Post title
March 15, 2020
Due to the Covid-19 Coronavirus pandemic, an economic continuity unit was activated by the French government to enhance the management of the impacts it produces on the economy through daily decision-making.
So far, the French government has undertaken the following measures:
- Delays in tax and/or social security payments (URSSAF, taxes):
- If you are a company, you can ask your Corporate Tax Department (service des impôts) to postpone without penalty the payment of your next direct tax payments (down payment ‘corporate tax, payroll tax).
If you have already paid your March dues, you may still have the possibility to oppose the ‘SEPA direct debit’ with your online bank. Otherwise, you can also request a refund from the Corporate Tax Department, after the money transfer is accomplished. - If you are self-employed, we remind you that you can adjust your rate and your advance withholding tax instalments at any time. You can also defer the payment of your withholding taxes on your professional income from one month to another up to three times if your instalments are monthly, or from one quarter to the next one if your instalments are quarterly. All these procedures are accessible via your special space on impots.gouv.fr, section “Gérer mon prélèvement à la source”: any intervention before the 22nd of the month will be taken into account for the following month.
- If you have a monthly payment contract for the payment of your CFE or your property tax, you can suspend it on impots.gouv.fr , or by contacting your Service Direct Debit Center (Centre prélèvement service): the remaining amount will be taken from your balance, without any penalties.
- In the most difficult situations, direct tax discounts can be decided within the framework of an individualized examination upon the request.
- Reinforced support system by the French State and the Banque de France (credit mediation) to negotiate with banks credit rescheduling agreements.
- The mobilization of Bpifrance to guarantee sufficient lines of credit that companies may need because of the epidemic.
- Maintaining employment in companies through the simplified and reinforced partial unemployment system.
- Support of Business mediator in handling conflicts with customers or suppliers.
- Recognition by the State and local authorities of Coronavirus as a case of force majeure for their public markets. Consequently, for all State and local government contracts, the delay penalties will not be applied.
Please be informed that Verne Legal is there to assist all companies having their commercial activity in France. Our team doubles its efforts in order to serve their clients in dealing with the current situation and its consequences.
To guarantee the health and security of our Team, we are available exclusively through phone/email/videoconference:
tel: + 33 (0) 4 30 05 09 04
email: info@vernelegal.com
Iga Kurowska
Verne Legal, Partner
Verne Legal provides a customized legal and tax advisory service to both French and foreign companies. It advises clients in running their business in France, offering strategic assistance enriched by multicultural sensitivity. For more information on the business law in France, we invite you to download “Doing business in France ” e-book and to contact our team at info@vernelegal.com.