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What the readers have written / ce que les lecteurs ont écrit

Date: 2006-11-03, From: Jean Michaut
Nationality: Français, Living in: Philippines
Opinion: Enlightening, Interesting, Though-provoking, Useful.
Pages commented: Vandalisme français contre les indépendants, The European Single Market Reality - or - The Emperor's New Clothes, The European Constitution page.
Extraordinaire document que beaucoup d'Européens devraient prendre connaissance et ainsi voir la réalité des faits plutôt que de s'incruster dans l'indifférence, l'ignorance et faire face et réagir devant les inégalités du monde d'aujourd'hui, l'absence du respect des lois par tous y compris les politiciens de toutes catégories et opinions. 
Que ceux qui prèchent les vertues soient les premiers à montrer et à donner l'exemple. 
Liberté - Egalité - Fraternité ne sont plus ques des mots vides. Ils n'ont plus aucun sense réel 
Il est grand temps que chacun ouvre les yeux et voit la réalité du moment. 
Il est grand temps que chacun retrouve la vérité au lieu de se complaire dans le mensonge 
Il est grand temps de redéouvrir l'honnêteté au lieu de se laisser envahir par la malhonnêteté, les "combines" 
Il est grand temps d'être franc et sincère en lieu et place d'ignoble hypocrisie. 
Individualisme mêne au désastre. Seul un travail d'équipe réussie

Date: 2006-09-15, From: Cecilia Reilly
Nationality: Irish, Living in: France
Opinion: Enlightening, Interesting, Useful.
Pages commented: Vandalisme français contre les indépendants.
As another independent, translator, your story of your experiences is horrific. I too have had my share of difficulties with the tax authorities and, unfortunately, I did not have your knowledge of the law. Among other misdeeds, they 'lost' 32,000 francs which they insisted I looked for. It had gone to the wrong bank account but they wouldn't admit it. Happily, an item on the evening news told about a tax controller who had just been found guilty of embezzling 12 million francs! Apparently, small amounts 'disappear' regularly, and when found out, they are replaced and the whole matter swept under the carpet and no sanctions taken against the guilty party. So I threatened to take legal action of embezzlement of my 32,000 francs. They were found within one week!!! 

At the moment I am fighting AXA and the solution is in the tax authorities' hands. If they refuse, I'll take a leaf out of your book and, initially, refer it to the Mediateur de la Républic, followed by an Internet site. We'll see how that goes. 

My best wishes to you and your family. I admire your courage in keeping going. It's very difficult to stand up to the civil servants here, as they are all-powerful. It could be such a wonderful country but we are overwhelmed by rules and regulations and those who administer, or who pretend to administer them.
Best regards, Cecilia Reilly

Date: 2006-09-13, From: W [identité connu]
Living in: France
Opinion: Enlightening.
Pages commented: Vandalisme français contre les indépendants.
Bonjour, J'ai lu avec intérêt votre situation... 
concernant le même sujet, laissez moi vous parler de la mienne au moins aussi abracadabrante... 

J'ai créé une TPE, 3 salariés, 5 stagiaires pendant 4 ans et 1/2 et développé un produit en investissant 15 ans d'économies y compris ma résidence principale. A l'arrivé prix de la Commission Européenne, "...parmis les 60 meilleures innovations européennes" de l'année de la distinction. En attendant la fin du projet, j'ai provisionné des rémunérations (évidemment sans rien toucher puisque j'étais le seul financeur)... conséquence: impôt sur le revenu et cotisations sociales respectivement 3000+3000 € par an pendant 3 an. Bien sûr les huissiers les veulent immédiatement. Pire. En arrêtant ma rémunération, l'organic considère qu'elle a le droit de continuer à appeler des cotisations provisionnelles sur la même base pendant 2 ans en refusant de tenir compte du fait que vous ne provisionnez plus de revenus (car vous avez compris votre grosse bêtise) que vous êtes au RMI et que vous logez à 40 ans chez des amis qui ont bien voulu vous héberger dans un chambre dans leur maison de campagne ! Lorsque je me suis réveillé et arrêté de provisionner des revenus... mes ratios hors norme ont fait déclencher un contrôle fiscal... au terme duquel... l'administration considère que les retraits ne sont pas des remboursement du compte courant associé mais... des revenus... non déclarés évidemment soumis à 40% de pénalité et intérêts de retard .. bref ils vous envoient les huissiers... En bref, l'entreprise dans laquelle, je n'ai fait qu'injecter de l'argent m'aura coûté en plus de mon investissement plus de 40000 € d'impôts personnels et cotisations sociales personnels sans avoir touché un centime de revenus ! 

(Ah...évidemment, c'est en plus de mes 450.000 € investis directement dans la société et qui comprennent un paquet de taxes... et laissent quelques belles dettes) 
Et ... vous vous douter bien, avec cette ponction, plus de moyens pour commercialiser le produit. Donc, licenciment de toute l'équipe et fin de l'aventure... enfin presque... il me reste tout de même quelque chose... de belles ardoises bien sûr ! 

