Bercy launches the "Rencontres de la simplification de la vie des entreprises" (Meetings on simplifying business life)

On November 16, Bruno Le Maire, France's Minister of the Economy and Finance, opened the "Rencontres de la simplification", a consultation aimed at simplifying life for businesses and combating administrative complexity in France.

Simplifying life for French businesses

 

Bruno Le Maire and Olivia Grégoire, the French Minister for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises, Trade, Craft Trades and Tourism, launched the "Rencontres de la simplification" (simplification meetings) at a meeting attended by some 50 professional federations and members of parliament, to make it easier for companies to comply with administrative procedures and understand standards.

Gathering proposals from managers

Through this initiative, the government hopes to gather concrete proposals for improving the daily lives of business leaders. The consultation covers a range of topics, including :

  • environmental standards,
  • European standards,
  • economic and social issues.

Good to know: the consultation will not cover taxation, however, due to the constraints on the State's public finances.

To this end, the federations have until December 29, 2023 to make proposals to the rapporteurs of the Inspectorate General of Finance and the General Economic Council. A public consultation is also available online until the end of the year. Accessible on the make.org website, it enables all entrepreneurs to give their opinion on impacting measures. It is possible to participate by submitting a proposal (each proposal will be studied before being put to the citizen vote) or by reacting to the proposals and identifying those that should be dealt with as a priority (breaking down the most controversial proposals and voting for the most popular ones). The site has already received almost 80,000 votes just 5 days after the launch of the consultation.

 

The consultation will be combined with public meetings organized by government representatives and members of parliament. The first was held on November 16, attended by 300 business leaders, who shared their suggestions. Other meetings will be held elsewhere in France over the coming weeks.

Results expected in 2024

The results of the consultations are expected next January. After examination of all the requests, a maximum number of simplification measures will be adopted during the year, says the government in a press release dated November 16, 2023. The aim is to produce new decrees, or even a new law, in 2024.

It remains to be seen whether these actions will be conclusive, given that governments have been trying their hand at simplification for the past 10 years, from François Hollande's "choc de simplification" in 2013 to the various initiatives taken by Edouard Philippe.