Each new year brings its share of changes. Increase in the minimum wage, increase in pensions, driving license at 17, France Travail, compulsory sorting of bio-waste… Franceinfo takes stock of what is changing in the country from Monday January 1st.
An automatic increase in the minimum wage
Like every year, the minimum growth wage (smic) is revalued by a decree to take into account inflation. This year, the minimum wage has seen a slight increase and rises to 1,398.69 euros net monthly for a full-time job of 35 hours per week, an increase of 15.61 euros.
Gross, it is increased to 1,766.92 euros, an increase of 19.72 euros. For the moment, the government has chosen not to go beyond this automatic increase.
Retirement pensions revalued
An increase expected by millions of seniors. French retirees will see their pensions increase by 5.3%, specifies the website of the national old-age insurance fund. This revaluation was calculated based on the percentage of the increase in consumer prices. It was announced by the Minister of the Economy, Bruno Le Maire, in an interview with readers of Parisian, on September 26.
Pôle emploi becomes France Travail
It’s a name change that comes with new missions. France Travail succeeds Pôle emploi, with the desire for “strengthened cooperation with all stakeholders in employment, training and integration”explains the website of the public establishment .
If the services already in place will continue to be provided, the new operator must allow more personalized and directive support for RSA beneficiaries. By the end of 2024, “all people looking for work will be registered with France Travail”.
Price increases for tobacco
Smoking will cost even more. After an increase in May, cigarettes, cigars and hand-rolling tobacco are once again affected by a price increase, which can jump up to one euro per pack, depending on the manufacturer. The customs website (PDF) lists the details of this increase brand by brand.
Prices of stamps and parcels are soaring
Among other price adjustments, stamp prices will increase again from Monday. La Poste announced on July 27 in a press release (PDF) an average increase of 8.3% in “mail-parcel rates”. The increase reached 11.20% for the green stamp, the price of which increased from 1.16 to 1.29 euros. The price of registered letters is increased to 5.36 euros, an increase of almost 11%, and that of international letters to 1.96 euros.
Furthermore, the prices of Colissimo for individuals, “all destinations combined”, will increase on average by 5.6%, specifies the public company. The Colissimo France price of less than 250 grams “will only experience a marginal adjustment” with an increase of 4 cents, to 4.99 euros, after remaining unchanged for five years.
A new, stricter version for the Nutri-Score
Nutrition labeling classifying foods from A to E, from most to least virtuous, is reviewing its calculation method for the new year. The new algorithm transforms the indicator into a stricter version “to classify foods and drinks in line with the main dietary recommendations (…) and guide consumers towards informed choices favorable to their health”, says Public Health France. Many processed products should therefore see their rating drop.
No points deducted for minor speeding violations
Penalties for minor speeding violations have been reduced by the government. Motorists and motorcyclists will no longer lose license points if these excesses are less than 5 km/h.
Until now, such excesses were punished with a reduction of one point and a fine ranging from 68 to 135 euros. However, they may still be fined a fixed fine.
The driving license can be taken from the age of 17
Elisabeth Borne announced it in June. From January 1, the minimum age to take the B license is lowered by one year. It is now possible for young people aged 17 to obtain a driving license. Before this date, a person driving accompanied could already obtain the B license at the age of 17, but only had the right to get behind the wheel on their own on the day they reached the age of majority.
Sorting bio-waste becomes obligatory
Sorting green waste (cut grass, cut hedges, dead leaves, etc.) and food waste is “generalized and concerned[e] all professionals and individuals”specifies the Ministry of Ecological Transition on its site. “By sorting bio-waste, more than 800,000 tonnes of greenhouse gases are avoided.”writes the French administration on its site.
The anti-waste law, which comes into force in January, makes mandatory the establishment of local management solutions or collection points by local authorities for sorting bio-waste. “Each community is free to define the organization that best suits it : door-to-door collection or voluntary drop-off point, offer of individual composters for those who wish, installation of neighborhood composters or at the foot of buildings”we can read on the service-public.fr website.
Launch of the system to buy an electric car for 100 euros per month
This was a commitment made by Emmanuel Macron during the presidential campaign in 2022: to allow less well-off households to buy an electric car without an initial deposit, for 100 euros per month, thanks to a leasing system. To find out if they are eligible for the system, candidates will have to connect to the platform called “My electric leasing”.
Concretely, cars can be reserved from January 1 directly with rental companies and the service will start with some 20,000 deliveries over the year 2024. The offer will then ramp up to adapt to the production of French factories, explained Emmanuel Macron in a video posted on social networks in mid-December.
The ecological bonus on the purchase of an electric car reduced for the wealthiest
The executive should reduce the ecological bonus on the purchase of a vehicle for the wealthiest households from January 1. The richest 40% of French people will see their aid increase from 5,000 to 4,000 for the purchase of a new electric vehicle.
Only the most modest households will retain a bonus of up to 7,000 euros. A cut in the state budget and the great success of the system are notably at the origin of this decision.
The State reviews the conditions of MaPrimeRénov’
The government system for subsidizing energy renovation work is increased by around 1.6 billion euros, for a total budget of 5 billion. “This unprecedented effort by the State should make it possible to accelerate the dynamic of renovations, in particular large-scale renovations”specify the Ministries of Ecological Transition and Energy Transition, in a press release published on October 12.
The National Housing Agency, which is piloting this system, will offer owners of energy sieves wishing to carry out a large-scale renovation involving several projects (wall insulation, changing windows and heating methods, for example), a rate of support which “could reach 90%”with a ceiling which will reach 70,000 euros (compared to 35,000 euros previously).
Other measurement: lThe government announces “the increase in aid for the installation of geothermal air/water heat pumps, from 1,000 to 2,000 euros for households with modest and intermediate incomes”.
A slight increase for the Navigo pass
The monthly subscription required to travel on public transport in Ile-de-France increases by 2.7%, to 86.40 euros. “A controlled increase”, according to Ile-de-France Mobilités, the transport organizing authority in the region. Last year, the price of the Navigo pass jumped 12%.