Restrictions on plastic packaging of fresh foods
In the French government’s efforts to reduce waste another law came into effect on July 1st 2023 that restricts what fresh foods can be packaged in plastic. Other than 29 listed exemptions and items sold in batches weighing over 1.5kgs, plastic can no longer be used to sell fruit which must be presented loose or […]
New motorbike safety checks
There is to be a new safety test that will affect all two-wheeled models that are 125cc or above. This ‘contrôle technique’ (CT) will become compulsory in France in early 2024. As of 2022, an estimated 2.5 million people hold motorbike licences in France – and another 1.5 million use scooters and other motorised two-wheelers […]
Making Driving Safer.
Several new measures have been introduced to make driving in France safer. They cover penalties for drug-driving, a new ‘road murder charge’, harsher penalties for speeding, digitalised driving documents and medical tests for those ‘unfit to drive’. Below are the five key changes announced by the government. 1. Automatic licence suspension for drug-driving Those found […]
How much motorists in France will pay in fees in 2023
In France car registration varies depending on where you live, the type of vehicle you have and how polluting it is. The cost of a car registration is rising in 2023. Once you have brought a car in France or imported a car you then have one month from the date of purchase to register […]
Health Insurance Travel Card.
Please note different rules and procedures apply if you hold a UK Form S1. If you are a French resident and plan to travel within an EU/EEA country or to the UK then you will need to have your own carte européene d’assurance maladie (CEAM). This is the French version of the European health insurance card (Ehic) […]
France Improving Online administrative task for ‘les Etrangers’.
The French government is committed to putting more and more services online and this includes services for foreigners living in France. The website ‘Administration Numérique pour les Etrangers en France’ (or ANEF) continues to be developed to encompass different administrative tasks for foreigners in France. The ANEF website continues to be developed to encompass different […]
Financial Penalty for not Clearing your Garden
In order to prevent wildfires the fines levied for not clearing your garden are increasing. The areas affected are: The rules might differ between departments in the same region, and some other departments that have forests or woods at risk might also require it. To check if your property is affected visit the official website […]
Emergency Alerts
France’s Civil Defence Agency – ‘Sécurité Civile’ – has an alert system that sends a message to people’s smartphones to signal an emergency. When the authorities want to alert residents of a danger, for example, extreme weather, fires, a terrorist incident, high pollution levels or a flood, they can send a message to all the different mobile […]
Easier Access to Some Health Care Specialists
A new health law (loi Rist) adopted on May 10th 2023 will make it easier for patients to see certain specialists without getting a referral from their ‘médécin traitant’ (General Practitioner). The aim of the legislation is to ensure access to care for patients during non-working hours, during closures, or amid a lack of MTs. […]
Cars will no longer need to show insurance green cards after April 2024
The green piece of paper (carte verte) that is visible on all vehicles that are registered in France is used to prove that a motorist has vehicle insurance but this is to change in April 2024. As French law currently stands, drivers who do not show proof of a vehicles insurance by displaying their ‘carte […]