Overview

• Centrist senators Hervé Marseille and Annick Billon have introduced a draft law to permit businesses authorized to open on Sundays, including bakeries, to operate on May 1.
• The proposal, supported by Labour Minister Catherine Vautrin, aims to align labour regulations with sector-specific needs while preserving the symbolic status of International Labour Day.
• A 2006 Cour de cassation decision revoked a previous ministerial tolerance, leading to fines and legal challenges for bakers who opened on May 1.
• Recent acquittals of five Vendée bakers fined for opening on May 1, 2024, have highlighted ambiguities in the enforcement of current labour laws.
• The proposal, if enacted, would clarify legal uncertainties and provide voluntary work options for employees in applicable sectors.