Bercy will recruit in the next few days a “negotiator” in its services to help industrial companies in their relations with energy suppliers, announced Wednesday to AFP the Minister Delegate for Industry Roland Lescure.
“We do not want the industry to be a collateral victim of the war in Ukraine,” explained the minister at the end of the meeting held in Bercy with gas and electricity suppliers, summoned to have better practices in their relations with customers including professionals.
“It will play the role of facilitator to accompany small and medium-sized enterprises, especially energy-intensive ones, in their negotiations with energy suppliers”, which can be difficult at the time of contract renewals, for example, said the Minister.
For the ministry, it is a question of “systematizing” a support that has already been implemented on a case-by-case basis with companies in difficulty such as the glassmaker Arc, a large energy consumer.
The Ministry would like companies experiencing tense negotiations with their suppliers to first approach the Commissioners for Restructuring and Prevention of Business Difficulties (CRP), who are positioned with the regional prefects, before turning to Bercy. “The
The most difficult cases” can be examined at Bercy, and if necessary, be transmitted to this negotiator, explained Lescure.
The main gas and electricity suppliers have signed a charter of good practices that includes 25 commitments, mainly aimed at SMEs.
For example, they promise to notify customers two months before their contract expires, and will also have to offer at least one deal to their customers so that no company is left without a contract.
For its part, the State will facilitate the signing of gas and electricity contracts for companies by providing its guarantee.
