The National Assembly adopted Tuesday in first reading three articles of the bill on purchasing power. They relate to the extension of the “Macron bonus”, the reduction of social security contributions and profit-sharing in companies.
Oppositions defending step by step their amendments, debates that drag on, but also behind-the-scenes negotiations: the bill on purchasing power is struggling to advance in the National Assembly and is testing the majority.
On Wednesday, the third day, 390 amendments remained to be examined on this text providing for the early revaluation of 4% of retirement pensions and social benefits, as well as measures to ensure the country’s energy supply.
Extension of the Macron bonus
The National Assembly voted on Tuesday to continue the “Macron bonus”, an exceptional tax-free and desocialized bonus, on the second day of the examination of the bill on purchasing power.
After more than six hours of discussions on the interest of bonuses, rather than wage increases advocated by the left, the deputies adopted by 327 votes against 119 this article 1 of the flagship text of the summer in Parliament.
Thus employers will be able to pay until December 31, 2023 an exceptional bonus of a maximum amount of 3,000 euros (or 6,000 euros in the event of a profit-sharing agreement), exempt from income tax and social security contributions, for employees whose income is less than three times the value of the minimum wage.
The “Macron bonus”, introduced in 2019 during the yellow vests crisis, is therefore extended but with a tripling of its ceiling. According to the impact study carried out by the government, more than 15 million people benefited from this bonus between 2019 and 2022, for an average amount of 542 euros.
The maximum amount of the bonus and the maximum level of remuneration that can give access to it must be the subject of a company or group agreement or, failing that, a unilateral decision by the employer.
Lower social security contributions
The bill also plans to perpetuate the bonus in the private sector, in the form of a “value sharing bonus”. This will only be exempt from social contributions, up to a limit of 3,000 euros (6,000 euros in the event of a profit-sharing agreement). This point was adopted with 237 votes in favour.
A reduction in the contributions of the self-employed is also planned. This measure, which aims for more equity between the contributions of employees and the self-employed, should allow the latter to earn 550 euros per year at the level of the minimum wage.
Incentive in business
The Assembly also voted to facilitate profit-sharing schemes in companies, a measure castigated by the left-wing coalition Nupes.
The debates dragged on on this third article, which mainly aims to promote profit-sharing (bonuses linked to company results) in small companies with fewer than 50 employees. It was passed at first reading, by 288 votes to 90, before the bill was examined in the Senate.
In concrete terms, this article allows for a profit-sharing system based on a “unilateral decision” by the heads of these small companies in the absence of staff representative institutions or in the event of failure of negotiations, when the company is not covered by an approved branch agreement providing for a profit-sharing scheme.
The text also proposes more generally to extend the duration of profit-sharing agreements from three to five years. LFI, environmentalist and communist deputies rejected the article en bloc, demanding salary increases rather than bonuses.
MEPs must continue with the draft amending budget for 2022, which must ensure funding and complete the arsenal in the face of inflation.
The Assembly will sit for this until Saturday evening, or even Sunday anticipate several elected officials, in order to complete this first reading of the purchasing power package. It will then be the turn of the Senate, with a view to final adoption on August 7.