Giving companies “evidence of love”: Bercy ministers gathered on Monday the main employer organizations during a “business council”, the third since April, wishing to guarantee “predictability” in a political and commercially “unstable” environment.
The ministers Éric Lombard (Economy), Amélie de Montchalin (Public Accounts), Marc Ferracci (Industry and Energy) and Véronique Louwagie (Commerce and SME) spoke with the bosses and representatives of Medef, AFEP, CPME, U2P on the budget project of 2026, the rights of American customs, the European competition and the simplification site.
This “Business Council”, a new dialogue tool that had met for the first time in April, “allows us dialogue with commercial representatives at a difficult time for our economy,” said Eric Lombard, before the beginning of the meeting. He spoke of “a very strong competition of all countries”, especially from the United States and China, and the “difficult” European Union negotiations with Washington, which threatens to impose customs tasks of 30% on August 1.
“Do not increase taxes and charges”
“This is the reason why, in the budget that the prime minister presented last week, it is absolutely essential to protect companies, not increase taxes, not increase the positions that weigh on them. Because competitiveness is the best way to develop our economy, continue creating jobs and protect the future,” Eric Lombard argued.
Prime Minister François Bayrou announced, on July 15, a public finance recovery plan that provides a budget effort of 43.8 billion euros in 2026. This budget project, if adopted in Parliament, will go through a “white year” of social benefits and pensions, through the freezing of budgetary expenses that exclude the defense and in particular by the abolition of two vacations. Exceptionally introduced in 2025, a corporate tax surcharge has not been renewed.
“The first growth engine is companies. In a world that is particularly unstable (…), we must guarantee this growth. Not only to tell companies that we love them, but to give them evidence of love,” said Amélie de Montchalin, believing “essential” that companies “see predictability” in the next budget.
Source: BFM TV
