The Tangwall Campagin. After the agreement concluded between Donald Trump and Ursula von der Leyen, the increase in customs duties up to 15 % on the majority of European products limits breakage?
Michel Picon. If we start from the fact that we risk customs duties at 30 %, falling at 15 % may seem a lesser evil. But the imbalance is obvious: on the one hand, an American president who acts alone on behalf of all the United States; On the other hand, a Ursula von der Leyen whose Europeans wonder who it is and what is its real power in a Europe in lack of democratic unity. The fight is unbalanced. Today, we do not have the means to speak of an equals with Washington. We need a more united Europe. It is a collective but also individual responsibility. For my part, I will not go on vacation in the United States this summer (Laughter).
“The European Union can still renegotiate”estimates the president of Medef. Do you share his optimism?
No, I don’t see what we can better negotiate, if not a few odds and ends. What is necessary is to reverse the steam, that there is finally an awareness of all European countries. I have the feeling that when the President of the Republic – like Patrick Martin – says: “We’re going to renegotiate”the real question is: who renegotiates and what? Is it Europe or will each country draw the coverage-one for wine, the other for furniture, the third for something else? I fear that it is rather a new European weakening than a real common action. Mass is unfortunately said.
What will be the sectors most exposed to these new customs duties?
For U2P and very small businesses, the impact is double. First, those that export: the musical instrument sector will be hard. More than 30 % of their activity goes to the United States. Then there is leather goods and the whole world of cosmetics. Behind each perfume, each tube, each bottle, there is a TPE that makes, which packs, which conditions. It is the subcontractors of many sectors that will be affected hard.
Through the U2P, you speak on behalf of 3.4 million companies. How did your members welcome these announcements?
They welcome them with concern, of course. But being subcontracting, they are mainly waiting to see what will happen to their orders. I take an example: behind a bottle of Chablis, there are companies that make bottles, traffic jams and labels. Their fate depends directly on the capacity of Chablis producers, for which they work, to continue to sell as much in the United States.
“Nothing lets hope for a coming of the crisis for small businesses”
You were received Wednesday evening in Bercy to discuss this file. What do you remember from this exchange? What requests have you made to the Minister of the Economy?
We asked for explanations on how the negotiations were carried out. Given their context, we did not have a real answer. Our negotiators tried to defend what they could, but when we enter a match with so few assets, it’s complicated. Opposite, the Americans observe us-and, let’s say, must find it almost fun because they have all the cards in hand.
The unemployment rate in France increases slightly by +0.2 % last month. Moreover, the U2P notes a drop in hiring in local companies between January and June 2025. Do you plan a continuous worsening?
In the field of local companies, there is sluggish consumption and a sharp drop in activity in the building. This results in an increase in unemployment. There is a discrepancy between employment figures in VSEs with less than eleven employees and macroeconomic data. The number of business failures in France does not decrease. Over twenty restaurants close every day. Tourism is at half mast, purchasing power does not progress and the social climate promises to be tense at the start of the school year. Nothing lets hope for an outlet for the next crisis for small businesses.
How do you judge the social climate?
I fear that he becomes frankly detestable. If I believe the declarations of union organizations, some no longer even want to come and sit around the table. What worries me is this rise in mobilizations via social networks, with petitions that bring together two million signatures. If tomorrow these same networks can put two million people on the street, what will social dialogue remain? Paritarianism? And the government’s ability to hear the intermediate bodies that were weakened during the first five -year term of President Macron?
You have just sent your positions to the Minister of Labor for future negotiations on unemployment insurance, public holidays and modernization of the labor market. What are your red lines?
The first is negotiation on the two holidays. It must be more seriously documented, because depriving the country of these days has real economic consequences. In the catering, it would be 100 million euros in less turnover per less holiday. And more broadly, in a deindustrialized country, the impact on services and tourism is major. Deleting, for example, Easter weekend as a holiday is weakening a whole seasonal economy that starts at that time. Of course you have to work more. But the real subject is not to make those who already work more, it is to put more French at work.
“Balancing the security is not loading the boat boat”
On the issue of sick leave and the fifth week of leave, what are your proposals?
We are in favor of monetizing the fifth week provided that nothing is imposed, no more on the employee than to the employer. This possibility must remain based on the will of the two parties. On the other hand, on work stoppages, it is a red line for the U2P. The government’s project, which wants to transfer Social Security to companies the payment of the first seven days of work stoppage, is unacceptable. I said it to the Minister: to balance the accounts of the security is not to load the boat boat. Employees must be empowered, and for that, the first three days should not be compensated, and between the 4th and the 7th, it takes degreement.
Approximately 514,000 conventional ruptures were signed in 2024. The MEDEF boss calls for ” to correct “without going so far as to ban them. For her part, the Minister of Labor wishes to tackle abuse. What is the position of the U2P?
Yes, you have to act. It is a real damage for the Unédic, but also for companies. According to Dares, 75 % of conventional ruptures are the initiative of the employee: these are often disguised resignations. We must reverse this trend and it involves less generous unemployment benefits. On the other hand, there is no question of deleting them: they allowed legal and social appeasement.
