The move comes after French language school association Groupement FLE pursued a “high profile” lobbying campaign highlighting the plight of French language centres deprived of clients because of travel restrictions and forced closures in lockdown.

“It is a great achievement and one which will ensure that French language schools will be able to get through this difficult and challenging time”

As part of the new rules, French language schools will be exempt from social security charges – something that they have been struggling to pay since a loss of revenue caused by Covid-19. 

“It is a great achievement and one which will ensure that French language schools will be able to get through this difficult and challenging time,” said Gilles Cappadoro, president of Groupement FLE.

“We have been active day in day out since March so this is not only a great relief for all schools in France but also the acknowledgment by the authorities of our industry which contributes so much to the promotion of our country,” he said. 

Groupement FLE spokesperson and owner of French in Normandy Eleri Maitland said that she was personally delighted that the group’s “persistent” lobbying efforts has paid dividends. 

“This is wonderful news for our industry here in France where social security charges are tremendously high yet schools have had to pay them since June even though we have been unable to welcome significant numbers of clients with schools reporting a loss of revenues up to and over 80% compared to previous years. 

“This decree will mean that our members and other centres will be exempt from these taxes as soon as the new decree identifying French language schools and listing them specifically in the protected sector of Tourism is published,” she said. 

Groupement FLE is the largest of the professional associations in France and represents 29 French language schools.