Despite ongoing political instability and the absence of an approved budget for 2026, meaning some measures are on hold, 1 January rings in its share of changes to life in France nonetheless.
Minimum wage and pensions
The gross monthly minimum wage for full-time work will rise by 1.18 percent on 1 January – up from €1,801.80 to €1,823.03. A full-time employee on the minimum wage will earn just under €17 net more per month. The increase is mechanical and partly linked to inflation.
The salary of around 356,000 civil servants – out of France's 5.8 million public-sector employees – will be slightly adjusted to prevent them from falling below the minimum wage, according to the Ministry for Public Accounts. Their minimum pay, previously set at €1,801.74 gross, will rise by €21.23 through a “differential allowance”, paid as a bonus rather than through an increase in basic salary.
Basic state pensions and minimum benefits will also rise by 0.9 percent, due to the implementation of the social security part of the 2026 budget that was voted through parliament.
Ban on 'forever chemicals'
The manufacture, import and sale of a range of products containing PFAS (“forever chemicals”) will be banned from 1 January. The list includes cosmetics, ski waxes, most clothing and shoes, and their waterproofing products, except specific protective gear.
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Birth leave
Parents of babies born or adopted from 1 January onwards will be eligible for up to two months of birth leave provided for in the social security budget. However, the scheme will only take effect from 1 July.
The new leave supplements existing maternity leave (16 weeks) and paternity leave (28 days), while parental leave will remain in place. Birth leave will last for one or two months, at the employee’s discretion, and may be split into two one-month periods. The level of compensation will be set by decree, but during parliamentary debates, the government said it should be 70 percent of net salary for the first month and 60 percent for the second.
Health insurance
The cost of supplementary health insurance – known as a mutuelle – could increase after the government passed a special 2.05 percent "health tax” on insurance companies.
The French Mutual Insurance Federation has already announced that mutuelle insurance rates are set to increase by an average 4.7 percent for group contracts, and 4.3 percent for individual deals in 2026.
Sick leave
Conditions for accessing sick leave will become stricter from 1 January, with doctors able to issue sick notes for a maximum of one month in the first instance. In the event of a renewal, the maximum period is set at two months.
Civics exams
Foreign nationals applying for a multi-year residence permit, a long-term residence card or French nationality will have to pass a written civics test, consisting of 40 multiple choice questions to be answered in 45 minutes. Candidates must score at least 32. The exam is designed to assess knowledge of the Republic’s principles and values, as well as the rights and duties of people living in France.
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Fuel prices
While the price per kilowatt-hour will fall slightly, the annual gas standing charge will increase by €13.10 in 2026, according to the Energy Regulatory Commission.
Arenh – the system requiring state energy company EDF to sell around a quarter of its nuclear output to competitors at a fixed, low price – ended on 31 December, 2025. It has been replaced by a new mechanism allowing EDF to sell more of its production at market prices, within set limits.
This could mean higher fuel bills for customers not on regulated tariffs, but the government says it expects electricity prices to remain “stable at least in 2026 and 2027”.
Housing renovation grant suspended
The application portal for the MaPrimeRénov’ housing renovation grant has been suspended, due to the absence of a budget for 2026. The special law passed in lieu of a full finance law allows the state’s operations to continue, but “blocks any non-contractual spending”, the Housing Minister Vincent Jeanbrun said.
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Stamps
Postage prices for letters and parcels will rise by an average of 7.4 percent. The economy rate stamp goes up to €1.52 from €1.39. The red e-letter, used for urgent next-day deliveries, will go from €1.49 to €1.60. A 20g registered letter will cost €6.11, up from €5.74. Prices for Colissimo parcels sent by private individuals will increase by an average of 3.4 percent.
La Poste justifies the increases “to ensure the sustainability of the universal postal service with a high level of quality”, as the steady decline in letter volumes continues to eat into revenue.
Gifts between individuals
Online declaration of cash gifts and valuable donations to relatives becomes compulsory for taxpayers. Only “significant” gifts are concerned, including cash gifts of several thousand euros, valuables and shares.
Roadworthiness tests tightened
Mandatory roadworthiness tests (contrôle technique) become stricter, including automatic re-inspection rules for vehicles equipped with Takata airbags, following difficulties encountered with these during recall campaigns.
Around 1.3 million vehicles affected are still in circulation. Similar procedures already apply to the most serious defects, such as the absence of braking systems or rearview mirrors.
Pink car plates
Vehicles awaiting final registration and those registered abroad pending French registration (WW), along with vehicles used by professionals for road testing (W), will have to display plates with a pink background as of 1 January.
The aim is to make these vehicles easier to identify and monitor. The new plates will display the month and year of expiry instead of the regional identifier and department number.
Reimbursement of drink-spiking tests
Medical tests to detect drink spiking will be reimbursed by the health insurance system, even without a prior complaint. A doctor’s prescription will still be required. If a test is positive, a dedicated “patient pathway” will allow a complaint to be lodged.
Tested in three regions – Île-de-France, Hauts-de-France and Pays de la Loire – an evaluation report will determine whether the scheme should be rolled out nationwide.
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Energy performance rules revised
The calculation method for the energy performance certificate (EPC) is being revised in favour of small, electrically heated properties. These were previously penalised compared with homes fitted with gas boilers. According to the government, the reform should allow 700,000 of the 5.4 million homes currently rated F or G to exit the category of energy sieves.
Homeowners will not need a new inspection to benefit from the change. An attestation can be downloaded directly from the Ademe website.
Cigarette prices
A €0.10 to €0.50 increase per pack of 20 cigarettes is planned for 1 January, depending on the brand. The average price per pack will therefore rise to between €12.50 and €13. While a national anti-smoking programme had planned for a minimum pack price of €13 during 2026, this threshold is now expected to be reached in 2027.
