One is that, as a trading nation, growth in our major markets is a vital national interest to us. The second is that events abroad can provide pointers to the impact of Covid-19 and how to try to respond. In this light, recent news from the EU’s largest economy, Germany, could be interpreted in a glass half full or half empty fashion. The decision to extent the Kurzarbeit scheme – which subsidises the wages of employees put on short-time work – is interesting. Irish officials are looking at a similar proposal for here, once the existing wage subsidy scheme runs outs next April.

Source: The Irish Times August 26, 2020 18:56 UTC