At the beginning of each month, its share of changes. While the coronavirus epidemic seems to be under control in France for the time being, short-time working will enter a long-term system to help businesses still in difficulty. In addition, the regulation of rents, the price of gas and cigarettes will also experience some variations at the start of this summer. Overview of what will change for the French on July 1, 2020.
Read also: Hundreds of suspected partial unemployment fraud already
Partial unemployment enters a new phase
While 13.6 million French employees have been placed in emergency partial unemployment since the start of the health crisis, last March, this device will now enter a second phase, that of "activity partial long term ”(APLD). The challenge remains the same, namely to avoid job losses in the sectors most affected by the crisis. The remuneration, too, will be of the same nature, 84% of the net with a ceiling of 4.5 smics. Companies will be reimbursed up to 80%, or even 85% in the event of an agreement signed before October 1.
But the implementation is a little different from that which prevailed until then. Firstly, because the device will have to be the subject of a majority collective agreement within the company or the branch. Then because companies will have to maintain a level of activity of 60% minimum for each employee. Companies will be able to benefit from the device for 6 to 24 months.
Cigarette prices up ... or down
Admittedly, most cigarettes will see their prices unchanged on this first July, after reaching 10 euros, for some, last March. However, there are a few developments to note, both up and down. Thus packages like the Camel Shift will increase by 20 cents, to 9.80 euros. But others, like the Winston Connect Red 100's, will drop by 10 cents, to 9.4 euros. All of the price variations can be found here.
New ceilings for rent control in Paris
Since July 1, 2019, Paris had become the first city in France to reinstate rent controls. Admittedly the device, for lack of control, did not have the expected effect and many owners do not respect it. Despite everything, this framework remains in force and a decree of June 4 sets the new " reference rents " throughout the capital. Prices vary by district, building age, apartment size or specific location, and are available here.
See also: The American shale gas pioneer Chesapeake, bankrupt
Lower gas prices
On July 1, Engie's regulated prices will drop slightly, by 0.3%, compared to June, after a sharp drop of 3% last month. The health crisis had caused a dramatic drop in the price of gas, and this drop should have reached 5.1% normally for this month of July. But the government has decided to smooth this decline over the following months to avoid a too sudden recovery.
Low revaluation of unemployment benefits
At its meeting on June 30, " the Board of Directors of Unédic decided to increase unemployment benefits by 0.40%, " says Unédic on its website. This low revaluation follows another rather low increase of 0.70% last year. This increase concerns 92% of job seekers receiving unemployment insurance benefits on July 1, 2020, or 3 million people.
More specifically, the minimum allowance increases to € 29.38 per day, compared to € 29.26 currently. The cost for Unemployment Insurance for the second half of 2020 and the year 2021 is 130 million euros.
A bonus of 5,000 to 8,000 euros for companies that hire apprentices
From today, a bonus granted to companies for the hiring of apprentices is implemented. Announced a few weeks ago by the government and confirmed this week by Bruno Le Maire, this bonus will be 8,000 euros for the employment of an adult apprentice, and 5,000 euros for that of a minor apprentice. The measure will be extended to professionalization contracts, the Minister of Economy announced to deputies on Monday.
Read also: Volkswagen puts an end to partial unemployment in its German factories
Capped bank charges
Since Wednesday, certain bank charges will be reassessed in order to encourage the French to invest in business growth. Thus, the costs linked to investments in SMEs and mid-caps in a stock savings plan (PEA) will be capped at 150 euros.
Better information on the air
From today, “all radio equipment emitting more than 20 mW and intended to be used near the body” will be subject to new information obligations, limited until then only to mobile telephony devices. Thus, according to the press release from the National Frequency Agency (ANFR), all of this equipment must display the specific absorption rate (SAR), an index that assesses the power of the energy flow absorbed by the user. The values of the SAR must appear "in the instructions for use of the equipment whose date of first placing on the market is after July 1 as well as at the point of sale, in the immediate vicinity of the equipment concerned" , writes the ANFR.
