From a very personal point of view,I have lived and worked ( self employed ) in France for 33 years.
I have evidently seen the country " change".
I agree with the witty "I only come here for the scenery ".
The country has become a police state where you are constantly in fear of being hassled by the administration and powers that be on a multitude of insignificant bureaucratic rules and laws intended to get money into the empty government coffers . And if you believe that you are " à jour "with everything, which you may well be, they will find a slightly bald tyre on your car,or a little admin paper not quite right.
You want to start a little AE business with the more liberal watered down administration and regulations? Do it ! And the best of luck. The place is a joke . If you have the chance to actually make a little money, they'll hit you later with a rappel des charges, or even better a little tax control. Remember, this is personal opinion and,in my case, an accurate assessment.
Maybe I have strayed away from the actual subject, but after 6 years reading articles on the excellent SFN, I needed to get my little word in.
I stalled out as a professional on antique fairs and markets in France for over 25 years . Just to note that the French are the most dishonest people that I have ever met...and I have travelled through Afghanistan,Iran,India etc and many other" poor"countries;but certain French just love to steal,having that most uncool of sentiments in their insular Catho educated blood : la jalousie.
Ok....there is bitterness in all this,but that's how I feel . Many French are good honest people, I have good friends,my Anglo French daughter etc etc . But the administration,the government, ( right,left or centre..peu importe)...and above all " le systeme "....stink.
I'm recently out in Asia now...what a wonderful breath of fresh air! Lovely people,open minded,.....liberty!I have to come back to say goodbye to my friends,my daughter and the dog.
I wish everybody the best for the future . Be careful. And admire the scenery....
All of us could be needing a carte sejour soon.
I think you'll find this new law is for fighting abuse on the part of 'migrants' living on state allowance, mostly.
It's been happening in the UK for years. All the people who knock France and think it's backward obviously aren't aware of what now happens in the UK - we can't move without surveillance, all our bank records are checked regularly, our mobile calls are monitored as are Facebook messages etc.
If you are working on the black you deserve to be checked up on. We all have EU rights - France is just implementing them like everyone else albeit more slowly which is what causes the concerns.
As far as I am concerned, living in the uK is hell - give me France anyway with all the quirkiness!!!
Good idea, root out the cheats and kick them out.
Spot on, scenery and architecture> maybe they should investigate their government and why it's over charging "foreigners" for services and why they are now having to give secondary homes owners( lucky enough to have sold there homes in France) money back for illegal double taxing ??
For once I agree with Simon Armstrong. ‘Nothing to hide, nothing to fear’ just about sums it up.
Big deal, all they have to do is check my Carrefour Fidelity Card and they even know what I had for breakfast.
http://www.lefigaro.fr/argent/2015/03/18/05010-20150318ARTFIG00079-...
This article explains quite simply the rationale behind these measures. Doesn't seem unduly oppressive to me as it strikes against both those working /trading on the black and those transferring money through Islamic channels to do whatever or to support Daesh.
Jane, I think this also applies to those with a 10 year Carte de Residence.
oh gosh, like they do not have these data anyway via Interpol, Frontex et all. That's all on record. I think its a good idea.
Probably right Jane but I really don't want to hang around in France to make the list - I just do not want to die here - if of course I have the choice! :-)
Spoke to my local BPA this morning .
They told me of all the new changes for all bank accounts in France regardless of nationality.
1. A limit of 1000 euros CASH when paying for goods, private or public.
2. All transactions over 10.000 euros are registered by the authorities concerned with Money Laundering.
These are already in place for everyone Carte de Sejour or not !
There are of course many more new laws that I could bore you with, but seeing that I am not self employed they do not concern me.
Simon, if you stand by and do nothing, you will be next on their list.
Democracy only works if citizens are vigilant and challenge their elected representatives if they start to abuse their power.
I agree, that this only seems to those with a carte de sejour.
It would seem (?) to apply only to those with, or applying for, a carte/titre de séjour so possibly excludes EU nationals? Anyway - nothing to hide, nothing to fear.
If foreigners are EU citizens they will have EU rights. Funny backward xenophobic country isn’t it. Personally I only go there for the scenery.