revaluation of the minimal wage, finish of “lifetime” advantages for prime ministers, enhance within the worth of parcels… | EUROtoday
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As typical, New Year’s Day brings with it its share of adjustments affecting private funds and each day family life. If a Social Security financing legislation was certainly handed by Parliament on December 16, this new 12 months opens, as in 2025, with out an adopted finances for the State. Pending the resumption of discussions on the matter within the National Assembly, a set of nationwide and European measures come into pressure from 1er January.
Housing and vitality
In the absence of a finances for 2026, the MaPrimeRénov’ system is suspended till additional discover, as introduced by the Minister of Housing, Vincent Jeanbrun, on December 21. He had already put it on maintain in the course of the summer season, dealing with a “clutter” recordsdata and a “excess of fraud”. The authorities has to date not given any indication on the potential reopening of the counter.
A brand new technique for calculating the vitality efficiency analysis (DPE) comes into pressure. According to the decree, printed on August 26 at Official Journalthe coefficient making use of to electrical energy is lowered, so as to adjust to European requirements. According to Matignon, “this development aims (…) to improve the DPE of certain homes heated with electricity »sometimes entering too quickly into the category of “energy sieves”, as compared with these which use gasoline and gasoline oil. If the audits carried out from 1er January will mechanically combine this new scale, the federal government specifies that the DPEs already established “remain valid for ten years”.
The “benchmark” worth of gasoline will increase by 0.59 euro cents, settling at 136.88 euros all taxes included per megawatt hour for patrons related to the distribution community operated by GRDF. Published each month by the Energy Regulatory Commission (CRE) because the abolition of regulated gasoline costs, this worth goals to assist shoppers examine presents.
Taxes and financial savings
From 1er January, any particular person receiving a donation of cash from one other particular person should declare it on-line. If items supplied by kin, or the sending of small quantities are clearly not involved, this alteration, made by a decree of November 17, issues so-called “unusual” sums – higher than “2% of assets or 2.5% of the donor’s net annual income”recollects the federal government – but additionally jewellery, automobiles, artistic endeavors and shares.
Home financial savings plans (PEL) opened in 2026 might be remunerated at 2% gross, in comparison with 1.75% for these subscribed in 2025. As a reminder, the speed of a PEL stays the identical in the course of the fifteen years of the contract; This product is meant to construct up financial savings for the acquisition of actual property, or for finishing up work.
Retirement and work
Contrary to what was deliberate within the preliminary model of the “Secu” finances, primary pensions are elevated by 0.9%, the deputies having eliminated the availability geared toward freezing these advantages in the course of the examination of the textual content in Parliament. This is lower than common inflation, forecast at 1.3% for the entire of 2026 by the Banque de France.
For farmers, a brand new calculation of the fundamental pension comes into pressure. Intended for ” better [prendre] take into account the reality of agricultural careers, marked by irregular income”as indicated by the Mutualité sociale agricole, it will be based on the “twenty-five best years” of the quarry, compared to all the years previously, which could penalize operators who experienced periods of very low income.
While it has remained untouched since November 2024, the minimum wage has also been increased, to the tune of 1.18%. According to the government, its new net monthly amount will be 1,443.11 euros, compared to 1,426.30 euros.
Transport and consumption
In Ile-de-France, the price of the monthly Navigo pass is increasing by 2.3%, like other transport tickets. It therefore goes from 88.80 euros to 90.80 euros per month. For three years, the operator Ile-de-France Mobilités has been revising its prices upwards to “offset the cost” the extension of certain RER, metro and tram lines, and construction works “modernization” of the network.
Prices for sending letters and parcels increase on average by 7.4%. As announced by La Poste on July 28, 2025, in a press release, this reassessment of prices takes place in order to ensure “the sustainability of the universal postal service with high quality, in a context of falling volumes”. If the cost of a “green” letter increases from 1.39 euros to 1.52 euros, that of a 20-gram registered letter is now 6.11 euros, compared to 5.74 euros. Colissimo prices increased by 3.4%, for “all [les] destinations combined ».
Some packs of 20 cigarettes see their price increase, by 50 euro cents on average. An increase that brings “the main references at a price of 13.50 euros per unit”specifies the general directorate of customs and indirect duties.
Parity must be respected in appointments to the cabinets of ministers and the president
Ministers and the President of the Republic will have to appoint as many women as men to their ministerial cabinets, according to the law of July 19, 2023 aimed at strengthening women’s access to responsibilities in the public service.
