Factsheet for measure
FR-2020-13/563
– measures in France
Assistance in the payment of rents, water, gas and electricity bills for business premises of companies
Aide au paiement des loyers, des factures d'eau, de gaz et d'électricité afférents aux locaux professionnels des entreprises
Background information
On 16 March, the President of the Republic, Emmanuel Macron, indicated that targeted measures for the smallest companies are planned, following those already announced for the deferral of social and fiscal charges and partial activity covered above the minimum wage. 'Water, gas and electricity bills as well as rents will have to be suspended' for these companies, he added.
The ordinance 2020-316, therefore, provides for the postponement of the payment of rents, water, gas and electricity bills for smaller companies in difficulty
Content of measure
For water, gas and electricity bills: businesses that are experiencing difficulties in paying their water, gas and electricity bills can send a request for an amicable deferral to their water, gas or electricity supplier without delay by email or telephone.
For the rent of commercial premises: the main landlords' federations have called on their members to suspend rents for the April deadline and for the subsequent periods of cessation of activity imposed by the decree.
In practice:
- for very small companies and SMEs belonging to one of the sectors whose activity is discontinued: rents and charges will be called monthly and no longer quarterly;
- the collection of rents and charges is suspended from 1 April 2020, and for subsequent periods of cessation of activity imposed by the decree. When business resumes, these rents and charges will be subject to deferred payment or spread without penalty or interest on arrears and adapted to the situation of the companies in question;
- for very small companies and SMEs whose activity has been interrupted by decree, these measures will be applied automatically and without considering their particular situation.
As regards enterprises whose activity, without being interrupted, has been seriously damaged by the crisis, their situation will be studied on a case-by-case basis, with benevolence according to their economic realities.
Use of measure
No data yet available.
Target groups
Actors and funding
|
Actors
|
Funding
|
National government
Company / Companies
|
No special funding required
|
Social partners
Social partners' role in
designing the measure
and form of involvement:
|
Trade unions
|
Employers' organisations
|
|
Role
|
No involvement
|
No involvement
|
|
Form
|
Not applicable
|
Not applicable
|
Social partners' role in the
implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:
-
No involvement
-
Main level of involvement: Unknown
Involvement
N/A
Views and reactions
Social partners have welcomed this measure.
Sources
-
25 March 2020: Ordonnance n° 2020-316 du 25 mars 2020 relative au paiement des loyers, des factures d'eau, de gaz et d'électricité afférents aux locaux professionnels des entreprises dont l'activité est affectée par la propagation de l'épidémie de covid-19
(www.legifrance.gouv.fr)
