How Macron wants to "frame" the carbon tax

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This is the latest proposal from Emmanuel Macron, announced Tuesday, November 27, to respond to the sling of "yellow vests": a "New system" the tax on carbon tax, the increase of which has amplified that of prices at the pump this fall.

"We must adapt the new fuel tax increases in line with soaring oil prices," said the President of the Republic, referring "An appointment every quarter, which allows (…) to mitigate the effect for our fellow citizens, should there be a surge in world prices ".

The principle is reminiscent of the "floating TIPP", this tax adjustment mechanism in the event of a rise in the price of oil, in force between 2000 and 2002 under the Lionel Jospin government, and whose return had been mentioned – but without to be put in place – at the beginning of François Hollande's five-year term.

A "politically powered" mechanism

For the executive, however, there is no question of endorsing the comparison with the floating TIPP, considered a gas plant too expensive in a budget context now constrained. " [Ce dispositif] was a failure, we will do otherwise, " Tuesday, Roland Lescure, President (The Republic in motion, LRM) of the Committee on Economic Affairs of the National Assembly.

The idea of ​​a "Modulation of taxes according to the cost of the barrel" was recently defended by MoDem chairman François Bayrou. But Bercy has so far vigorously rejected this hypothesis: too random, too expensive for public finances.

In October, the amendments to the budget 2019 tabled by the deputy (LRM) of Maine-et-Loire Mathieu Orphelin, close to the former Minister of the transition ecological and solidarity Nicolas Hulot, and proposing similar mechanisms, including a credit of tax for modest households when the price of a barrel flames, had been retoqué.

The new system will not be automatic, but "Politically operated" pleads the executive. "The idea is to give the government the means to respond to a crisis like the one we are going through, while keeping its ecological commitments," summarizes Matignon. In other words, that the modulations are not too frequent. Given the current decline in the price of oil, the tax increase planned for 1^st January 2019 (+ 6 cents for diesel and + 3 cents for gasoline) is also maintained.