There are always changes happening in France with new rules regularly coming into force across a wide range of sectors.
To help keep abreast of the most important, both those that have just come into force, or are planned for the coming months, we have compiled the list below.
More money for renovation
Households will be able to apply for more generous renovation grants under the MaPrimeRénov’ scheme from January 1, 2025, as the cap for reimbursement is raised.
Higher income households will be able to claim for 50% of renovation work to be reimbursed by the scheme and local authority subsidies, instead of 40% now.
For those on ‘intermediate’ incomes, the threshold will increase from 60% to 80%, and from 80% to 90% for modest incomes.
The lowest incomes can already have all of their renovation work reimbursed.
Until December 31, you can still take advantage of MaPrimeRénov’ for simple monogeste insulation work (walls, windows) or for installing certain models of energy-efficient boilers.
Read more: Home renovation grants simplified in France
After this, most eligible work has to happen at the same time as at least one other expense relating to the installation of heating or hot water equipment.
ATM bank fees scrapped…
Fees for making cash withdrawals from banks other than the customer’s own are being scrapped for many clients.
These charges usually apply if cash is withdrawn multiple times in the same month from other ATMs.
Now, however, BNP Paribas, Société Générale, Crédit Mutuel and CIC are pooling the cash dispensers they manage to reduce their number and operating costs.
Machines branded ‘Cash Services’ are being rolled out in branches, letting customers
withdraw as many times as they need without incurring charges.
Withdrawals from other banks’ ATMs will still be billed.
Read more: French bank fees to reduce for instant transfers and ATM withdrawals
...and cards to be optional for some ATM withdrawals
Some banks are now offering cardless cash withdrawals at ATMs. Customers receive a unique number in their banking app instead, which acts as a PIN code at the machine.
Both Crédit Mutuel and Banque Populaire offer this service.
Read more: Some French ATMs now allow card-free cash withdrawals - how does it work?
New bin fees
The deployment of ‘incentive’ bin fees is continuing as the government aims to hit a target of more than 25 million people taxed for extra household rubbish over a certain allowance, by 2025.
These systems typically work using bins equipped with electronic chips.
For example, in Marne if a bin is collected more than 18 times a year, the household begins to pay penalties at €1.20 per collection for a single person (120 litres), rising to €3/bin for the 27th.
For large families (240 litres) the fees are €2.40 and €7.
Read more: Millions more homes in France to face ‘pay to throw extra’ bin fees
Starlink portable internet service
Satellite-based portable internet service Starlink Mini has launched in France, allowing more users to stay connected in areas without access to a mobile phone network by connecting to SpaceX satellites.
It costs €399 plus a subscription to the data service, priced from €40 a month for 50Gb.
Read more: Portable internet service Starlink Mini is now available in France
Free instant bank transfers
European regulations now oblige French banks to offer instant transfers at the same price as a standard one, which is generally free.
Previously some banks charged up to €10, while others did not offer the service at all.
The new rule takes effect from November.
Read the article linked above about ATM fee changes to learn more.
Métro tickets
The price of public transport in Paris returns to normal on September 8, the last day of the Paralympic Games.
T+ tickets, which allow passengers to use the Métro, bus, trams and RER, rose from €2.15 to €4 during the Olympics period to try to prevent the network being overwhelmed.
Read more: When will Paris metro tickets return to pre-Olympic prices?
Medicine shortages
France’s drugs regulator is preparing a winter plan to limit the impact of continuing drug shortages on patients.
Measures include requiring pharmacies to order children’s antibiotics from wholesalers, rather than directly from laboratories.
The aim is to ensure a better distribution of medicines across the country.
The French National Agency for the Safety of Medicines and Health Products (ANSM) will also monitor medicines including antibiotics, oral corticosteroids and asthma medication, as it did last winter.
Two large drug recalls were announced in August, other medicines that contained defects
Read more: 110,000 boxes of antibiotics recalled in France
Read more: Thousands of boxes of blood circulation medicine recalled in France
Property wealth tax
You have until September 16 to pay property wealth tax if you do not use a paperless payment method – and midnight on September 21 if you are paying online.
Taxpayers who receive their notification in October must pay by November 15 and 20 respectively.
The tax is mandatory if the net worth of your property/properties is above €1.3 million, after a 30% reduction for the value of the household’s main home.
Read more: EXPLAINED: France’s property wealth tax 2024
Fly-tipping fines
Fines for dumping large items such as furniture, fridges and household appliances with the help of a vehicle have become a fifth-class offence in the highway code.
Culprits can now be fined €150, which can increase to €1,500 in court.
US election registration
Americans abroad must complete a Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) to vote in the US election on November 5.
US citizens who live outside the US and have voted in the past must re-register.
Read more: Americans in France urged to register to vote in presidential election
Stamp price rises on way
The cost of sending a letter will increase on average by 6.8% from January 2025, La Poste has announced.
A decline in ‘paper activity’ in favour of digital communication is cited as the reason.
International letters will increase to €2.10 from €1.96; registered letters to €5.74 from €5.36; and ‘green letters’ (lettres vertes) to €1.39 from €1.29.
The cost of sending parcels using the Colissimo service is also set to rise by an average of 5.2% “for all destinations combined,” said La Poste.
Burial rule changes
The maximum length of time that can pass before a body must be buried or cremated in France has changed.
Previously, a body had to be buried within six days but new rules have extended this to 14 days after the death certificate has been issued, except where the death is linked to a crime.
The change is in response to the high number of requests for waivers.
Read more: France changes its deadline rules for burials and cremations
New rules on hand luggage liquids
A return to the 100 ml cap on liquids will come back into force in all French airports from September 1, due to regulation from the European Commission.
Some airports, including Paris Charles de Gaulle removed the cap after installing new scanners that can detect the contents of liquids.
However, the Commission said these scanners need to be improved after failing a number of tests.
Until they are improved, the 100 ml liquid rule will return in all airports.
Read more: Change to cabin luggage rules in French airports from September 1
