2023-08-28 05:58:06
Extension of the waiting period for sick leave, which could be borne by employers, increase in taxes on heavy vehicles, plane tickets or motorway companies, questioning of tax relief on diesel non-road, postponement of the abolition of the contribution on the added value of companies (CVAE): the government’s avenues for completing the 2024 budget do not fail to worry companies, who see in it so many signs of a questioning supply policy.
The word of Patrick Martin, the new president of the Medef, who returns to school on Monday August 28 and Tuesday August 29 on the occasion of the Meeting of French Entrepreneurs (REF), meeting at the Longchamp racecourse in Paris, is therefore expected. “He will fight to maintain the supply policy, which seems to be marking time”we explain to Medef.
Thursday, during his political return to Haute-Savoie, the Minister of the Economy Bruno Le Maire nevertheless wanted to be reassuring. « You can count on us, we will not deviate an inch from the only economic policy that has given the best results that France has known for forty years: theic of the offer”, he assured.
“We want to see clearly what is going to happen”
For his seventh budget in a row, a record under the Fifth Republic, the Minister of Finance is however faced with an unprecedented situation, with a degraded French debt rating and ten-year interest rates which have passed the bar of 3.25%, with the risk of seeing the debt service increase from 30 to 71 billion euros per year. At the same time, signs that the economy is weakening point to weaker-than-expected revenues.
Hence the decision to postpone once again the abolition of the last installment of the CVAE scheduled for this year. Even cleverly camouflaged in respect, at the end of the five-year term, of a promise, this postponement goes badly among companies. « In 2024, compared to the commitments made, companies would thus see themselves punctured by an additional 3 billion. estimates the Confederation of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (CPME).
“This will affect the entire economic fabric, worries Khalil Mouna, founder of Gleeph, a social network based on reading. Even a small company like mine – which, with less than €500,000 in turnover, does not pay CVAE – will be affected, because such a decision will put a brake on investors. » Present Monday and Tuesday at the REF, he therefore expects politicians who will parade there “real information” : “We want to see clearly what is going to happen. »
“Giving businesses leeway”
The theme of the meeting, “Tomorrow never dies”, is however resolutely optimistic. “Entrepreneurs are people who take risks, recalls the Medef. We want to emphasize that the worst is never certain. » Particularly on the climate issue, the new president, Patrick Martin, having made “responsible growth” one of his campaign themes.
“We must continue to give companies room for maneuver so that they have the means to invest in decarbonization technologies”, we insist at the Medef, where we estimate, with the Rexecode institute, at 40 billion euros per year the additional cost of the ecological transition for companies. Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne, Monday at the opening, then Bruno Le Maire, Tuesday noon, will therefore have a lot to do to convince scalded entrepreneurs that there will be no turning back in tax policy.
“We need stability”
“We need a medium and long term economic and ecological policy, and above all not stop and go permanent », insists Julien Guez, director general of the National Federation of Public Works, who is worried about the announced disappearance of the tax advantage on non-road diesel. If the sector is ready to accept it, it would like it to be progressive and linear, accompanied by a real policy for the development of biofuels. “What we need is stability and predictability,” persists the management representative.
“We must pay attention to what the employers’ organizations say, judge the deputy Renaissance Marc Ferracci. Regardless of the level of direct debits, it is above all stability that companies need. » This does not prevent the restless Macronist deputy from questioning the relevance of certain aid to businesses. “We must always assess the various expenses and tax loopholes, he explains. But we must also give companies visibility and give them time to adapt. »
With his socialist colleague Jérôme Guedj, he is currently looking into the reduction of 1.8 points in social security contributions on wages between 2.5 and 3.5 smics. “Today there is a scientific consensus to say that this does not have much effect on employment or to support the competitiveness of companies, he judges. If it had to be abolished, I would be in favor of its recovery, for example, to lower the CVAE or other production taxes. »
“We must rebuild the industrial fabric”
All the business leaders present at Longchamp are not however worried about a tax reversal and welcome the government’s efforts to free up the means for a more ecological industrial policy.
“We have chosen to produce in France, but we see how the industrial fabric is still damaged there, emphasizes Alexandre Vinot, co-founder of Hestiia, a start-up that offers innovative heating based on recycled electronic cards. We have to tackle training topics and rebuild this industrial fabric. »
The young entrepreneur nevertheless regrets that his competitors “much more polluting” benefit from state aid “strengthen their margins”. “It’s unfair competition”he regrets, while also pleading for a long-term vision: “When you build a factory, it’s for fifty years: by this yardstick, short-term policies don’t help much. »
——
Medef invites religions
With a program aimed at projecting itself into the future, during its Meeting of French Entrepreneurs, the Medef wished to question religious leaders. Sister Nathalie Becquart, Under-Secretary of the Synod of Bishops, Mgr Matthieu Rougé, Bishop of Nanterre, the Chief Rabbi of France Haïm Korsia, the liberal imam Kahina Bahloul and the philosopher Frédéric Lenoir were invited to debate from the second round table of the Monday August 28. “It will be a conversation around faith in a context of competition between religions and other forms of spirituality, summarizes Vincent de Bernardi, director of communication for the employers’ organization. The idea is to see how religions can help people live better in this period of uncertainty. »
#bosses #worry #higher #taxes