It’s back to school time and with it comes a lot of new things. Every 1is This month is marked by regulatory and administrative changes, and September is no exception. Knowledge clash at school, withholding tax, retirement pensions, scholarships, SUV parking… We take stock of what’s changing.
From school change to high school
New teaching methods are being launched in schools. In French and mathematics, a more dynamic and interactive approach will be introduced from nursery school to CE2. Students in 6th and 5th grade will benefit from needs groups specially designed to help them progress according to their skills. The minister also confirmed the ban on mobile phones in nearly 200 middle schools from the start of the school year, before a possible generalization in January 2025.
The reform of vocational high schools is coming into force at all levels to revalue the vocational pathway. Its objectives: to better support students, to better meet the needs of new skills, to support and promote teachers.
Automatic scholarship applications
When registering or re-registering your middle or high school student, it is now possible to consent to the automatic study of your right to the scholarship, which was not the case before. It is still possible, moreover, to make the request in the traditional way on the Scolarité-Services portal or by completing the paper form, to be submitted to the secretariat of your establishment with the requested supporting documents. These steps must be carried out before October 17 or October 31 for students registered with the National Center for Distance Education (CNED).
A new rate of withholding tax
As every year, the withholding tax rate could change automatically in September. This is calculated based on your income tax return filed in the spring. If your declared income for 2023 is different from that of 2022, your tax rate will change, implying a change in your salary. This new rate can be viewed in your personal space on impots.gouv.fr. It is possible to request a modulation under certain conditions.
STI screening made easier
Screening for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) becomes more accessible on 1is September. It will be possible to get tested without a prescription for four additional STIs, in addition to HIV. This test is fully covered for those under 26.
Some retirement pensions revalued
The pension of 1.1 million retirees will be revalued. The pension reform provides for an increase in the minimum contribution. But only 600,000 people have benefited from it so far out of the 1.7 million retirees concerned. This increase of an average of €56 per month, or €672 per year, will concern people who have had an uninterrupted career and who have contributed at least 120 quarters with a salary close to the minimum wage. This increase is subject to a ceiling. Your monthly pension from the general scheme cannot exceed €847.57 after revaluation.
Time limits for legal appeals against agricultural projects reduced
This is one of the measures taken following farmers’ discontent. The duration of appeals against agricultural projects and hydraulic works is reduced from 4 to 2 months. This measure aims to allow farmers to know more quickly whether their projects are validated or not. The aim is to reduce the entire procedure to a maximum duration of twenty-four months.
The 100 ml limit of liquids in airplane luggage is back
It had disappeared at the beginning of the year, the 100 ml rule for liquids in the cabin at European airports is making a comeback. The scanners that had allowed a temporary relaxation have shown flaws, forcing a backtracking to guarantee the safety of passengers. Security checks should therefore be more rigorous.
SUV parking prices increase in Paris
In February 2024, 78,121 Parisian voters voted on a surcharge for SUVs, i.e. vehicles weighing more than 1.6 tonnes (2 tonnes for electric vehicles). The choice to triple the parking rate won with 54.5% of the vote. As of 1is September 2024, the price increases from €6 to €18 (from Iis in the XIe district) and from €4 to €12 (from the 12the au XXe arrondissement).
Parisian residents are not concerned, nor are people with reduced mobility (PRM) and holders of a mobility inclusion card – parking. Professionals, in particular taxi drivers in dedicated stations and craftsmen and health professionals eligible for the professional rate, are also exempt.