bars in front of restaurants, closed markets… Traders who have been economically affected will indeed be able to ask for compensation

While around 160 market sessions will be cancelled in Paris for the duration of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, the National Federation of Markets of France has been reassured by the authorities. There will be compensation in the event of damage related to the security of the event.

“We were very worried.” Monique Rubin, president of the National Federation of Markets of France, now expresses her relief after receiving a response from the interministerial delegate for the Olympic and Paralympic Games concerning the economic consequences of the Games for traders. Already announced in June, a commission will indeed be created to compensate companies penalized by the holding of the Olympic Games, replied Prefect Michel Cadot.

Just look at the reactions of shopkeepers recently after 44,000 fences were installed in the capital to protect the opening ceremony. “We were already suffering from the closure of Notre-Dame. Sitting in front of the gates is not at all competitive compared to the cafes that are five minutes away,” for example, Laurent, a waiter in a Parisian brasserie, testifies to France Bleu Paris. The impression of being “in cage”, “in prison”denounce many Internet users on social networks.

And for street vendors who work in the markets, it’s worse. Some markets will be cancelled altogether. According to the National Federation of Markets of France, “We can estimate that 160 market sessions were deleted.” during the duration of the Games, which “represents at least 2000 traders who will be affected.”

Its president therefore asked the prefect “about the traders who carry out their itinerant activities on the Parisian markets whose holdings will be cancelled by the organisation of the Olympic and Paralympic Games“. The Federation “requested that all these companies be eligible for compensation, that the criteria for specific compensation for companies in the Parisian markets be based on prefectural prohibitions and the damage suffered proven in accounting.”

The Federation was reassured by the response given by Michel Cadot on July 12. The prefect admits that “certain administrative police measures necessary to secure the event” are “likely to disrupt economic activity.” If this loss “proved to be sufficiently significant”, She “could give rise to a right to compensation”, he wrote.

A national commission will indeed be created to compensate a posteriori the companies penalized by the restrictions and the activities linked to the Paris Olympic Games, Michel Cadot had indicated on June 14 during a conference at the Chamber of Trades and Crafts of Île-de-France-Paris. This commission “national” will examine “each of the cases for which police measures and the establishment of a security perimeter – therefore a red zone or even a blue zone (…) – create abnormal harm clearly linked to the Games”he explained at the time.

The Commission, “chaired by a State Councilor” and to which “representatives from all ministries will participate”will rely on “a document analysis” and especially “a certificate from an accountant showing the amount of the loss of net turnover”. “The assessment will therefore be made afterwards” the Olympic period and it will be necessary that “the damage is noted and sufficiently specific to the Games” For “to be considered abnormal”said Michel Cadot. If the damage is proven, there will then be a “compensation proposal.” To do this, he will have to check be recognized “direct, certain, abnormal and special” specifies Michel Cadot in his letter to the French Markets Federation.

He also indicates that “This commission is currently being set up and will soon define the terms of its action.” Indeed, at this time the Federation of Markets and its president Monique Rubin still do not know to what extent operating losses will be compensated. Will they be reimbursed at 100% or according to a specific package? These questions remain.

In a press release dated June 24, the Interministerial Delegation for the Olympic and Paralympic Games (Dijop) assured that “This commission will establish, before the opening of the Games, the guidelines relating to damages and their compensation”. Contacted for details on the terms of compensation, Dijop confirms a “work in progress of the commission” and reminds that compensation files must be submitted to the following address: [email protected].