“I find it unacceptable to pay such high taxes”: a Béziers restaurateur angry after receiving his CFE

Le propriétaire du restaurant L’Imprévu s’inquiète du montant de cet impôt.

1 900 euros, c’est ce que doit payer Jacky Renaux, propriétaire du restaurant L’Imprévu, à Béziers, dans le cadre de la Cotisation foncière des entreprises. Un montant qu’il estime soudainement trop élevé. Explications.

“This is the first time I've seen this, a bill for 1900 euros, it's a nice Christmas present”, announces sarcastically Jacky Renaux, owner of the restaurant l'Imprévu, 17 avenue Georges Clemenceau, in Béziers. Since he received this notice, the restaurateur has been worried. And does not understand why he is subject to this tax called CFE (Cotisation foncière des entreprises, read below) and on what basis it has increased.

“I was sent an incomprehensible explanatory table, with percentages everywhere, and I was told that everything was normal, he continues. It is out of price compared to my cash flow, I cannot pay it.” Since then, he has not stopped making phone calls to anyone who wants to explain it to him.

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Exemption systems

For six and a half years, the Béziers trader had in fact benefited from a temporary exemption, and therefore paid a lower amount. As explained by Florence Vilbois Cros, Deputy Director General of Resources at the Béziers Méditerranée Agglomeration. “Among the special exemption schemes, there is one that is granted, within the framework of the Urban Policy, for commercial activities, in what are called the Priority Neighborhoods of the City (QPV). It is a five-year exemption and is accompanied by a gradual exit over three years. It is degressive, a first year at 60%, a second at 40%, a third at 20% and, from the fourth, we fall back on the classic scheme.” Before continuing on to the specific case of the restaurant l’Imprévu: “The exemption was planned for a period of five years and began in 2016. Since 2021, he has been in what is called the gradual exit. So, in 2024, he is on the last reduction, therefore the lowest, this is what our services are trying to explain to him and will continue to do.”

Despite everything, Jacky Renaux is still furious. “I find it unacceptable to pay such high taxes in Béziers,” he fumes. I'm going to refuse the direct debit because I can't afford to pay it. I'm in the restaurant business and if such a sum of money leaves the account I won't be able to buy anything for the restaurant.” Be careful not to risk an increase, which would make the bill even higher…

The CFE, how does it work ?

“The Cotisation Foncière des Entreprises (CFE) is a tax that replaced the old professional tax, explains Florence Vilbois Cros, Deputy Director General of Resources at the Béziers Méditerranée Agglomeration. Today, it is devolved to inter-municipal authorities. Like all taxes, it is a base multiplied by a rate. The basis is the rental values ​​of business premises, which are set by the tax authorities. The rate is set by the inter-municipal authorities, which vote on it each year. In Béziers, it has not changed since 2019. There may be exemptions. Either by right (public authorities for example), or temporary, by right or subject to specific measures.

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