France/New bookstores: how to get a local subsidy?

The law of December 30, 2021 aimed at strengthening the book economy and reinforcing equity and confidence between its actors allows municipalities, groups of municipalities and communities to help certain bookstores by paying subsidies. A decree has been issued to clarify the process required to obtain these subsidies.

Since December 30, 2021, the law aimed at strengthening the book economy and reinforcing equity and confidence among its actors has opened the possibility for local authorities to pay subsidies to bookstores, provided that provided that they are small or medium-sized companies, that they employ less than 250 people and that they report annual sales not exceeding €50 million or an annual balance sheet total not exceeding €43 million.

This provision, a measure to support independent bookstores, is completed by a decree just published in the Official Journal.

These "[a]ides to retail establishments selling new books " will thus be requested by " a written request from the head of the The decree details that these "[a]ides to retail establishments selling new books" will thus be requested by "a written request from the head of the company to which the existing establishment belongs, whose purpose is the retail sale of new books.

A file will be attached to the application, including:

• The statutes of the company;
• A description of the establishment
• The company's operating accounts for the last two fiscal years preceding the application or, failing that, for the last fiscal year preceding the application
• The company's projected operating accounts for the next two years
• The reasons for the request, specifying, if applicable, the cultural projects or actions corresponding to this request

Finally, the decree specifies that, for each year, " the amount of the grant awarded, on the basis of article L. 2251-5, by the municipalities and their groupings, the collectivity of Saint-Barthélemy, the collectivity of Saint-Martin and the municipalities of Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon cannot exceed 20% of the turnover of the company to which the establishment belongs ".

Source: actualitte.com