What changes on January 1, 2020

Smic amount

At 1^er January 2020, the minimum interprofessional growth wage (Smic) increases by 1.2% (against 1.5% to 1^er January 2019).

Smic: 1.2% increase as of 1 January 2020

Purchasing power premium

Under certain conditions, employers may pay employees an exceptional purchasing power premium up to €1,000 per beneficiary.

Purchasing power premium: for which employees?

Officials

As part of the law of 6 August 2019 on the transformation of the public service, three decrees have just been published in the Official Journal of 1^er January 2020 concerning both the opening of certain posts to non-officials and the experimentation in the 3 public functions of the conventional break.

What's New in the Public Service

Retirement pensions

The amount of most pensions is increased by 0.3%. Retirement and invalidity pensions with a gross amount in December 2019 of €2,000 increase their share by 1% (based on inflation at 1^er January 2020).

Retirement pensions, social benefits, exceptional purchasing power premium: planned for 2020

Social security ceiling

Accident at work Calculation of the amount of invalidity pensions, daily sickness benefits, maternity benefits... From 1^er January 2020, the social security ceiling is upgraded.

Social security ceiling: how much in 2020?

Drugs: Management is evolving

The conditions for prescribing and reimbursing drugs where generic alternatives are available change on 1^er January 2020, as provided for in the Social Security Financing Act for 2019.

Drugs: Management is evolving

Reimbursement for glasses, dentures and hearing aids

In the context of the reform known as " 100% health”, a decree issued in Official Journal of 12 January 2019 lays down the detailed rules for the gradual introduction of the full reimbursement (zero-cost remainder) by the Social Security and health supplements, in particular of certain glasses and dental prostheses.

Since 1^er January 2020, policyholders choosing hearing aids included in the device “ 100% health” will benefit from a reduction of €250 and the rest is charged per ear.

Full reimbursement of certain dental glasses and prostheses

Hearing aids: new support in 2020

Reimbursement of homeopathy

Reimbursement of homeopathic preparations will be increased from a 25% to 30% at a rate of 10% to 15% as of 1^er January 2020.

Homeopathy: List of products that will no longer be reimbursed as of January 1, 2021

End of free access to certain medicines in pharmacies

In order to secure the use of paracetamol but also of certain non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (ibuprofen and aspirin), some medicines will no longer be freely available in pharmacies by the end of January 2020.

Acetaminophen, ibuprofen, aspirin: Behind pharmacists' counters in January 2020

State medical aid

The conditions for access to State medical aid (AME) will change with the introduction of a 3-month ‘waiting period’ to be eligible for it (Article 264 of the 2020 Finance Law).

State medical aid: modification of access conditions

Bisphenol A

In view of the risks for pregnant women handling receipts, bisphenol A (endocrine disruptor) is no longer present on receipts.

Ecological transition: what changes on January 1, 2020 

Food additive E171

An order published in Official Journal of 25 April 2019 suspend the placing on the market of foodstuffs containing the additive E171 (titanium dioxide) for a period of one year from 1^er January 2020.

Additive E171: Titanium dioxide banned in food on 1 January 2020

Pesticides

To better protect residents from pesticides, distances of 5 to 20 meters must now be respected between areas of application and dwellings (depending on the type of crop and the nature of the products).

Ecological transition: what changes on January 1, 2020 

Taxes

Income tax, housing tax, green transition tax credit (CITE), car malus: an overview of the 2020 budget law.

Income tax, housing tax, tax credit, malus: what's new 2020

Withholding tax for home workers and childminders

You are an individual employer and, from 1^er January 2020, you will have to take care of the payroll deduction for your home employee or maternal assistant. Visit monprelevementalasource.urssaf.fr to learn how to manage the collection and repayment of withholding tax from tax authorities.

Individual employer: what steps should be taken for the levy at source in 2020?

Gas tariffs

Engie's regulated gas sales rates drop by 0.9% on average at 1^er january 2020 in relation to the scale applicable since 1^er December 2019.

Regulated gas tariffs: - 0,9 % on 1 January 2020

Cigarette prices

From 1^er in january 2020, the price of certain cigarettes will increase.

Cigarettes and Rolling Tobacco: Prices Change on January 1, 2020

Stamp rates

Postal stamp rates for individuals increase from 1^er January 2020.

Stamp price: increase on 1 January 2020

Legal interest rate

The statutory interest rates applicable to the 1^er semester 2020 were set by an order published in the Official Journal of 26 December 2019.

Legal interest rates for the first half of 2020: what developments?

Balances

Winter 2020 sales last 4 weeks (compared to 6 weeks before). An order of May 27, 2019, now sets the dates and times of the beginning of the sales and their duration.

Winter sales dates department by department

Disposable plastic products

Disposable plates, cups or cotton buds: certain single-use plastic products are prohibited from sale from 1^er January 2020 according to Article L541-10-5 of the Environment Code.

Certain single-use plastics banned as of 1 January 2020

Judicial reform: changes in civil procedure

A decree issued in Official Journal 12 December 2019 details the content of the reform of the civil procedure, including, as a single entry point to justice, the creation of the judicial tribunal resulting from the merger of the High Court (TGI) and the Court of First Instance (TI).

Judicial reform: changes in civil procedure

Wage Entries

From 1^er in january 2020, new scales apply for wage attachments. These seizures allow a creditor to recover the amounts due through the employer who makes a deduction from the seizable portion of the employee's salary.

Wage attachments: new scales from 1 January 2020

Zero-interest loan

The terms of the improvement work conditioning the granting of the PTZ in the former for first-time homebuyers are specified by decree. This text is supplemented by an order indicating the supporting documents to be provided. These regulatory measures apply to offers of loans issued on or after 1^er January 2020.

PTZ for old housing: new conditions

LOW-COST HOUSING

A decree published in the Official Journal of 8 May 2019 provides for a system whereby the new owner of a low-cost housing unit is not immediately required to bear all the costs of co-ownership.

Purchase of low-cost housing: deferred payment of condominium charges

Bonus

Update on the Decree of 30 December 2019 concerning the acquisition or rental of electric or hydrogen cars which entered into force on 1^er January 2020.

Ecological Bonus 2020

Malus

Since 1^er january 2020, a new car malus scale applies (article 69 of the 2020 finance law). Malus is a tax to be paid when registering certain particularly polluting vehicles.

Malus automobile 2020: the rules have changed

Fiscal horse

The regional tax is one of the taxes that make up the cost of the registration certificate. To calculate the amount of the regional tax, you have to multiply the rate of a tax horse (CV or horse steam) in the region where you live by the tax power of the vehicle.

Carte grise: tax horse tariffs 2020

Permit at 1 euro

From 1^er January 2020 (and no later than 1^er march 2020), the ‘permit to €1 per day” will only be accessible to driving schools and associations with the label “quality of training in driving schools”.

1 Euro per day license: reserved for driving schools labeled from 2020

Radar cars

After the first radar cars in Normandy were put into service in April 2018, this privately managed device will be extended to the Brittany, Pays de la Loire and Center-Val de Loire regions from January 2020.

Radar cars soon in service in Grand-Est, Hauts-de-France, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté and Nouvelle-Aquitaine