For Bruno Le Maire, “every euro counts”.

At the opening in the Senate of the debates on purchasing power, the minister recalled his desire to limit the additional cost of Parliament's contributions to the first package of measures submitted to the senators to 700 million euros in total.

The Senate began Thursday the examination in first reading of the bill "on emergency measures for the protection of purchasing power", then will tackle from Monday the amending finance bill for 2022. the first package of measures, the Minister of the Economy called on the senators to "be careful that each euro is well used", stressing that "the restoration of French public finances is not negotiable".

5% public deficit

The changes made to the text in the National Assembly have incurred “350 million euros in additional expenditure”, he indicated, wishing a “comparable” amount for the additional expenditure which will be voted in the Senate.

"Which would bring us to a purchasing power package which would increase from 20 billion to 20 billion and 700 million euros in additional expenditure", a figure "which allows us to maintain our 5% public deficit in 2022".

The rectified draft budget opens up 44 billion euros in credits, including 9.7 to finance the 100% renationalization of EDF.

The “fundamental” valuation of work

The Minister also set out "the main political lines at the heart of this purchasing power bill: the question of energy, which is essential, the promotion of work, which is absolutely fundamental, the protection of local communities in the face of inflation ".

It provides for a series of measures including the tripling of up to 6,000 euros of the tax-free premiums that companies can pay to their employees (extension until December 31, 2023 of the “Macron bonus”);

a 4% increase in retirement pensions and several allowances (family, social minima) with retroactive effect from July 1, 2022;

the deconjugalization of the disabled adult allowance (AAH);

as well as various measures to deal with the risks of energy shortages.

Reduction of employer contributions

Regarding the changes made to the text in committee, the Minister of Labor Olivier Dussopt indicated that the government would propose to return to "a lasting system for all companies" of the "value sharing premium".

The senators limited it to the end of December 2023, except for companies with fewer than 50 employees.

Another "point of divergence" raised by Olivier Dussopt, the reduction of employers' contributions for overtime, proposed by the senators.

Economy

"We stayed within the budget envelope" on purchasing power, rejoices Bruno Le Maire

Policy

Purchasing power: MEPs approve the second set of measures

  • Economy

  • Bruno the Mayor

  • purchasing power

  • Senate