Research tax credit: flat-rate operating costs cut from 50% to 43% of staff costs

Article 130 of the 2020 Finance Act lowers from 50% to 43% the flat rate applied to research staff costs to calculate the operating costs included in the research tax credit base (Art. 244 quater B II c CGI), as well as the corresponding rate for SMEs' innovation expenditure. The measure applies to expenditure incurred from 1 January 2020. The article also raises from €2 million to €100 million the expenditure threshold above which companies must attach a detailed statement of their work. The rate was later cut to 40% by the 2025 Finance Act.