Emmanuel Macron had promised, Wednesday evening, a new device to support companies in the face of soaring energy prices, the Prime Minister, Élisabeth Borne, presented it this Thursday, October 27. Differentiated aid according to the size of the companies, but also their consumption.
Most very small businesses (TPE) with less than ten employees were already covered by the “tariff shield”, the extension of which has been announced for next year, with an increase contained at + 15% on gas and electricity. electricity next year. But there were holes in the racket. Some of them, which consume a lot of electricity, such as bakeries or delicatessens, could not benefit from it. They will therefore be integrated into a brand new system called “electricity damper” in force on 1 January next, which will also concern SMEs with more than ten employees.
Its principle? For each of these companies (but also local authorities, hospitals, universities and associations), the State will bear part of the 2023 electricity bill. Concretely, this bill will be divided in two. The first half will continue to be invoiced by suppliers at the regulated nuclear rate, which is very advantageous since it is sold by EDF at 42 euros per MWh (megawatt-hour).
The other half is based on electricity sold on wholesale markets, where prices have soared. On this part, the State undertakes to pay up to 50% of the bill, when the price of the MWh invoiced exceeds 325 euros and up to a ceiling of 800 euros. According to the government, this should enable the overall reduction of the energy bill of small businesses by 10 to 25% in 2023. “This reduction will be automatic, specified the Minister of the Economy, Bruno Le Maire. There will be no steps to take and it will be deducted directly from the company’s invoice. »
A simplified one-stop shop on November 15
Larger companies will continue to benefit from direct aid, whether for the supply of gas or electricity, but with more flexible and simplified access conditions, through a one-stop shop which will in operation from 15 November. A form will then be available on the DGFIP website.
To access this one-stop shop, a company will be eligible if it meets three main criteria. First that his energy bill has increased by 50%. Then that this invoice represents at least 3% of the turnover at the end of 2022. Third and last condition: that the profits of the company have fallen in a certain proportion. Which ? This still remains to be defined with Brussels, but France hopes that access to the counter can be triggered from a 30% drop in profits.
“This new aid will not widen the deficit, promised Élisabeth Borne. The overall budget is and will remain ten billion euros. Two-thirds for electricity, and one-third for gas. Seven billion will come from rents taken from energy companies as part of an exceptional tax put in place by Brussels. “The remaining three billion come from an envelope already provisioned for existing aid and which has been used very little,” said the Prime Minister. Finally, an additional 1.5 billion euros are also budgeted to provide a “safety net” for local authorities.