While Paris is hosting the Paralympic Games until Sunday, September 8, local commercial infrastructures in France are still not adapted to the daily lives of the 7.6 million disabled people – 14% of people aged 15 or over living at home in 2021 – identified by the Directorate for Research, Studies, Evaluation and Statistics. According to its latest study, published in February 2023, 8% of the population uses technical assistance, such as a cane or wheelchair, or a housing adaptation.
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Steps at the entrance, changing rooms that are too small, toilets that are inaccessible to wheelchair users… Out of 800,000 places classified as local establishments open to the public, including shops, hotels, cafés and restaurants, 560,000 are still not accessible to people with disabilities (physical, visual, mental or hearing). And this despite the law of 11 February 2005, which requires them, since 1is January 2015, to have premises allowing them to welcome these customers.
To make up for this delay, the government has set up a system to help them finance their work: a “territorial accessibility fund” announced on October 31, 2023, by Olivia Grégoire and Fadila Khattabi, then, respectively, Minister Delegate for Small and Medium Enterprises, Trade, Crafts and Tourism, and Minister Delegate for People with Disabilities.
2% was spent
Intended solely for establishments receiving the public known as “fifth category” (shops, hotels, cafes and restaurants, and medical practices), and more specifically for small and medium-sized businesses, this fund covers half of their expenses concerning equipment and accessibility work, up to a limit of 20,000 euros of aid paid. The government has provided it with an envelope of 300 million euros over five years, i.e. until 2028.
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However, very few establishments have used it. Only 536 applications have been submitted since the counter opened on November 2, 2023, according to the latest counts from the General Directorate of Enterprises. Among them, 33% come from businesses, 27% from restaurants and bars, 16% from hotels and 11% from healthcare establishments.
Result: only 150 applications were validated (and funded) by the administration; 294 were declared ineligible, because they did not meet all the criteria; and 92 are still being processed. Of the 100 million euros budget allocated by the government for 2024, 2% has so far been spent, specifies the Ministry of the Economy.
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