VIDEO. Smic, taxes, health, waste ... What changes on January 1st

Plastic cotton swabs will be banned from sale in 2020. - Pixabay

Something new for 2020. Between lower income tax, exemption from housing tax or ban on plastic cotton swabs ... We will sum up everything that changes on January 1st.

(Slight) increase in the minimum wage and protection of employees

The hourly Smic goes from 10.03 to 10.15 euros gross and the monthly Smic from 1.204 to 1.219 euros net, or 15 euros more per month for the 2.3 million beneficiaries. Another measure for the company: in structures with more than 11 employees, economic and social advice (CSE) becomes compulsory. Since the adoption of the reform of the labor code in 2017, 50,000 CSEs have been implemented, according to the Ministry of Labor.

Finally, the apprenticeship training centers (CFA) will no longer be funded by the regions but by the professional branches and according to the number of young people under contract, as part of the “Avenir Pro” reform of 2018, which had the object of a standoff between employers and the regions, who wished to retain this competence.

News for taxes

Income tax must go down. This is a key promise from President Macron to "yellow vests": this drop of five billion euros will translate into an average annual gain of 350 euros for the 12 million households in the first tranche and 180 euros for the five million of the second tranche. At the same time, 80% of households will be completely exempt from housing tax on January 1. For the others, the elimination is spread over three years.

Childminders, like home helpers, will now be subject to withholding tax. It is the individual employer who will be responsible for implementing this, on the site monprelevementalasource.urssaf.fr.

Good news, finally, the abolition of 18 low-yield taxes comes into effect. This concerns the tax on commercial travelers, the geothermal charge or the solidarity contribution on wheat and barley.

The “Macron premium” renewed

The tax-free bonus for employees (known as the “Macron bonus”) is renewed but subject to the conclusion of a profit-sharing agreement in the company. Another measure: the alignment of the relief of contributions from creators of micro-enterprises (self-entrepreneurs) with those of other entrepreneurs, with a reduction of only 50% in the first year instead of three declining years (-75% to -25 %).

SNCF transforms

This is the end of an era: new SNCF recruits will no longer be able to benefit from the status of railway worker, which will continue to apply to the 131,000 people who currently benefit from it. In addition, the public rail group (GPF), built with three public industrial and commercial establishments or Epic (leading Epic, SNCF Mobilités and SNCF Réseau), becomes the unified public group (GPU), consisting of five public limited companies public capital.

Medicine and pharmacy

Homeopathic products will be reimbursed by the Social Security up to 15% (against 30% previously), before a total reimbursement from 2021. Second measure: the "angina tests" can be performed by pharmacists and not only by doctors . These tests make it possible to know if the angina is due to a virus or a bacterium, and therefore to avoid the prescription of antibiotics in the first case.

It is also the entry into force of the full reimbursement of certain glasses, dental prostheses and hearing aids. Finally, the defibrillator becomes mandatory for establishments receiving the public (ERP) of category 1 to 3, that is to say those accommodating more than 300 people.

Energy renovation of buildings

Low-income households can benefit from a premium paid by the National Housing Agency (ANAH) as soon as they start energy renovation and energy saving works for their housing.

Tobacco prices on the rise

The price of the pack of 20 cigarettes goes to 9.10 or 9.20 euros depending on the brand.

Beware of waste

Cotton swabs for household use with plastic rod are prohibited for sale.

Controversial court reorganization

This is one of the main measures of the justice reform promulgated in March: the controversial merger of the district and high courts comes into force. Local courts par excellence, dealing with small daily disputes, the magistrates' courts disappear and will either be grouped with the TGI within “judicial courts”, or will become separate chambers of these courts. Fighted by the unions of magistrates and by the lawyers, this reorganization aims to create for the litigant a “single entry door to justice”, with the promise that no site will close.

Politics

Housing tax: Departments denounce the "government monologue"