A report from the High Commission for Planning puts public aid to businesses at 187 billion euros in 2023 and recommends reinforced monitoring, while the executive prepares the 2027 budget.
As the preparation of the 2027 budget approaches, the government places the question of public aid to businesses at the heart of its discussions, in a context of strong budgetary constraints and public deficit. The Prime Minister, Sébastien Lecornu, will be able to rely in particular on a document that has just been given to him by the High Commissioner for Strategy and Planning, the former minister Clément Beaune. The report from the High Commission for Strategy and Planning evaluates the aid granted to businesses and recommends better monitoring of public money spent. The exercise is not new: in around twenty years, there have been no less than a dozen reports of this type. But the publication of this new version comes as the executive seeks all possible sources of savings, against a backdrop of debt and persistent public deficits.
187 billion euros in aid in 2023
According to the assessment drawn up for 2023, the reference year, the amount of aid in question amounts to 187 billion euros, taking into account exemptions from social contributions, certain reduced VAT rates and the direct contribution of local authorities. In the latest version which has just arrived on the desk of the head of government, the most sensitive question is that of reductions in social contributions, the main point of discussion between all the actors interviewed upstream, unions, employers, parliamentarians and local authorities.
After consulting the social partners, including employers, the High Commission for Strategy and Planning therefore recommends monitoring aid over time and regular reassessment. There is consensus on this point, including among employer representatives. We are only preparing the 2027 budget, but we already know that a concrete measure will be applied: an annex to the finance bill will identify the amount of this aid granted to businesses, which was not the case until now. This will, at least, allow traceability of a very controversial subject.
A budgetary context under tension
The publication of this report comes as the government wants to limit the increase in spending by the State and its operators to 0.4% in 2027, or at a level four times lower than anticipated inflation (1.6%). To meet its budgetary commitments in 2027, France will have to make an effort of 40 billion euros. In this context, the government is putting almost all ministries on a diet for the 2027 budget, with the exception of the sovereign ministries and ecology. The Armed Forces budget would amount to 63.4 billion euros in 2027, almost doubling in ten years (33.2 billion euros in 2017).
