Michel Barnier sets up a “task force” within the government

Faced with the sudden resurgence of large-scale social plans, the Prime Minister wants to coordinate the action of all the ministers concerned to best support employees.

Michelin, Auchan, Valeo, Vencorex and even Arkema: site closures and other reorganization plans, which leave hundreds, even thousands of employees in the lurch each time, have multiplied in recent weeks in France. Enough to create a wave of concern among the French, who once again fear the specter of unemployment. Fear that Michel Barnier does not want to let take hold.

“I know, having been a local elected official for a long time, how each restructuring, each business failure is a tragedy for so many families, for an entire region,” assures the Prime Minister in an interview with Ouest-France on Thursday. So, faced with the fear of a collapse of French industry, he intends to act with his government, “particularly mobilized on this priority”.

“We are setting up a 'task force' between all the ministers concerned (Labour, Industry, Finance, Budget, etc.) to provide rapid responses to each particular situation.”

Objective of this “task force”: “To support and dialogue with companies, ensure that they find retraining solutions for their employees (…) and seek buyers for the sites, whenever possible” , explains Michel Barnier.

General audit of public aid paid to businesses

The most symptomatic case is undoubtedly that of Michelin. The French tire giant announced the closure of its factories in Cholet and Vannes, with 1,200 jobs at stake. A decision which provoked a strong reaction from the unions, with strikes on several sites, and up to the national level, the subject becoming political. Most political forces have notably demanded to know how Michelin managed the public money received to end up closing factories.

To respond to them, the government requested an audit of the aid granted to Michelin. “An audit is not a conviction”, first recalls Michel Barnier, still in Ouest-France. “Let’s start by looking at whether the contractual objective at the time the money was allocated was achieved or not.” And the Michelin group is not the only one concerned.

“We are in the process of asking all the companies that have received public money in recent years, particularly to overcome the Covid and expensive energy crises, to tell us what they have done with it.”

The Prime Minister maintains a priori confidence in businesses. “I think they used it generally well, let’s show it, in complete transparency, so that there is no suspicion on this subject.” In the event of misuse of public money, the government has already announced that it will not request reimbursement of aid.