A shop in France (illustrative image).

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Bob Edme / AP / SIPA

Federations of traders, anticipating "heavy and late steps" to request authorization to open on Sunday in January, regretted that the government did not make this opening automatic, in a statement Monday.

These federations "deplore the choice of the Minister of Labor not to make" automatic "the authorizations for Sunday opening of shops in January and during the sales period", which begin on January 20.

Exemptions on January 10 and 17

"Such a decision forces professional organizations and traders who so wish to take cumbersome and late procedures with the prefectures to request an exemption from the Sunday rest for employees", further deplore Alliance du Commerce de center-ville, the National Council of Centers sales representatives (CNCC), the Federation of Cooperative and Associated Commerce (FCA) or the Federation for the Promotion of Specialized Commerce (Procos).

In their eyes, it is "incumbent" on the government to "ensure that traders can open sales on Sundays in addition to the exemptions that had been granted by the mayors for Sundays January 10 and 17".

"We have different situations depending on the outcome of the consultations" with communities and social partners in the departments, Elisabeth Borne explained the previous week on Franceinfo.

"In most cases, we will open as we do every year for Sunday sales, so the last two Sundays in January."

The municipalities also have at their disposal "the twelve Sundays of the mayor" per year.

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