According to a proposal introduced by outgoing federal minister of farming and the self-employed, Sabine Laruelle, the system would provide coverage for small businesses in the event of prolonged illness and maternity leave. In 2008, there were 18,552 cases of self-employed business people experiencing prolonged illness and another 5,422 cases of business owners on maternity leave.

Under Flying Entrepreneurs, they could make use of a temporary replacement – another experienced business person available to step in for up to 30 days because their own business could afford to spare them, for instance, or drawn from the ranks of the retired.

Candidate replacements sign up to a register, and business owners who require a replacement choose someone, then discuss contract terms. The system was first launched as a pilot project in 2004 by Unizo, the organisation that represents the self-employed.

“It’s a positive sign that the government is willing to extend the system,” said a Unizo spokesperson. “However, businesses at present still have no replacements available.” The system should have come into force on 1 July, but, because of the fall of the government, the elections and the continuing uncertainty of coalitionforming negotiations, that deadline was not met.

The barriers to introducing the system include a lack of necessary legislative instruments, clear rules on the liability of the replacement entrepreneur and payments to be made to social security. Most importantly, at this point no action has been taken to recruit potential flying entrepreneurs.