictions are entitled to monthly targeted assistance in case they are forced to go on unpaid leave because they cannot work remotely, they do not have the opportunity to use paid leave and are not on sick leave.
For families with one child the amount of assistance is equal to the minimum wage - BGN 650. For families with two or more children the assistance is 150% of the monthly minimum wage or BGN 975.
In case the distance learning is introduced for a period of more than 10 working days of the month, the aid is received in its full amount. If the restrictions are for a period of 6 to 10 working days of the month, for families with one child the amount of assistance is BGN 325, and for families with two or more children the amount of assistance is BGN 487.50. With restrictions limited to 5 working days days of the month for families with one child the amount of assistance is BGN 162.50, and for families with two children - BGN 243.75.
There are some conditions with this help. The average income per person in the family must be less than or equal to 150% of the minimum wage or BGN 975. This means that in order to be entitled to such support from the state, a family with one child must have a total income of up to 2925 BGN, and with two children - up to BGN 3900.
Parents who have lost their jobs but are not entitled to unemployment benefits or the amount of which is lower than BGN 975 are entitled to such financial support. The assistance can also be used by self-insured people who cannot work due to anti-epidemic restrictions.
Applications for this support shall be made no later than the end of the month following that for which restrictions have been imposed. As schools closed en masse in October, affected parents should keep in mind that they can claim compensation until the end of November. For the November days, of course, the application deadline will be until the end of the year.
So far, 53,294 families have benefited from this assistance, and it has been operating for a little over a year - it was introduced after several unsuccessful attempts in September 2020. For this year, the budget of the measure is BGN 103 million.
All about this measure, see the website of the Social Assistance Agency.
BGN 300 for heating
These days, the acceptance of documents for the new heating aid, which will be given to people who have almost missed the classic energy support, has begun.
The right to receive it will have people and families who have been denied targeted heating assistance for the upcoming winter season due to exceeding the defined differentiated income by up to BGN 30 or due to failure to meet the requirement for 6-month mandatory registration as unemployed in the Labor Office directorates. For them, the granting of the aid will become official and they do not need to submit documents again.
People who meet the same criteria but have not submitted documents within the set deadline of October 31, 2021 will also be able to benefit from this support. The differentiated income is determined according to the type of family/household and is described in the ordinance for the target heating aid.
Applications for this assistance were submitted by 23 November, and it is possible to do so online. The application declares the income from April to September, and official income notes must be attached to it. It is recommended that applicants indicate a bank account, as the amount will be paid once in December. From 09.12.2021 to 23.12.2021 in the post offices of Bulgarian Posts EAD will be paid a one-time financial assistance for heating of persons and families from vulnerable groups.
The government has allocated BGN 15 million for this measure, and it is expected that these funds will be used to support 50,000 households. For all the help, see the website of the Social Assistance Agency.
26.11.2021
THE THIRD DOSE OF VACCINE WILL BE MANDATORY FOR TRAVEL TO THE EU
The European Commission has announced new rules for travel between EU countries, according to which the third dose of vaccine will soon become mandatory for green certificates to be valid. To this end, the validity of existing certificates has been extended from 6 to 9 months in order to enable countries to provide a booster dose of those already vaccinated over the next three months. Once it is given, the new certificate will not expire, but Brussels reserves the right to introduce it once scientific evidence is available that the effectiveness of the vaccine declines beyond the third dose.
Citizens without vaccination will have to take a test immediately before departure and after arrival, and will be quarantined regardless of the result if they come from countries in the dark red zone. So far, more than 650 million certificates have been issued in the EU.
In the weeks before Christmas, Europe is facing a new pandemic wave, and each country's attempts to curb the spread of the infection have built an entire Tower of Babel of measures that differ not only from country to country but also across the border and inland. from countries. In practice, there are currently 3 different requirements regimes in place in many places, and restrictions are expected to be tightened everywhere in the coming days. The measures are different, but the direction is the same - tightening the hoop around the unvaccinated and including the booster dose in the certificates.
