France facing many post-corona challenges

Hamburg News: What is the greatest corona-induced change or transformation in France?

Scriba: I can only speak of my own experience in Paris. During the curfew, I experienced a new form of neighbourly closeness and solidarity e.g. the shopping aids for the elderly, pop-up boards for the homeless or local initiatives against domestic violence. This is really special, especially for a city like Paris, where things are usually quite anonymous.

Hamburg News:  What creative ideas have emerged from the pandemic?

Scriba: The curfew has made people inventive. Several physical and digital measures have been created in terms of culture e.g. choirs in backyards, balcony concerts or the Paris Opera Ballet Company dancing at home to thank doctors and nurses. Many restaurants switched quickly to an out-of-home or delivery service, while the retail trade was active via the "click&collect" offer.

Hamburg News: Has digitalisation benefited the most from the situation?

Scriba:  Indeed, daily life in France whether it's work, education, relations with our neighbours, services and cultural activities has gone largely digital owing to the pandemic.

Digital transformation, especially teleworking, has become a must for traditional industries. Telemedicine was widely used in the French health sector before the pandemic and has been taken a step farther due to corona, e.g. tele-consultations are now fully reimbursed by French health insurers. Last but not least, the traditional Paris Fashion Week will be held online this summer. Both the major fashion houses and new labels will present their collections on digital platforms.

Hamburg News:  What future topics are being debated in France at present?

Scriba: The outstanding success of the Green Party in this year's local elections has shown that fighting climate change is one of the key issues of the future. In addition to many challenges, life in the cities needs to become more sustainable and more liveable. The city of Paris has already launched several initiatives to combat pollution. Car traffic has been calmed in many places, verdant spaces have been created and urban agricultural projects such as rooftop gardens have been initiated. Even during the months of public transport strikes at the end of 2019, many Parisians switched to cycling - and the corona pandemic has boosted this trend. Since mid-May, 50 km/h of additional cycle paths have been created in Paris alone.

Hamburg News: Paris overtook Berlin as a start-up city in 2019 and now ranks second to London. President Emmanuel Marcon has earmarked EUR 4 billion to rescue young entrepreneurs. Can you put that in perspective?

Scriba: That's correct. One of Macron's priorities is to make France a leading centre of start-ups in Europe. To do so, he wants to lower bureaucratic hurdles for young entrepreneurs*, promote talent and reward investors with tax breaks. In summer 2017, the world's largest start-up campus called Station F opened in Paris. It brings together over 1,000 international fledgling companies, diverse start-ups and mentoring programmes and potential investors. However, the efforts to establish France as a tech nation are not limited to Paris, but encompass all regions. The recently-adopted rescue package aims to secure the liquidity of young companies e.g. with short-term loans and transitional financing.

Hamburg News: Are there other support measures in France?

Scriba:  Like everywhere else, the corona crisis has hit the cultural secotor and actors hard in France. The Minister of Culture promised an aid package of EUR 22 million early in the crisis. Workers in the cultural sector have a special "intermittent" status (similar to the KSK social security fund for artists in Germany) and special conditions and are covered by a state bridging allowance here. Cultural institutions and festivals do not have to repay the subsidies despite cancelled events. Unfortunately, a large number of freelance artists have not received state subsidies.

Hamburg News: The HamburgAmbassadors programme has begun funding its own projects. When will your proposed "Hamburg Short Film Night - A Wall is a Screen" project be executed?

Scriba:  We had planned to invite the Hamburg-based collective "A Wall is a Screen" to Paris in August as part of the open-air film festival. The group of artists projects short films onto the walls of buildings, thus opening up public spaces with the audience. However, the hygienic situation has forced us to find a new date with the local partners. This is challenging under the given circumstances, but I am optimistic that the event can take place in autumn.

Hamburg News: The corona crisis has prompted the globalized world to go local in Germany. Have you noticed that in France?

Scriba: The consumption of regional produce has risen sharply since the start of the curfew. More than one in five French people say they have changed their eating habits. Many regional producers offered a delivery service themselves during the crisis and many supermarkets switched to local produce.

Hamburg News: The corona crisis has led to a return to family in Germany. Has something similar happened in France?

Scriba: Yes, that tendency is noticeable in France also. The French are very family-orientated anyway. The demand for houses or apartments with gardens or balconies has increased and the pandemic may also have prompted some Parisians to turn their backs on the city and move to the countryside or to a smaller city with a higher standard of living. 

Hamburg News: Germany and Hamburg are looking forward to tourists from France again. How is the mood on the other side of the border?

Scriba: Tourism is one of the main pillars of the French economy. Forecasts for 2020 showed a surge in tourism in France before the crisis. But the pandemic is changing the situation. Many French people will probably spend their holidays in their own country - more than usual - this summer, despite the open borders.

Hamburg News:  Thank you for the interview Mrs Scriba.
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