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Address : 47, bd Georges Clémenceau - 92400 Courbevoie
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Téléphone :+33( 0)1 41 16 35 35
Fax : 33 (0)1 41 16 35 36
Email : contacts@spicofi.com
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Founded in 1994 by a former Arthur Andersen senior manager, Françoise SPIRI, SPICOFI has never stopped growing ever since. As a member of NIS Global , an alliance of independent audit and accounting companies, we ensure international groups a customized and efficient service always offered by local specialists. We also maintain strong relationships with the “Big Four” international audit firms.
   
 
 
Factsheet
 
Electronic Filings and Payments

For VAT : Companies have to declare and pay VAT returns on line if their turnover is higher than € 760,000. This amount will be €500,000 from October 1, 2010.

For CIT : Spicofi is an authorized partner of the Tax Authorities. We are allowed to electronically file your CIT returns, provided you have signed a contract for that purpose. You may have access any time to the company’s account with the French Treasury, using the website : http://www.impots.gouv.fr/, unfortunately not in English yet .

For intra EU services : From January 1, 2010, under EU directive TVA 2006/112/CE, French companies rendering services to companies established in another UE country and subject to reverse charge VAT have to declare their sales of services electronically. This monthly filing has to be made on the French customs website.

However, the following activities, for which French VAT applies, are excluded from this obligation : travel agents services ; services related to a fixed property ; passengers transportation ; cultural, artistic, sport, educational, scientific, entertainment activities ; on site eating or drinking ; short term rentals ; services not being taxed in the member state of the client.

Paper filing is accepted only for smaller size enterprises. Other companies have to declare electronically through the French Customs website (“service DES”).

This declaration has to be filed at least on the 11th on the month following maturity date, or the next Monday at the latest. Data to be provided is total services invoiced and client’s intrastat VAT number. French Customs website can help you. For English version, http://www.douane.gouv.fr/menu.asp ?id=498/

For Turnover Tax : Only applicable to Companies which turnover is higher than € 760,000, amounts to 0.016% of turnover. Compulsory on-line filing through http://www.net-entreprises.fr/html/c3s.htm/ (Unfortunately not available in English yet )

For social Contributions : Compulsory Social Security Systems is now accessible in English : http://www.anglais.urssaf.fr/ Details available about non corporate foreign employers : http://www.urssaf.fr/images/ref_guide_ESEF_UK.pdf/


 
Payroll

Payroll Taxes

Payroll Taxes are different from Personal Income Tax. Payroll Taxes are due by both employer and employee as a contribution to the national healthcare system. Employers are in charge of paying the taxes so employee’s part is whithheld from the gross salary.

Applicable rates for 2010 (in % of the gross salary) :

Beneficiary body Employee’s part Employer’s part
Social Security 10 to 15% 25 to 32%
Unemployment 1 to 2% 3 to 4%
Pension funds 5 to 13% 8 to 20%
Health insurance 1 to 5% 1 to 5%

Labour Law

Minimum wage (per hour) : € 8.86 (from January 1, 2010)

Legal worked hours : 35 hours a week

Legal minimum vacation days : 5 weeks

Written working contract is the common use


 
Taxes

Applicable tax rates for 2010

Tax name Basis Standard Rate Reduced Rate
Corporate Income Tax Taxable Income 33.33% 15% [1]
Value Added Tax Sales 19.6% 5.5% [2] or 2.1%
Sales Tax [3] Sales 0.16% None

Company Car Tax

This tax is due quarterly for any car owned at the 1st day of each quarter or used for more than 30 days in the year. The tax is payable annually.

2010 Tax Scale depends on CO² emission level


[1] for companies owned 75% min by natural persons

[2] for food, drugs, books...

[3] for companies with turnover exceeding €760K

 
Accounts Filing

Legal deadlines

Any company, subsidiary or branch has to fill in an annual set of accounts.

Financial accounts are very close to tax accounts and they are used to fill in the corporate tax return.

Accounts have to be registered at the local Commercial Court.

Time scale (max) :

Closing date : Dec 31st Other
Income Tax return : Apr 30th +3 months
Accounts filing : Jun 15th +5,5 months
General Meeting : Jun 30th +6 months
Accounts register : Jul 30th +7 months

Audit exemptions

Some company structures (SA [1] and SAS [2]) always require statutory auditors.

As for SARL (liability limited companies) benefit from legal exemptions up to the following (2 out of 3) :

Turnover € 3.1 million
Balance Sheet € 1.5 million
Employees 50

[1] Limited Company, can be publically owned

[2] Simplified joint stock company