When leasing commercial real estate, the need to apply for a business licence may arise.
What is the fate of the business licence for merchants nearing retirement?
Through the scrapping of the business licence, shopkeepers can receive monthly compensation up to 3 years before the retirement date.
This measure, originally provided for by Legislative Decree 207/1996 on a temporary basis, was definitively stabilised by the 2019 Finance Act.
In particular, the indemnity is granted to persons who carry out, as owners or assistants*, fixed premises retail business activities, even alongside activities of serving food and beverages to the public, both on public areas (even if itinerant) and private areas, and who have definitively ceased their business activities since 1 January 2019.
The compensation is financed through the additional contribution rate of 0.09% and is granted within the limits of the resources of the Fund established for the Management of Social Security Contributions and Benefits for Commercial Activity Operators.
Let's see, in detail, what are the modalities to access the scrapping.
* The coadjutor is the individual (natural person) who carries out his activity in favour of the owner of a sole proprietorship, family business or partner.
The helper is linked to the owner by a relationship of kinship or affinity up to the third degree.
BENEFICIARIES
Individuals or partners as well as representatives or commercial agents who, as of 1 January 2019, were already in possession of the following requirements are eligible for compensation:
a) over 57 (women) or 62 years of age (men);
b) seniority (as owner or assistant) at the time of cessation of activity of at least 5 years of registration with the Management of Contributions and Social Security Benefits for Commercial Businesses at the National Social Security Institute (INPS).
CONDITIONS FOR PAYMENT
The payment of the indemnity is subject to the following conditions:
a) definitive cessation of commercial activity as of 1 January 2019;
b) return of the authorisation to carry out the commercial activity and of the licence to serve food and beverages to the public, if the latter is exercised jointly with the retail trade activity;
c) deletion of the holder of the activity from the Trade Register and the Register of Companies at the Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Crafts and Agriculture.
DURATION AND MODALITIES OF PAYMENT
For the year 2019, the monthly indemnity amounts to € 513.01.
The period of enjoyment of the indemnity is useful only for the purposes of obtaining the right to a pension.
With regard to the amount, the indemnity equals the minimum pension treatment provided for members of the INPS Contributions and Benefits Management for commercial activities.
It is disbursed by INPS in the same manner and at the same frequency as for traders' pension benefits.
The benefit is payable from the first day of the month following the month in which the application is submitted until the month in which the beneficiary reaches the age of 65 years, if a man, or 60 years, if a woman.
The benefit is incompatible with any self-employment or employment activity.
The application can be submitted telematically through the service available on the INPS website or through patronages.
