While the energy suppliers had signed a charter at the beginning of October, some seem not to respect all of their commitments.
The government is banging its fist on the table. While the energy suppliers had signed a charter at the beginning of October, some seem not to respect all of their commitments.
The professionals were received on Tuesday afternoon by Bruno Le Maire, Minister for the Economy, Agnès Pannier-Runacher, Minister for Energy Transition, and Olivia Grégoire, Minister Delegate in charge of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises, Trade, Crafts and Tourism, in order to return to “business practices and the implementation of government support measures in the face of rising energy prices“.
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Bruno Le Maire didn’t mince his words when addressing the energy suppliers who would fail to comply with this charter. “Those who do not respect it will have their names disclosed publicly so that every customer knows who is behaving well and who is not respecting the rules.“warned the Minister of the Economy.
This charter includes 25 commitments. Among them, it is mentioned that each supplier must offer at least one offer to its customers. Then, suppliers must notify their customers two months before the renewal of their contract. “ This should allow companies to make comparisons and open up competition with other suppliers.“, had specified the Minister of the Economy. A rule that some professionals in the sector seem to have somewhat forgotten since Bruno Le Maire pointed out on Tuesday that “some suppliers send a contract to their customers giving them only a few hours to sign it“.
Finally, suppliers must submit an offer on a date agreed in advance. Another way for the government to push companies to make comparisons between the different offers from suppliers.
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Four new commitments for SMEs
To this initial charter were added four new commitments made on Tuesday by energy suppliers to professionals. “They will include on the January invoice the benefit of the shock absorber which may represent on average a reduction of 20% of the price of the invoice“, declared Bruno Le Maire. As a reminder, through this aid, the executive bears part of the bill for VSEs that do not benefit from the tariff shield because they have an electricity meter with a power exceeding 36 kVA, SMEs, associations with more than ten employees, local authorities and public establishments.
“Energy suppliers have committed to granting payment facilities for companies that have cash flow difficulties“, continued the Minister of the Economy. This will take the form of free payment terms granted to the VSEs and SMEs most in difficulty. To help suppliers deliver on this promise, the government will vouch with them for those who cannot find one.
Energy suppliers have also promised to provide individual support to professional consumers to help them understand their bill and the effects of support devices on their electricity bill. From this week, they must contact by email, by post or even by telephone their professional customers whose bill would have increased sharply or whose prices are very high, in particular to inform them about the aid to which they are entitled, specifies Bercy in a press release.
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Finally, while concern is palpable within the bakery profession, energy suppliers will have to allow them to terminate their contracts free of charge in the event of an increase “prohibitive“and insofar as she”threatens the survival of the company“, announced Bruno Le Maire. This measure “exceptional“which exclusively targets bakers will be applied”case by caseby energy companies, however, warned the number 2 of the government.