Shops damaged on 17 and 24 October are promised up to €10,000 from a new fund. Which business support already works, what is still missing, and where a business owner in trouble can turn in France

What was announced

On Tuesday 27 October, commerce minister Serge Papin set out a support fund in an interview with Le Parisien. The fund is for businesses damaged during the looting that accompanied the protests of 17 and 24 October. He said about 3,000 businesses were hit over those two days. The hardest hit could receive up to €10,000. The fund is aimed at companies with fewer than 50 employees. Outlets report the turnover ceiling differently: ICI gives €10 million, franceinfo €50 million. According to franceinfo, the aid applies whether or not the business was insured.

Important: for now this is an announcement, not a working scheme. The minister said the fund will be up and running "in the coming weeks". As of publication, nobody has published the scale from zero to €10,000, the exact criteria or how to apply. The government's official texts of 20 and 26 October mention only the fund itself, for companies with fewer than 50 employees that suffered major damage and a loss of activity. They describe the aid as a flat amount calculated as a percentage of turnover, capped per company. Two points come so far only from the minister's words as reported by the press: the €10,000 figure, and extending the measures to 24 October. The official texts refer to 17 and 18 October.

What already applies

The government announced a package on 20 October. As of 26 October, entreprendre.service-public.gouv.fr lists the following:

• Tax deferral. Tax payments can be spread out with no fees or surcharges. Contact the service des impôts that manages the company's file. Refunds of tax credits, including VAT credits, are to be speeded up.
• Urssaf deferral. Employer contributions due over the next three months can be deferred for up to 12 months.
• Bpifrance zero-interest loan. Up to €50,000 at 0% over three years, applied for online. It is meant for rebuilding stock and covering urgent payments.
• Emergency aid through the chambres de métiers et de l'artisanat. Up to €1,500 for craft businesses.
• Activité partielle. If work had to stop or be cut back, employees receive 60% of gross pay, or 100% for those on the SMIC. For companies with fewer than 250 employees, the State covers the full cost. We covered this in detail after 17 October.
• Insurers. According to France Assureurs, as cited in the economy ministry's press release, the deadline for declaring a claim has been extended to 30 days. Advance payments are promised, and two insurers are waiving the excess.

Where to turn when a business is in trouble — not only after looting

This part stays useful after the looting story is over. France has permanent services that a small business owner can turn to when things go wrong.

CDED — conseillers départementaux aux entreprises en difficulté. Every département has one, and they are the first point of contact. The adviser reviews the situation and points to the procedures and support that fit. There is a national non-premium number, 0 806 807 807, where operators can give you your local CDED's details.

The Banque de France's médiation du crédit. This is for cases where a bank refuses credit, withdraws an overdraft or won't reschedule a debt. The Banque de France page says the service is free and confidential, and open to business owners of any size, sector or legal form. The steps:

1. Talk to your bank first.
2. If that fails, file a case online on the mediation portal. A message sent through the contact form does not count as an application.
3. The mediator checks the file within 48 hours. The banks then have five working days to review their position.

Existing credit lines are maintained while the mediation runs. If an overdraft has been withdrawn, apply before the end of the 60-day notice period. The information line is 3414.

What makes sense to do now

• Don't wait for the fund before using what is already available: tax deferral, Urssaf deferral, the Bpifrance loan.
• Keep the documents any application is likely to need: the receipt for the plainte (police report), photos of the damage, invoices, and turnover figures from before and after.
• Watch the official pages where the fund's conditions will appear: entreprendre.service-public.gouv.fr and the economy ministry's site. A summary on social media is not a condition for payment.

This article summarises announced measures and does not replace advice from an accountant or lawyer on a specific business.