Aid reductionEndedEmployment and contributionsNational

Unemployment insurance: fewer benefit tracks and shorter benefit periods for contracts ending after 31 December 2002

Amendment No. 5 to the unemployment insurance rules, approved by an order of 5 February 2003, sets four benefit periods for employees whose contract ends after 31 December 2002: 213 days for 182 days of membership over 22 months, 700 days for 426 days over 24 months, 1,095 days for those aged 50 and over with 821 days over 36 months, and 1,277 days for those aged 57 and over who also have 100 quarters of pension contributions. Decree No. 2003-98 of 5 February 2003 transposes these periods (7, 23, 36 and 42 months) into Article R. 351-1 of the Labour Code. Employees aged 50 and over covered by a dismissal procedure begun before 1 January 2003 remain under the former periods.

Measure originators

InitiatorGVT

François Fillon

Gouvernement

Impact on public finances

Brings in €1.5bn (over several years)2003 estimate · Social security

Source of the estimate: Rapport relatif à l'agrément des avenants à la convention d'assurance chômage du 1er janvier 2001 (JORF n° 33 du 8 février 2003), section 1.2 « La réduction des durées d'indemnisation » (Indirect official figure)

A positive amount is revenue or savings for public finances; a negative amount is a cost or lost revenue.

Effective date

1 January 2003

Measure impact

Shorter benefit periods for jobseekers whose employment contract ends from 1 January 2003. Benefits are now granted in renewable periods of 182 days. The report published in the Official Journal with the approval orders puts the expected savings at €1.5 billion over 2003-2005.