Margaux Fodéré / Photo credit: MAGALI COHEN / HANS LUCAS / HANS LUCAS VIA AFP 6:45 a.m., February 20, 2024

In 2024, five public organizations will concentrate more than half of the 35 billion in subsidies paid by the State. If the government assures that all operators will contribute to the savings plan, some have more room for maneuver than others.

The State goes on a diet. The government plans to make 10 billion euros in savings to restore the trajectory of public finances. Everyone will be involved: ministries, agents, but also state operators. There are more than 400 of them, including the best known France Travail, the former Pôle emploi. They receive more than 80 billion euros of public money, notably in subsidies and taxes, and will have to contribute up to one billion euros. Savings that will affect many areas, because their scope of action is vast.

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There is the National Forestry Office for the management of public woods, the CNRS for scientific research, and Business France, in charge of public aid to businesses.

Five operators concentrate more than 50% of subsidies

Bercy assures that they will all contribute to the extent of their capacity, but some have more room for maneuver than others, underlines François Ecalle, specialist in public finances. “For 2024, the total state subsidies are 35 billion. There are 12 billion for Universities, 3 billion for the CNRS, 2.5 billion for France Compétences, 1.5 billion for the CEA and 1.3 billion for Pôle Emploi. So with these 5 operators, we have more than half of the State subsidies", he explains at the microphone of Europe 1.

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France Skills in the government’s sights

The government has already confirmed the participation of France Compétences in this vast savings plan, for 200 million euros. “In Frances Compétences expenses, learning aid for example is not necessarily all justified. It is not necessarily necessary to subsidize higher education students,” explains François Ecalle. According to the General Inspectorate of Finance, operators totaled more than 55 billion euros in cash at the end of 2022.