France: New measures planned to favour employee savings plans in companies

The law for the growth and transformation of companies (known as the “Pacte law”) modifies several points relating to employee savings in companies. In particular, it sets out the obligation to set up profit-sharing in the company, which only applies from the first financial year opened after a period of 5 consecutive calendar years, during which the number of employees is at least 50 (instead of 50 employees for 12 months in the last 3 financial years). It also provides that the amount of incentive bonuses distributed to the same beneficiary for the same financial year is raised to 75% of the annual social security ceiling (instead of the current 50%). Also, the establishment of a “Perco” (collective retirement savings plan) is no longer conditioned to the existence of a company or business savings plan benefiting employees of the company. It is also planned to relax the conditions for free allocation of shares.