The Clermont-Ferrand administrative court, seized Thursday in summary by the CGT of Puy-de-Dôme, suspended from Monday, because of the health risk, the prefectural decree of December 30 authorizing the shops of the department to open the Sundays in January.
Read also: Traders not sure to open on Sundays in January
In the context of the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, the court estimated Saturday in its order that this Sunday opening of shops risked "
de facto increasing the days of circulation and therefore of contamination by the virus, even though the official sales period does not begin until January 20
”.
By authorizing it, "
the prefect of Puy-de-Dôme has violated the right to life, the right to rest for employees and the health protection of the population
", underlines the court order. of which AFP has obtained a copy.
Openings decided by the departments
Traditionally, the opening of businesses on Sundays may be authorized during the sales period.
The order of the prefect of Puy-de-Dôme Philippe Chopin dated December 30 provided for the opening of certain shops on January 3, 10, 17, 24, 31.
The prefecture recalled the next day in a press release that this decree had two objectives: to avoid a large influx of people in shops and on the public highway and to allow traders, hard hit by the financial crisis, to limit their losses.
Asked by AFP, the prefecture of Puy-de-Dôme said Sunday that it did not intend to react "
at this stage
" to the order of the administrative court.
Labor Minister Élisabeth Borne had specified in early January that this opening of shops on Sundays in January would be decided in the departments, after consultation with communities and social partners, and "
without automaticity
".
