The Assembly rejects the surtax on large businesses
This “exceptional contribution to the profits of large companies”intended to supplement the 60 billion in savings that the government hopes to make with its 2025 budget, must be introduced for two years, and bring in eight billion euros in 2025 and four billion in 2026.
The contribution, which should affect around 450 companies according to the executive, works by adding different surcharges – depending on the year and the turnover of the companies – to the corporate tax which they must pay (IS, which amounts to 25%).
But an amendment from the left came to increase, against the advice of the government, the levy rates over the first year, in order to bring to 40% the rate intended for companies with a turnover of 1 billion euros to less than 3 billion euros, and 55% that of those whose turnover is greater than or equal to 3 billion. A significant increase compared to the government’s version.
“This amendment will drain our businesses by almost 13 billion euros in addition to what is being done. None of these companies would stay on our territory”denounced the Minister of the Budget, Laurent Saint-Martin, after its adoption.
“You say he’s unbearable [de réclamer cet effort aux] companies that have accumulated billions in profits that you have tax-exempt (…). I’ll tell you, it’s irresponsible to ask workers in this country for two more years of their working lives.”retorted the LFI president of the finance committee, Eric Coquerel.
The socialist Philippe Brun denounced “false allegations” on the scope of the amendment and rejected accusations of a measure “confiscatory”which would only have been “temporary for one year only”.
