Tips, parcels and driving lessons: five changes in France’s final 2026 budget
France’s long-delayed 2026 budget has been approved after Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu survived two no-confidence motions, introducing new taxes, spending savings and changes affecting daily life.
France’s long-delayed 2026 budget has now been adopted after MPs rejected two no-confidence motions against Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu, bringing months of political wrangling to an end.
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The final text includes a number of compromises, leaving the public deficit at around €131.9 billion, or about 5 percent of GDP, with the government aiming to bring it below 3 percent by 2029. Beyond the big fiscal numbers, several measures will affect everyday life in France.
1. New tax on small parcels
Parcels worth under €150 sent by companies based outside the EU will face an extra €2 French tax, on top of existing customs charges. This will be added to a planned €3 EU-wide fee due to come into force in July, affecting deliveries from non-EU countries.
2. Driving lessons and the CPF
Most people will no longer be able to use their compte personnel de formation (CPF) to pay for driving lessons, cutting access to a popular use of the state-funded training scheme.
3. Changes affecting tips
The budget confirms adjustments to how tips are treated, continuing the government’s effort to clarify and tighten rules around gratuities in hospitality and service jobs.
4. Savings measures
To contain the deficit, the budget includes €12 billion in savings, with some planned spending cuts either reduced or delayed as part of political compromises.
5. Slower deficit reduction
The ambition to rapidly cut the deficit has been softened. While still aiming for fiscal discipline, the government has accepted a slower path than initially planned.
Together, the measures show a budget shaped as much by political survival as by economic strategy, with modest but noticeable effects for consumers and workers alike.