Iago Negueruela, Balearics minister for the economic model, tourism and employment. | Govern Illes Balears

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The Balearic government has asked the national employment ministry to extend ERTE conditions that are linked to the coronavirus crisis. The government wants an extension until at least the end of June and to the end of October for the most affected sectors of the economy, e.g. tourism.

On Friday, the regional minister for the economic model, tourism and employment, Iago Negueruela, restated government forecasts of a 30% decline in Balearics GDP this year and of a similar fall in employment. Special treatment for the tourism sector was therefore justified.

The argument for an extension of ERTE until end-October is that it provides protection for companies affected by travel restrictions. The Balearic government would also like "internal flexibility" with ERTEs, both force majeure and productive, for companies which decide to restart activity but are then forced to have to close again.

In addition, the Spanish government is being asked for 100% social security discounts for companies and for these to be expanded in the case of businesses in the tourism industry so long as their activities don't resume. Finally, the regional government wants the processing of ERTEs for productive reasons to be simplified and sped up.

All these various measures, Negueruela said, should be adopted as soon as possible in order to create a "framework of trust" for workers and companies in the tourism sector.