Of course all the bankers have not faulted All art is to allow more freedom in the leader with precisionGroup Flo should return to profit in 2009The CDU fell to 3233 of the vote the lowest since 2006Their overall strategy based on two questionsThe use of the Internet is of course freeA first intended travel to boost relations between the France and the Mexico000 sales of Mini III as early as 2007 iIt should be so for the sharing of profitsThe problem is that in this case is matter of dosageThe figure was much martelé in recent weeks: EUR 16.7 billion. On the fringes of the West Indian conflict, the representatives of the State Yves Jégo in mind not missed an opportunity to remind the amount Way to emphasize that the overseas territories of the France are not the forgotten of the Republic. But the recall is doubly interpreted. Some rush to put in this figure with that of the national budget (expenditure EUR 292 billion) for the proposition that it is too. Or at least that there is no need to go beyond. Others on the contrary are not far from thinking that the national effort is insufficient to allow departments and communities overseas to their structural catch on the metropolis.
Business support
That exactly contains this $ 16.7 billion Who holds the keys How is it distributed Will decrease or increase instead A first look at the budget of the Secretariat of State to the overseas puzzled. Indeed, it displays less than 2 billion euros (exactly 1,879 billion in payment appropriations). Which are, for the most part (1,038 billion) spent on the "business support", that is intended to cover the social security contributions relief enjoyed by some 40,000 enterprises and childcare employees. The other actions of this mission overseas seem almost laughable suddenly in the light of the weight of some local issues: thus of some 200 million for housing, black folder by excellence both the delay in this area is important. In short, the envelope managed by the Rue Oudinot Accords, headquarters of the Secretariat of State, pale "the France overseas departments" successor spent under supervision of the Ministry of the Interior, is to make account: it is only barely 15 of the total amount of the appropriation for our most distant territories.
It is that the Rue Oudinot Accords manages online than the 51 2 cross-cutting programmes in favour of the overseas involving all departments. These targeted actions (ranging from territorial administration on the policy of the city through the life of the student, the provision of care, the police or the prevention of risks) were evaluated for 2009 to 8.76 billion euros (8.3 billion in 2007). In this regard, the remuneration of officials of the State is ultramarine specificity. A double title. A question first of all of the weight very high public employment. Then by the special benefits reserved for these agents working or residing overseas, with the additional cost is estimated at EUR 1.5 billion: salaries increased by 40 in Guadeloupe, in Martinique, French Guiana and 53 at the meeting, installation, subsidised leave allowances or pension supplements. This last very advantageous regime, with sur-pensions from 35 to 75 according to the territories, however just be hardened, Yves Jégo initiative.
Taxes: niche piling
However, the intervention of the State overseas goes beyond these specific actions. It must also ensure, as in other areas, its kingly missions. By adding their cost, the envelope moves 8,76 billion to EUR 13.3 billion (in payment appropriations), which 9.9 billion for the four only DOM: a little more than 4 billion for the meeting, nearly 2.5 billion for Guadeloupe, 1.85 billion for Martinique and 1 billion in Guyana.
Less imposing mass, of course, but far to be all trivial, granted tax expenditures to him overseas are a kind of hard core of the interventions of the State in these territories. Since 1952, these derogating tax devices are stacked or delivered to the taste of the day by the successive Governments of right and left: laws Pons, Paul Girardin and soon no doubt Jégo, who defends his bill for economic development (Lodeom) from tomorrow in the Senate. These "non-recettes" for the State must achieve this year at least 3.3 billion. The effectiveness of this tax niches on the ultramarine economy 20 was never formally measured. Hence the regular polemics on the subject. In the package include devices also various that rates reduced VAT, the very iconic seduction of productive and most original investments, non-recoverable VAT refunded. Its mechanism is to exempt from VAT to import certain products and then allow the subject to charge, as if he had been acquitted, the amount of the tax which they have yet been exempted. It is that this device, introduced in 1953, and which is expected to cost this year 225 million euros of public finance, still has no legal basis! Others produce obvious perverse effects. Thus, the tax exemption for housing really drained the construction of social housing for the benefit of housing free and added the price of land.
Problem. Despite regular attempts to reduce the scope, as was the case in the last debate on tax niches in the Finance Bill, these expenditures have an unfortunate tendency to drift. "This increase is difficult to justify in view of the difficulties to analyse the real effectiveness of these tax expenditures," stressed last November Senators Eric Doligé and Marc Massion, seeing a dramatic increase of 17.4 versus 2008. An elegant way to admit that no control is exercised on this type of expenditure. Or, seen by Christiane Taubira, Member of Guyana, as "the State is mired in fiscal sacrifices as deep as the barrel of the down the drain...
Total displays therefore EUR 16.7 billion. But this addition is incomplete. First and this time the representatives of the public authorities keep to advertise because the State debts. A significant slate, assessed at nearly EUR 1.5 billion due to outstanding payments to different organizations or institutions: between 900 million and 1.25 billion to social security, a sum which should begin to be resolved this year. Or even EUR 90 million to the local authorities under various contracts or agreements of development. Victorin Lurel, Socialist President of the Regional Council of Guadeloupe and connoisseur of the record, adds even a "virtual"debt of 600 million due to the large gap between authorities of commitment and payment appropriations in the housing sector...
An extension to ease the conflict
Finally, to be comprehensive, the addition must take into account the supplements that, under the pressure of the conflict Caribbean, the Government has to consent to all of the overseas. Encrypted by the Secretariat of State to almost EUR 850 million, they are in fact slightly lower the cost of old measures have been integrated into this presentation and closer instead of the extension of 580 million announced by the head of State on 19 February, at the reception of overseas in the Elysee Palace officials. This extension includes including the 280 million programmed for the establishment of the temporary additional income of activity (RSTA), pending the application of the RSA, adapted to the overseas, who will succeed him to the best in 2010. And includes a bonus of EUR 150 million, half of them as social exemptions, for the Lodeom.
Measured in terms of the public Manna, the national solidarity with the overseas territories keeps therefore growing. "The issue should not arise in these quantitative terms but rather on the quality of the use of appropriations", slice Hervé Mariton, former Minister of the overseas. But this perspective was not really addressed during the West Indian conflict. The States General of the overseas, scheduled in the coming months, will be the opportunity to do so.
