Theme Taxation

Transatlantic relations are experiencing a period of heightened tensions, marked by Donald Trump's return to the American presidency. In this context, Isabel Schnabel, a prominent member of the Executive Board of the European Central Bank (ECB), has sounded the alarm. She claims that a trade war between the European Union and the United States is "highly probable," due to the protectionist policies already announced by the American administration. If these measures, including high tariffs on European imports, were to materialize, they could destabilize the global economy. This threat, which particularly targets key sectors in the euro area, poses critical challenges for the future of international economic relations.

Canada is preparing for a trade war with the United States in response to Donald Trump's threats to increase tariffs on Canadian products. Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mélanie Joly, stated that Canada would impose a "Trump tax" if these threats materialized, thereby triggering the largest trade war between the two countries in decades.

Under the darkened skies of the budget, the Medef proposes a sharp reform: to withdraw retirees' valuable tax allowance. An idea where the economy dialogues with injustice.

A few days before Donald Trump's inauguration, the outgoing American administration is tightening its sanctions against Russian oil, pushing Brent prices above $80. This new offensive directly targets two Russian giants in the sector and a fleet of nearly 200 ships.

The American Federal Reserve (FED) may slow down its interest rate cut cycle in 2025, according to recent statements from its officials. An announcement that sparked panic on Wall Street, where stock indices fell sharply on Friday, shaken by robust economic data! This reinforces the idea that the FED could curb its monetary easing sooner than expected.

A few statements are enough to shake the markets, and Donald Trump has once again demonstrated this. An article in the Washington Post suggested that his team was exploring a more nuanced approach to tariff policy. This single premise was enough to push stock indices higher, with investors betting on a relaxation of trade tensions. However, the former president was quick to respond. In a message posted on social media, he firmly denied this information, calling it yet another attempt at media manipulation. This sudden about-face triggered a shockwave in the financial markets.

On Friday, January 3, 2025, Wall Street experienced a day of gains marked by a return of risk appetite among investors. After a period of volatility and uncertainty, the major stock indices saw significant gains, reflecting renewed confidence in the American economy.

In 2025, China continues to demonstrate its resilience under international economic pressures, particularly those exerted by the future Trump administration. Despite attempts by the new American president to hinder China's economic rise, it persists in its openness, marking a significant victory in the war between the two superpowers.

In 2025, Americans anticipate a rise in the stock markets and an intensification of international conflicts. This duality could influence financial and crypto markets, making the current year both promising and uncertain for the United States.

The U.S. Secretary of the Treasury, Janet Yellen, recently warned that the U.S. debt ceiling could be reached as early as mid-January 2025. According to her statements, the Treasury expects to hit this new limit between January 14 and 23, at which point extraordinary measures will need to be taken to avoid a default.

Global trade is going through a period marked by increasing tensions, where diplomacy and economy intertwine in strategic rivalries. Indeed, China's opening of an anti-dumping investigation into European cognac imports signals a new front in the trade conflict with the European Union. This move, perceived as a direct response to European accusations against Chinese subsidies for electric vehicles, reflects an escalation of economic retaliations between two major powers. Such a case goes beyond a mere trade dispute. It raises fundamental questions about the balance of international exchanges and the role of institutions like the World Trade Organization in arbitrating these disputes in an increasingly complex rivalry context.

Tensions between the United States and the European Union are escalating once again. Donald Trump, known for his aggressive trade policy, has targeted the European trade surplus, which he describes as "huge." The elected American president threatens to impose heavy tariffs if European countries do not reduce this imbalance by significantly increasing their purchases of American oil and gas. This strategy aligns with the continuity of his protectionist rhetoric aimed at enhancing the competitiveness of the United States on the global stage.

Recently, the United States announced new sanctions aimed at restricting the export of semiconductor technologies to China. These measures are intended to hinder China's ability to acquire and produce advanced technologies necessary for its military modernization. China is reacting violently!

As economic and climate challenges redefine political priorities, the French Senate is making its mark on the state's budget for 2025. Between measures to revive a stagnant real estate market and tax adjustments in favor of the environment, these decisions crystallize political and economic tensions.

The announcement of the return of Donald Trump's protectionism represents a notable shift in transatlantic economic relations, as it threatens to reignite trade tensions between the United States and Europe. Faced with a policy that could once again shake international exchanges, France is ready to vigorously defend its interests. At stake are the strategic sectors of industry and agriculture, while the European Union contemplates new measures to protect its economy. Thus, between French determination and European consultation, the debate around American protectionism continues to intensify, with major implications for economic actors on both sides of the Atlantic.

Property owners in France see their administrative horizon darken with the update of the real estate declaration. While this procedure, which became mandatory in 2023, had already caused confusion, an amendment has just been voted, promising to make the process even more complex. This news has gained increased importance as hundreds of thousands of households have recently faced administrative errors, shaking their confidence in the system. Thus, this new requirement raises more questions about the management of personal information and administrative simplification in the tax field.

