Hospitals, universities and associations of more than ten people will also be helped from January 2023, as part of this “electricity shock absorber”.
Le Monde with AFP
For several weeks, employers’ organizations and communities have been calling for new aids to explode energy bills. Thursday, October 27, during a press conference in Matignon, Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne, Minister of the Economy Bruno Le Maire, the Minister of Territorial Cohesion Christophe Béchu as well as the Minister of Energy Transition Agnes Pannier -Runacher, announced three new devices to contain energy prices for this audience:
- The first, called “electricity shock absorber”, will aim to take charge of part of the electricity bill for “VSEs who do not benefit from the price shield, SMEs, associations [of more than 10 employees], local authorities and public establishments “(universities, hospital, etc.). It will concern “the [professional] contracts relating to 2023, including for those already signed” said Bruno Le Maire. This shock absorber must allow “to lighten the electricity bill for VSEs and SMEs of 120 euros by Megawatt Hour on average,” he added. This mechanism, “set up for a year and effective from January 1”, according to Agnès Pannier-Runacher, will be automatically deducted from the company’s electricity bill. It will only be triggered when the price per kilowatt hour will be between 325 euros and 800 euros, “which will prevent the state budget be exposed to market volatility” added Bruno Le Maire.
- The government will also “simplify and amplify targeted aid, already in force for businesses”, especially larger sizes and via the simplification of aid requests from November 15.
- Regarding communities, he will present an amendment to the finance bill providing “the extension and amplification of the safety net for the year 2023”.
According to Matignon, these new measures bring the total government effort to “12 billion euros” to relieve business budgets and communities, heavily drained by the increase in energy costs.
Aid financed thanks to an exceptional tax
The government seeks above all to obtain a structural drop in energy prices on a European scale, but the Prime Minister said it was “essential to give visibility to all actors”.
“Our businesses and communities could not expect [possible European mechanisms], she added. Also, to lower their invoices, we decided to redistribute all of the taxation revenues Exceptional energeticians introduced into the finance bill “.
Three billion also comes from an envelope already provisioned for existing aid and which has been very little used. Finally, the remaining 1.5 billion euros were budgeted for the safety net for communities. These new aids will therefore not dig the deficit, according to M me terminal.