Bankruptcies, legal receiverships… the number of business failures is exploding in France. The symbolic milestone of 60,000 business failures has been crossed since the start of the year. VSEs and very small businesses (those employing fewer than ten employees) are particularly affected, they represent 90% of payment defaults. And the Pyrénées-Orientales are no exception.
According to data from the Perpignan commercial court, collective proceedings have increased by 18% compared to last year (450 procedures as of September 30, 2024), and 37% compared to 2019, the reference year before the Covid-19 pandemic. These figures may seem alarming, but they must be qualified.
A post-Covid catch-up phenomenon
According to the president of the commercial court, Germain Moreno, this increase in failures is in reality a “catch-up” after the Covid years. During this period, many companies were kept afloat thanks to massive public aid, in particular the “ whatever it costs » of the State. Today, with the end of these measures, several weakened companies are filing for bankruptcy at the same time. For Germain Moreno, these figures should not be interpreted as warning signs of a new economic crisis.
The construction sector: a special case
However, one sector seems to be particularly affected in the department: construction. It alone represents 20% of collective proceedings initiated at the commercial court. Unlike other sectors, the difficulties encountered in construction are more structural.
On the one hand, public procurement is declining. Local authorities are struggling to finance the launch of major projects (bridges, roads, large buildings, etc.). And these projects are increasingly contested or attacked in court. On the other hand, “the department lacks land” adds Germain Moreno. “The entire sector is suffering and will have to reinvent. But I am optimistic.”