The relations between the two largest global economic powers, the United States and China, are once again at the heart of trade tensions. Barely elected, Donald Trump is reinforcing his intentions to pursue a no-holds-barred protectionist policy, seeking to impose record tariffs on Chinese imports. This approach echoes his first term, where heavy tariffs created a precedent in the Sino-American trade war. But this time, in a post-pandemic context where the global economy is still fragile, the repercussions could prove to be more significant. While Beijing advocates for dialogue, the world is bracing for a new phase of commercial confrontation with potentially global effects.

France's budget deficit, now reaching 173.78 billion euros, has become a critical issue as it highlights the growing challenges the country faces in maintaining its financial commitments. With the end of the Covid-19 pandemic and the support measures, efforts to restore public finances seem to have encountered major obstacles. This budget gap exceeds forecasts and demands ambitious but controversial revisions. In this context, the government is striving to convince both European institutions and internal political actors of the viability of its austerity plan to avoid a lasting decline in state finances.

The 2025 finance bill has sparked heated debate and reveals tensions surrounding taxation applied to the highest incomes in France. At the heart of the controversy is an amendment aimed at exempting certain categories of income from the new "differential contribution on high incomes" (CDHR), introduced to limit tax avoidance practices among the wealthiest taxpayers. This amendment, intended to maintain an attractive tax policy for investors in innovation, was rejected by the National Assembly, marking a defeat for the government and a victory for the opposition advocating for an expansion of this contribution.

In 2023, the removal of the residence tax on primary residences eased the burden for many households, but this measure also created a financial shortfall of nearly 20 billion euros in local government coffers. Today, faced with significant budget deficits and an increase in property tax that is no longer sufficient, the government is considering a "universal territorial contribution" (UTC). Supported by certain political figures, this measure aims to rebalance local resources through contributions from both homeowners and tenants.

On Tuesday, October 29, 2024, Brussels approved a drastic increase in customs tariffs on electric vehicles imported from China. Such a measure follows a thorough investigation into the massive subsidies granted by Beijing to its national manufacturers. For Europe, it is a matter of industrial survival. While some applaud a necessary step to protect a struggling automotive market, others fear global economic repercussions.

As the debate over budgetary receipts rages on and tensions mount, a new tax of 40 billion euros could further destabilize France's already fragile economy. In a statement this Sunday, October 27, Pierre Lellouche, former minister, sounded the alarm: "the French economy will suffer a shock that will bring it to a halt at the worst possible moment." This heavy statement comes in a context where economic recovery is more necessary than ever, but where room for maneuver is shrinking day by day.

The French real estate market is on the brink of undergoing a major upheaval. With the finance bill for 2025 currently under discussion, property owners find themselves at the center of significant tax reforms that could reshape the way real estate is taxed. Traditional tax deductions for capital gains, exemptions on primary residences, and other tax advantages that have benefitted investors in recent decades are now under scrutiny. These changes, which come amid a tense economic context and a sluggish real estate market, raise the question: how will property owners adapt to these new measures?

The ECB lowers its interest rates to 3.25% to stimulate the economy! What does this mean exactly for you?

Heated debate at the FED! Inflation and interest rate cuts divide financial experts who can no longer understand each other.

This Wednesday, October 9, 2024, François Villeroy de Galhau, Governor of the Bank of France, made a direct call: "It is time for everyone to make an effort." In a context where public finances are spiraling out of control, with a deficit that has widened by 100 billion euros since January, this statement leaves no room for ambiguity. Every economic actor, from citizens to businesses and local authorities, must accept sacrifices to avoid a budgetary collapse.

France is facing an unprecedented financial deadlock, with public debt estimated at 110.6% of GDP and a deficit well beyond European criteria. Indeed, the era of half-measures seems to be over, and the Montaigne Institute, an influential Parisian think tank, is sounding the alarm with a bold report titled "Public Finances: The End of Illusions." This document proposes ambitious reforms aimed at saving nearly 150 billion euros by 2050.

The world is undergoing a geopolitical reshaping. While tensions between major powers shape international relations, economic alliances are evolving at an unprecedented speed. At the heart of this new global order, BRICS, the bloc of major emerging economies, is asserting itself as a key player capable of reshaping global balances. This group, once reserved for five members, has recently opened up to new candidates, adding giants like Iran and Saudi Arabia to its ranks. It is in this context that Turkey, under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, seeks to join this influential alliance. A strategic decision that comes at a time when the prospects of EU membership are fading, prompting Ankara to diversify its economic and geopolitical partnerships. However, this candidacy is not universally accepted: BRICS, still in the consolidation phase after its last expansion, may slow down before making new decisions. This is despite the growing interest of about twenty nations to join the group.