"
For sale
", "
closed
", "
liquidation
"... These symbolic signs of dormant territories, which have become frequent on the front of shops in downtown rural areas, are in the sights of the executive.
This Wednesday, the government announced a new program "
to recover rural trade
", which should support the opening of new activities in these territories.
The observation is well known: in rural areas, businesses have been suffering or even disappearing for many years.
“
More than 21,000 municipalities have no shops, ie 62% of French municipalities against 25% in 1980
”, points out the government in a press release, based on INSEE data.
However, the abolition of these activities weakens the other professions established on the same territory, as well as the quality of life of the inhabitants and the attractiveness of the surrounding municipalities.
A reality regretted by local elected officials, recalled by the movement of "
yellow vests
" in its time, and against which successive governments have multiplied plans, such as Action heart of the city, launched in 2018.
Read alsoThe ways to revitalize city centers
Carried by the Minister Delegate in charge of SMEs, Olivia Grégoire – who is traveling in Cantal this Thursday to unveil the plan -, and her counterpart in charge of Local Authorities, Dominique Faure, the “recovery program” must therefore reverse the
trend
.
In concrete terms, this aims to encourage new businesses to set up in rural areas, by providing them with funds to acquire premises, fit them out, carry out work if necessary and set up the business.
The program will be endowed with an envelope of twelve million euros for 2023: the State will provide aid "
for the installation in rural areas of sedentary multi-service shops as well as itinerant shops making it possible to serve several rural municipalities, with aid for I'
“, Details the executive.
This “
will make it possible to support trade, whether permanent or itinerant
”, summarizes the cabinet of Olivia Grégoire.
Many types of shops are envisaged, adds the entourage of the minister delegate, whether it is a grocery store, a bakery or another activity such as a multi-service shop, but not the aesthetics, nor the hairdressing.
“
We listened to local elected officials, who asked us to be pragmatic
,” we note.
Similarly, the municipalities concerned are not defined by a number of inhabitants, but rather by the presence or absence of businesses on the territory.
Up to 80,000 euros provided
The amount of aid varies according to the type of business: for sedentary people, the acquisition of the premises and the works will be covered at 50%, "
within a limit of 50,000 euros
" to which an additional 20,000 euros may be added to fit out premises and purchase equipment.
This sum may even reach 25,000 euros "
if the project is of particular interest in terms of sustainable development, or an innovative character in its economic model
", such as operating in a short circuit or if it proposes to integrate disadvantaged populations.
For itinerant shops, the amount is set at "
50% of investment expenditure [...], within a limit of 20,000 euros
".
Finally, budding traders will be able to benefit from 5,000 euros more to request “
support services
”, to design and operate their project.
The sums cannot be used for operating expenses or the purchase of stocks.
In addition, the projects may be public or private, but they must be supported by the local municipality in the second case.
A counter will be opened at the departmental prefectures on March 1: project leaders must report there, "
after having read the selection and eligibility criteria
" on the Bercy or Agence Nationale de la territorial cohesion.
The selection will be made by the ministries, “
on a case-by-case basis, depending on the conviction of the project leaders
” and the solidity of the project, but the executive also wants to keep a logic of territorial balance.
It would also be better to have the support of local elected officials and propose an activity that meets the needs of the municipality where it is located, to “
ensure that the project comes to an end
”.
Read alsoLocal shops: Country counters to bring villages back to life
A “
first round of file selection
” is expected in early May, in order to provide funds in time for work to be launched this summer in the businesses concerned.
Thanks to the opening of new permanent businesses and other itinerant ones, the executive hopes to improve the daily life of the “
inhabitants of 1000 municipalities
” across France.
It remains to be seen whether the activities will manage to hold their own, in sometimes isolated territories, and in a context of massive inflation.
For its part, Olivia Grégoire's firm is confident, recalling that multi-service businesses are competitive and attractive to local populations.