Budget: the “superprofits” back in the hemicycle


New debate in the National Assembly on the taxation of exceptional profits of certain companies, in the midst of the energy crisis (AFP/Archives/Amir MAKAR)

European solution for the majority, against national taxation for the left and the RN: already burning this summer, the debate on the taxation of the exceptional profits of certain companies, in the midst of the energy crisis, should once again animate the National Assembly.

Unsurprisingly, the conclusions delivered last Tuesday by a “flash” mission conducted at a brisk pace by two deputies, one from the presidential majority, the other from the left-wing Nupes alliance, did not move the lines.

David Amiel (Renaissance) and Manuel Bompard (LFI) have certainly succeeded in overcoming the semantic quarrels around the term “superprofits”, dear to the left, but which the Minister of the Economy Bruno Le Maire considers that he has no “no Sens”.

The two co-rapporteurs thus agreed on the finding of “exceptional profits” made by the major oil, gas and maritime transport companies, thanks to the explosion in energy prices.

This crisis “generates shortage rents”, with “spectacular price increases decorrelated from production costs”, said macronist David Amiel before the Finance Committee of the Assembly.

“The existence of exceptional profits is characterized”, added the Insoumis Manuel Bompard, citing “Total whose profit was multiplied by two in the first half” or Engie which had “the equivalent in the first half of its profit over the year before.”

But once these observations were made, the differences remained intact on the way to make use of the “winners” of the crisis.

– parallel request for a referendum –

The presidential majority, after cracks appeared within it on the question, seems to have come over to the position of the government, for which the solution has been found: it is the agreement concluded on September 30 between the Member States of the European Union.

It provides for a ceiling on the income of producers of electricity from nuclear and renewables, which have taken off solely because of the link between the price of electricity and that of gas and coal. European countries will be able to collect revenue above this cap to support consumers.

Another part of the agreement provides for “a contribution” from gas, coal and oil producers and distributors, set at 33% of profits more than 20% higher than the average for the years 2019-2021.

For David Amiel, positioning ourselves at EU level makes it possible “to avoid the negative effects on our attractiveness” and “to broaden the base by involving the major companies in the oil and gas sector on all of their activities in Europe”.

“We will have a transposition of these measures” in France, assured the general rapporteur of the budget Jean-René Cazeneuve (Renaissance), considering that it was useless to go further.

But there is no question for the left of being satisfied with these measures limited to 2023 and concentrated on energy companies.

“We cannot have on one side French people to the nearest euro to fill their fuel tanks (…) and on the other side have billions and billions”, insisted the socialist deputy Christine Pires Beaune .

And the European agreement does not prevent the Member States “from adopting additional national measures”, argued Mr. Bompard.

The Nupes (LFI, PS, PCF and EELV), which is calling for a referendum on the question, wants taxation of 20% to 33% until the end of 2025 for all companies with a turnover of more than 750 million euros. euros and having made profits more than 25% higher than the average of those made between 2017 and 2019.

The European agreement, “it is a system of spoliation of the French to finance the errors of the Germans”, annoyed for his part the deputy RN Jean-Philippe Tanguy.

The far-right party will also fight for the establishment of a national tax, with in particular an amendment targeting the “superprofits” of oil and gas companies, maritime transport and motorway concessionaires.

© 2022 AFP

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