At foreign borders
A green certificate of completion of a vaccination, illness or negative test is still sufficient for travel to most countries in Europe. In the coming days, however, this may change as more and more countries impose stricter restrictions. And at the moment some countries have additional requirements for those arriving from Bulgaria.
France has been monitoring our country for a month and requires those who have not been vaccinated or who have been ill to have a test done up to 24 hours before departure, and not, as usual, up to 72 or 48 hours earlier. From December 15, the country introduces an additional condition for people vaccinated with "Jansen" aged 65 and over - they must have a booster dose to receive a valid Covid certificate.
For a month now, Bulgaria has been a risk region for Germany, which requires quarantine from people without vaccination/illness (with the right to cancel).
Austria is blocking tourist travel at least until December 13, as it is in full lockdown. Italy, Spain and Portugal currently accept the usual three options - illness, vaccination or a negative test. In Italy, however, the list of countries is due to be revised on 15 December.
The UK has a completely different system, requiring even vaccinated people to have a reserved test with a private company, which must be done by the end of the second day of arrival. For people without a completed vaccination course, there are three tests - one within 72 hours before arrival and two more PCR tests on the second and eighth day after arrival.
26.11.2021
INCREASING FINANCIAL LITERACY IS OUR NATIONAL PRIORITY
"Improving the financial well-being of Bulgarian citizens by increasing financial literacy is our national priority." With these words, the Deputy Minister of Finance Monika Dimitrova-Beecher opened the Annual Meeting on Financial Literacy within the Joint Project of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the Ministry of Finance of the Netherlands in the field of financial literacy.
According to him, Bulgaria is a participating country. Our country co-hosted the event together with the OECD and the Ministry of Finance of the Netherlands, which was held online under the title "Consumer Finance and Financial Literacy in the Digital Age - Opportunities and Challenges for Southeast Europe". In her welcome address, Deputy Minister Beecher said that the rapid development of technology and digitalisation, as well as the pandemic, have changed our lives and the way we perceive the world. "Consumers today have unlimited remote access to financial services and these opportunities have their challenges, which include the need to better address risks in the digital environment. "Digitalization and education must go hand in hand, which will allow us to be more flexible," she said. Thanks to all parties involved, the National Financial Literacy Strategy and its Action Plan (2021-2025) were adopted by the Council of Ministers earlier this year. "We know that we face the most difficult and responsible task - the effective implementation of the Strategy and measures in the Plan," said Deputy Minister Beecher.
The event was also opened by Flor-Ann Messi, Deputy Director of the OECD's Financial and Corporate Affairs Directorate and Executive Secretary of the OECD's International Financial Education Network (OECD/INFE). "Digitization is leading to a rapid change that we can call a revolution. We need to use digitalisation and digital distribution channels as tools to support many complementary goals and make financial education more efficient, flexible and tailored to the needs of citizens,” she said.
The joint project of the OECD and the Ministry of Finance of the Netherlands in the field of financial literacy aims to provide technical support for the development and implementation of effective initiatives in the field of financial education and literacy adapted to the specific needs of the participating countries. The other goal is to encourage the sharing of knowledge and good practices between beneficiaries. Bulgaria participates in the project with six other countries - Romania, Croatia, the Republic of Northern Macedonia, Montenegro, Moldova and Georgia, and the project coordinator for our country is the Ministry of Finance, to which an Interdepartmental Working Group has been formed. It includes representatives of government institutions, supervisors and non-governmental organizations responsible for the preparation and implementation of the national strategy in the field.
26.11.2021
WHAT THEY DECIDED ON THE MINIMUM WAGE, MATERNITY AND PENSIONS NEXT YEAR
The budget for 2022 must ensure that pensioners from 1 January next year will not receive a lower pension than they currently receive. From now on, the minimum wage will be determined as a percentage of the average, and the maternity benefit in the second year for 2022 will be the same as the minimum wage. The parties, which are discussing measures in the field of labor and social policy, have united around this.
The moderator of the discussion Asen Vasilev summarizes the proposals of all participants in the discussion.
