The government will exempt 3 billion euros from payroll taxes for companies in sectors particularly affected by the consequences of the health crisis, such as catering, tourism, culture or sport, Gérald Darmanin announced on Sunday.
Outside these sectors, companies having seen their social contributions deferred will be able to spread their payment over a period of up to 36 months, specified the Minister of Action and Public Accounts during the broadcast of The Grand Jury RTL-Le Figaro -LCI.
These new measures represent "3 billion cancellation of charges decided by the President of the Republic, in the sector of tourism, arts and entertainment, catering, hotels, culture, sport, and for all those who have seen their charges carried over, the spread over 36 months, "detailed Gérald Darmanin.
Priority companies
According to Bercy, two cases are therefore concerned by this battery of measures, in the first place "companies to which the State has asked to close or whose activity has been strongly prevented, such as restaurants, hotels or hairdressers".
"Small businesses (up to 250 employees for the tourism, hotel, culture, events and up to 10 employees for those closed until May 11 such as hairdressers) sectors in these sectors will be entitled to an exemption from employer charges for the period during which they were forced to close, "said the ministry.
This period is four months for the tourism, events, catering or hotel sector, and three for "those who were able to resume normal activity on May 12 such as hairdressers".
Spread over 36 months
"These tax exemptions represent 3 billion euros and will affect nearly 500,000 companies," further detailed the ministry.
And on the other hand, "all the other companies will be able to benefit from long staggering, up to 36 months, to pay the charges that had been carried over," according to Bercy.
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Since the start of the economic storm caused by the new coronavirus health crisis, the government has stepped up measures to try to help businesses get over it.
Solidarity funds, loans guaranteed by the state, partial unemployment: in total, the executive has deployed 450 billion euros in state aid and guarantees, according to the Minister of Economy Bruno Le Maire.
Several systems in place
Since March 15, companies in difficulty had the possibility of postponing the date of payment of their social contributions by three months, without penalty. Very requested, these postponements amounted to 17 billion euros in early May, previously reported Gérald Darmanin. This provisional assessment concerns the social contributions of the general, agricultural and Agirc-Arcco schemes.
On the tax side, companies can also request the deferral of corporate tax or payroll taxes from the Directorate General of Public Finance (Dgfip).
The government had already announced that the charges for companies with less than 10 employees who had been subject to an administrative closure since March 15 were canceled.