News Digest: House Numbering Deadline, Taxes & More Airline Strikes Announced

French cabin crew have filed a strike notice which could impact travel during the Ascension holiday weekend, plus it’s deadline season, with a new initiative to introduce street numbers to all houses reaching its final stage and of course, tax season. However, many will be glad to know that the option to download and print the French property declaration form is now available. Here are the French news stories you need to know about this week.

1. More airline strikes announced for next week

French cabin crew of the Spanish airline Vueling have filed a strike notice from Wednesday, May 8th to Sunday, May 12th. This coincides with the Ascension holiday weekend in France, which is expected to be a busy travel period as it falls next to the May 8th holiday of VE Day. They warn that the strike notice could be renewed for the latter part of May and June if negotiations fail to address their concerns. This strike announcement comes on the heels of a planned strike by French air traffic controllers on April 25th, which was called off at the last moment when an agreement was reached about changes to working conditions. Vueling has not yet disclosed details on which flights will be cancelled during the strike, but the airline advises passengers with bookings during this period to check with the company before going to the airport.

2. The deadline for France’s new house numbering system is approaching…

In a move to improve postal services and provide a more precise addressing system, the French government has mandated that all streets in communes with less than 2,000 people must be named and houses numbered by June 1st, 2024. This initiative aims to address the estimated 200,000 streets across France that have previously gone unnamed. The new law which was enacted in 2022, has been largely welcomed by residents who have long struggled with issues such as undelivered parcels and difficulties providing accurate addresses. The responsibility of deciding on street names and numbering systems falls on the local mairies. With just over a month left until the June 1st deadline, the task is a significant undertaking. However, the government has provided some assistance by exempting communes from the cost of house number plaques, though they will still need to cover the expense of street name signs. To ensure a cohesive addressing system, the mairies will be able to establish their own rules on the appearance of house number plaques, promoting a consistent look across the communes. Additionally, the mairies will be required to update a government website with all the new address data by the June 1st deadline.

Read More: Are you looking for a sign to name your French home? Here we take a look at house-naming and numbering conventions in France…

3. Our visas and residency webinar recording is now available

4. French Property Declaration now available in paper format

In a move to streamline the property declaration process, the French government has recently made the French property declaration form available for download and printing. This new development aims to provide a more accessible and user-friendly option for individuals who need to declare their property holdings in France. To access the downloadable French property declaration form, property owners can visit the official website of the French tax authority, the Direction Générale des Finances Publiques (DGFiP). The form is available in a PDF format, which can be easily downloaded and printed. Once the form is printed, property owners can fill it out by hand, following the instructions provided. It’s important to ensure that all the required information is accurately entered, as this will help expedite the processing of the declaration and minimise any potential issues.

Read More: Tax Declaration d’Occupation for French Homeowners: A Step by Step Guide

5. Tax declaration deadlines are approaching

A reminder that if you live in France, you must, by law, fill in an annual tax declaration, even if you’re unemployed, retired, or don’t have anything to declare. Income tax declarations are now open and you’ll be able to access the online tax declaration service by logging into your account on impots.gouv.fr here.

Depending on where you live in France, you’ll have between six and eight weeks to fill in your tax declaration. Here are the official deadlines:

• May 20th, 2024: If you are submitting a paper form or if you are filing your first income tax return (which is generally submitted as a paper form), this is the national deadline.
• May 23rd, 2024: Income Tax Online Deadline 1: This is the deadline for overseas residents or French residents who live in départements 1-19 to submit your tax declaration online.
• May 30th, 2024: Income Tax Online Deadline 2: This is the deadline for French residents who live in départements 20-54 to submit their tax declaration online. Your tax bill or Avis d’Imposition (tax notice) will be available online within a few months.
• June 6th, 2024: Income Tax Online Deadline 3: This is the deadline for French residents who live in départements 50-101 and French overseas territories to submit their tax declaration online.

Read More: Editor’s Pick: 11 French Tax Articles to Get You Through Tax Season