Parliament definitively adopted on Monday, by a final vote of the National Assembly, a law to promote “volunteer commitment” and “simplify associative life”. “This text alone will not make it possible to resolve all the problems facing the associative world. But it undeniably constitutes a first milestone” for volunteers, defended Renaissance MP Fabienne Colboc.
“These everyday men and women act as a true republican bulwark”
“At a time when division threatens more than ever, we must remember that these everyday men and women act as a true republican bulwark,” greeted Prisca Thevenot, Minister Delegate in charge of Democratic Renewal, in support of the text. LFI deputy François Piquemal deplored the absence of a debate “on the financing of associations” as well as “the administrative burdens” they face.
“The crisis of commitment has deep causes which cannot be resolved by a single text, sometimes technical and lacking ambition,” also declared Bruno Bilde (RN). Adopted unanimously, the text initiated by Quentin Bataillon (Renaissance) plans to relax the conditions for volunteers to earn training rights via the citizen engagement account. Eligible volunteers will only have to demonstrate a minimum one-year commitment to declared associations, compared to three years previously.
The “associative commitment leave”, intended for employees who voluntarily exercise management functions in associative structures, would also be accessible for associations that have existed for one year, compared to three before this law. “Skills sponsorship” will also be open to companies with fewer than 5,000 employees, allowing them to make certain employees available free of charge to an organization of general interest.
The Assembly also relaxed at first reading the conditions for loans between associations, subject to conditions and at zero interest: their duration will no longer be limited to less than two years. The senators, for their part, completed the text by integrating a system so that an employee can give monetized unused rest days to associations or foundations recognized as being of public interest, or organizations of general interest. The beneficiary organization must be chosen “by mutual agreement between the employee and the employer”.
The Senate, on the other hand, removed from the text the opening of the Personal Training Account (CPF) to retirees for training intended for volunteering, expressing particular concern about the cost of the measure for public finances.