A few weeks of work with high symbolic value. After several controversies, a dozen deputies are investigating the issue of superprofits within a “flash mission” starting this Tuesday.
Promoted by the Finance Commission chaired by the rebel Éric Coquerel, it is co-directed by Manuel Bompard (LFI) and David Amiel (Renaissance). With an expected duration of one month, this mission will present its conclusions in October, before the start of the finance bill.
earnings record
The imposition of superprofit taxes came to the table last June as several energy and shipping giants made record profits in recent months.
the french giant CMA-CGM, the world’s third-largest shipowner, for example, made a record net profit of $7.2 billion in the first quarter. TotalEnergies, meanwhile, more than doubled in the second quarter to $5.7 billion.
Among the first people interviewed are, in particular, Vincent Baril, president of Shell, representatives of the oil companies Picoty and Thevenin-Ducrot, and various distributors such as Auchan or Carrefour.
Terminal does not “close the door”
If this lightning mission is cross-party, as is the tradition in the National Assembly, and includes in its ranks Jean-Philippe Tanguy (RN), Christine Pirès-Beaune (PS-Nupes) or Marie-Christine Dalloz (LR), the issue divides the political class, even within the majority.
“No one would understand that companies are generating exceptional profits even if the French are worried about their purchasing power,” Elisabeth Borne wrote in Le Parisien columns on August 27.
“I’m not closing the door on taxing superprofits,” he added later.
The mayor “doesn’t know what a super profit is”
Bruno Le Maire is not in the same vein. The Minister of the Economy had denounced during the purchasing power bill “the Pavlovian reflection of the tax”.
Three days after the meeting with the Prime Minister, the tenant of Bercy was donning a cape in front of Medef’s summer school. “I don’t know what a super win is,” he said at the time.
“I know that companies have to be profitable, that’s all I know,” he said again.
Macron proposes a “European contribution”
Some of the Renaissance deputies see themselves advancing on the issue.
“With many majority deputies, we are in favor of an exceptional contribution on companies that have generated profits linked to a rental situation”, explained Sacha Houlié, president of the Legal Commission in an interview with the echoes last July.
Seeking to shut down dissent within his majority, Emmanuel Macron finally proposed last week the creation of a “European contribution mechanism” for energy companies.
Nupes wants a referendum
The left wants to go much further. The First Secretary of the Socialist Party, Olivier Faure, has announced that he wants to launch the organization of a shared initiative referendum (RIP) on the taxation of super-profits, supported by Nupes.
The procedure has everything of an obstacle course since this device requires the support of 20% of Parliament and then the signature of 10% of the voters, that is, 4.8 million signatures to collect, before possibly being presented to French vote.
A mission for the future on corporate taxation
On the banks of the Nupes, however, we intend to present a bill to introduce an exceptional tax of 25% on oil, gas, maritime and motorway concessionaire companies that reach a turnover of more than 1,000 million euros.
The RN is on the same wavelength. Party chairman Jordan Bardella said last Sunday on BFMTV that he wanted “a tax” to “avoid speculation.”
This blitzkrieg on superprofits should be followed in the coming weeks by a much longer fact-finding mission on corporate taxes.
Source: BFM TV
