Auto-entrepreneurs hit new record

893,000 RECORDED AS BUSINESS START-UPS – BUT FIGURE HIDES FALLING NUMBERS SIGNING UP FOR NEW REGIME FRANCE has a record 893,000 auto-entrepreneurs – but business closures out number

start-ups for the first time since the scheme was launched. Figures from the end of May showed that of the 893,000 auto-entrepreneurs 410,000 declared positive results, although 44% had

business of less than €1,500 and just 5%, or about 41,000, had business of more than €7,500. However, figures for the last quarter of 2012 showed there were only 72,000 new businesses

started, while more than 80,000 closed down. In all, 234,200 auto-entrepreneurs gave up their business last year. Businesses are automatically closed if they have not submitted any income

figures for 24 months. This accounts for two-thirds of the closures according to Acoss, the social security body that published the information. They will also be closed if

auto-entrepreneurs earn above the maximum income limits and move on to new business regimes. Auto-entrepreneurs accounted for business totalling €1.3billion, a figure similar to 2011, but

with only 20,000 start-ups notching income of more than €10,000 each. Doubts still hang over the future of the business start-up status after Trades Minister Sylvia Pinel announced plans to

change the regime, and suggested that those in traditional trades will have a two-year limit and a €19,000 maximum income.