From December 25, important changes enter the pension system - the percentage per year of insurance, without the so-called conversion, increases from 1.2 to 1.35. With this, the pensions will increase, but probably next year the supplement of BGN 120 will be dropped. It must be ensured that there will be no pensioner with a lower pension than the one he currently receives, all parties believe. All pensions will follow the indexation under the Swiss rule.
The parties propose to make a full analysis of the pension system within six months in order to fairly index pensions and create a new update mechanism that is sustainable over time. The proposals of the BSP for recalculation of the pensions with average insurance income for 2018 were discussed again, as well as an update every five years, which is requested by the ITN.
The minimum wage must be a percentage of the average, in accordance with the European directive, and the directive stipulates that the minimum wage be 50 percent of the average. According to the parties, this is difficult to achieve from 2022, but the goal is to achieve it by the end of the mandate. A mechanism for its determination will be developed, and the state, trade unions and employers will participate in the development.
The maximum insurance income will be increased, there must be a ceiling, but the maximum insurance income will be determined as a coefficient to the average salary, the parties decided. Linking the minimum unemployment benefit to the minimum wage after consultation with the social partners is also proposed by the political forces.
Legislative regulation of telework will be made.
The parties want motherhood in 2022 for the second year to be as much as the minimum wage. A discussion has arisen as to whether working mothers should receive the same amount in the second year as the unemployed, and the thesis of the representatives of "Democratic Bulgaria" is that the money should be the same for both working and non-working, as most children in kindergarten of working mothers from the big cities, they cannot get into either a state or a private nursery and the parents pay over BGN 700 per month for the care of the children.
The parties also united on the topic of state kindergartens and kindergartens being free for children. There will be a voucher system to support parents with unaccepted children from the age of ten months. It is also envisaged to expand the possibility for alternative care for children when there are qualified care specialists, as there is currently a problem with the lack of places to build kindergartens.
The focus of the financial resource must be on expanding the seats. Elisaveta Belobradova from "Democratic Bulgaria" pointed out that currently the mothers are planning the birth of a second child so that he can use the advantage of the first when applying for kindergarten. She warned that a caesarean section had even been performed a month earlier to include the children in the ranking, which gave them an advantage.
ITN asked the measures for the kindergartens to be in the context of the regional policy, not to concentrate families with children only in Sofia.
The scope of energy assistance will be expanded, energy poverty will be defined. It is expected that the possibility for deferred payment of bills will be introduced. A minimum wage will also be given to the self-employed in areas unable to work due to restrictive measures. Antiquity measures to help employers will continue next year.
26.11.2021
THEY LAUNCH CHEAP LOANS FOR RURAL COMPANIES
The Fund of Funds has entered into an agreement with First Investment Bank (Fibank) for the management of the financial instrument "Rural Financing".
The funds are provided by the Rural Development Program 2014-2020 (RDP), through the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and amount to BGN 38 million. The financial institution selected by the Fund of Funds is expected to add as much private capital to the public resource, so that the total amount of loans will exceed BGN 70 million.
The instrument is aimed at farmers and small and medium-sized enterprises developing business in rural areas, who will have the opportunity to benefit from funding under the instrument until 31 December 2023.
The loans will be provided for agricultural and non-agricultural activities in rural areas to increase the competitiveness of the agricultural sector, as well as to promote social inclusion and support for the sustainable development of agricultural holdings.
The instrument will cover both new stand-alone investments and grants to co-finance projects supported by grants with the following funding characteristics:
- low-interest loans in EUR or BGN under favorable conditions for investment purposes and working capital, which complement the investment and are related to it;
- amount of investment loans up to BGN 2 million. Complementary working capital financing up to the higher of the following values: 30% of the total investment to the respective final recipient or BGN 391,166, in compliance with the requirements and restrictions for state aid;
- repayment period up to 10 years;
- low interest rates on the financing, as no interest and management fee will be charged on the RDP funds;
- low requirement for deductible of the final recipient.
After the signing, the product will be structured under the Rural Financing Instrument by First Investment Bank and its active supply to final recipients will start.