Unlike administrations, which have, since 2017, had to respect a quota under penalty of a fine, firms had until 1er January 2026 to comply, and parity was until then governed by a circular from the Prime Minister’s office.
But some ministries have not yet reached it, according to lists published on the government website. This is the case, for example, of the cabinets of the Prime Minister, Sébastien Lecornu, which has 21 women out of 69 members (i.e. 30%), of Annie Genevard (agriculture), with four women out of eleven (36%), or of Amélie de Montchalin (public accounts), which has four women out of fifteen people (26%). Emmanuel Macron’s includes seventeen women out of 51 advisors (33%).
A decree must specify over what period compliance with this obligation will be assessed. Furthermore, the question of a fair distribution of functions between the sexes is not defined by law, but the circulars sent by Matignon to the ministries emphasize that it is appropriate to “particular attention to appointments in cabinet management” to avoid a concentration of men in high positions.
End of “lifetime benefits” for former prime ministers
From 1er January, former prime ministers will lose last benefits “for life” from which they benefited, namely the use of a company vehicle and a driver, as well as police protection. An especially symbolic measure, promised by the Prime Minister, Sébastien Lecornu, just a few days after taking office at Matignon, during which he was concerned about the ” hole ” observed between political life and life “real” of the French.
The decree, dated September 16 and published in Official Journalwill apply to former prime ministers “having left their positions more than ten years ago”, and therefore concerns Jean-Marc Ayrault (left March 31, 2014) and all his predecessors.
The advantages enjoyed by the former tenants of Matignon will be ” boundaries ” over time, but police protection could be “renewal based on the reality of the risk”, specifies the decree. The cost of this protection was estimated at 2.8 million euros in 2019. If we add chauffeur-driven cars and secretaries (1.6 million euros), the total budget for benefits for former prime ministers amounted to 4.4 million euros in 2019.
Ranchers are allowed to kill wolves to defend their herds
After the lowering, in 2024, of the level of protection of the wolf in Europe, passed from species “strictly protected” has “protected”French regulations will adapt to this new status. “The procedures allowing its regulation will be simplified” by a new decree, specifies the Ministry of Ecological Transition. From 1er January, any breeder, or hunter mandated by a breeder, will have the right to kill a wolf to protect his flock after an attack, unconditionally.
The prior authorization from the prefect, necessary until then, is eliminated. Sheep, goat, cattle and horse breeders will therefore no longer have to justify certain conditions of protection of their herd (thanks to the presence of dogs, electrified barriers, shepherds, etc.) to be able to carry out these defensive shots. They will simply be required to report their shots once an animal has been killed.
“The samples must obviously remain compatible with maintaining the species in a favorable conservation state, notes, however, the ministry. Any intentional destruction outside the framework provided for by the decree will remain illegal and subject to the sanctions in force. »
Ban on microplastics in cosmetic products such as shampoos
In the cosmetics section, products rinsed with water such as shampoos or shower gels can no longer be sold if these microplastic substances have been intentionally added.
This was already the case for exfoliating or scrub products since a 2018 measure, which aimed to put an end to plastic microbeads. These provisions are provided for by the anti-waste law for a circular economy (AGEC), promulgated in January 2020.
If brands invoke the usefulness of microplastics to obtain certain textures of products, as an effect “non-fat”, these small particles, dangerous to human well being, then pollute rivers, oceans but additionally land at concentrations judged “alarming » by scientists.
Entry into force of the carbon tax at the borders of the European Union
The carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM), which the European Union agreed on in December 2021, will make it possible to tax, in several sectors (steel, aluminum, cement, fertilizers, electricity, but also hydrogen), imports of goods from third countries with less strict standards in the fight against greenhouse gas emissions.
The idea is to avoid “ecological dumping” or what is named “carbon leakage” – when producers relocate their manufacturing to flee requirements – whereas encouraging the remainder of the world to extend its local weather ambition.
In detail, the European executive will apply an increase of 10% to products “default values”which are used to calculate CO emissions2 of a sector, in 2026, 20% in 2027, and 30% in 2028.
However, the European Commission announced in December an adjustment to this tax on imported fertilizers, which will only be subject to a very small increase of 1%, in order to avoid an increase in prices during a period of agricultural crisis.
https://www.lemonde.fr/argent/article/2025/12/31/ce-qui-change-le-1-janvier-revalorisation-du-smic-fin-des-avantages-a-vie-pour-les-premiers-ministres-hausse-du-prix-des-colis_6660150_1657007.html