Hum... toute ressemblance avec un découragement du lecteur à oublier l'idée de se lancer à créer une entreprise en France est purement un hasard !!!

Date: 2006-05-29, From: HH Juhl "Lord B"
Nationality: Danish, Living in: France
Sir. I read your comment of the 16 November 2005, and I imagine without knowing that you have not started your own company up in France. In case you have you must be a very intelligent person with a lot of human cultural knowledge. Please teach me what to do because I have also witnessed so many stupidities in the capital of France where for me it looks like words such as work ethics, values and respect for the individual have disappeared from daily life and the French dictionary. By own experience I can contribute that it is a quite difficult job to start up a company here, and contrary to you, I respect the courage and strength of will shown by Mr. Skovgaard. In fact I do not have time to waste neither, but as entrepreneur in this country of employees, I simply need to take justice in my own hands to create the right conditions to be able to do dynamic business in a country that I still believe in can be an excellent European business platform. Nothing comes for free and I fight for equality and my right to be respected, not following your advice of running away with my tail between my legs. Cowards do so… The fight or flight syndrome! For your information men stay and fight. I have noticed the latest years that men are becoming more like women, and women more like men. I’m sure you’re one of these men who since the revolution in 1968 have changed sex, so don’t be so jealous about Mr. Skovgaard showing the courage being a man, having more long-term foresight and being better fine tuned to sense the global state of a country it’s habitants and their professionalism. To know more about what is happening in France right now take a look at my site www.snupparis.com. Hopefully you will better understand the country you are currently living in if you have not already run away.

Date: 2006-05-02, From: Bonnin
Nationality: French, Living in: France
Opinion: Enlightening.
Votre site a été repris dans ce blog: http://hotellerie-restauration.blogspot.com/

Date: 2005-11-16, From: Andi
Nationality: German, Living in: France
Pages commented: All.
I red your chronicals and I am a little bit sad. You definitely must be an unsatisfied person. You travelled in several countries, but none of them seems to suite you. Why do you stay in France ? If all you wrote was right, (Fortunately it is not - What you write is only "cliché"), you must be masochist to live there. If I were you, I certainly will fly far far far away ... How can you say that it is for controlling the flow of information that french doesn't speak english? In France, everybody as right to say whatever he wants, and the newspapers, as far as I know, are not censored. When I read your articles, I just see you love to criticize, I think you spend a lot of time to struggle just to prove you're right. You certainly must have a lot of free time to do that. Have you 14 weeks of holiday per year ? Do you really think you will get any answer to the letter you wrote to the prime minister ? I don't ever think he'll have time to read such a prose. So, what do you expect ? I don't think those articals are good advertising for your job. How can an expat still want to move to France after all you write? How can he trust you, and ask you for any help when he sees all what you says, and all what happens to you. You seem to hold a grudge against France, isn't it ? My suggest : move abroad. Regards

Author's comments: Let me comment the simple things first: There is no need for censorship in France, because virtually all the media censor themselves just fine. They are heavily influenced by the main political parties and "the system" and they do not want to step them too heavily on their feet. If a journalist is grilling a politician too heavily about a sensitive matter, he can be sure never to get the opportunity again. The media and the politicians mutually depend on each other and they have an unwritten pact of not disturbing the other too much. The French media are manipulated so much that the average Frenchman thinks that for example conditions in the UK are ultra-liberal and a complete nightmare. It is quite convenient for the French politicians that most Frenchmen are unable to read foreign media. Other countries' media are manipulated too, but there are many foreign media that are not as tame as the French.

Who would you trust most - an advisor who despite reality tells you that France is a nice place to start a business or someone who tells you the truth about what a nightmare it is? The person who starts up a business will find out the truth sooner or later anyway. I don't have any purpose of making people want to create businesses in France. That should be the business of the government, but they do quite a lot to throw spanners in the works. Have you asked any other self-employed or small business directors what they think of running businesses in France? When I speak to them, I hear only one voice: it's a nightmare and they'd like to close or move abroad.

Ask anyone who is forced to pay more than his entire income in tax if he is an "unsatisfied" person and when he complains about it tell him that he loves to criticise and ask if he holds a grudge against the country that is stealing his entire income. You are right that one must be a masochist to live in France and run a business, and your suggestion to leave France is also right - I'm seriously considering going to a country where the government is not doing its best to ruin small businesses. There are some logistical, financial and practical aspects involved in moving, but it's doable.

If the Prime Minister and other members of the government had taken the time to listen to their citizens, then maybe they would not have had to spend two weeks chasing rioters who were burning cars in the suburbs. Why do you think Jean-Marie le Pen of the Front National ended up in the second round of 2002's presidential election against Chirac, pushing the socialists aside? Some of the voters may be racists, but for many voters, it was a protest vote against the establishment that is leading them nowhere, except in bankruptcy. I don't think FN would lead them anywhere either, but what is the choice for dissatisfied voters who want real change? There is no liberal party in France. The rejection of the EU Constitution was another protest vote. Do you think the average Frenchman is satisfied about 10% unemployment and a worsening economy? They are complaining all around you. Maybe you should start asking people in the street if they are "unsatisfied". I have no idea what will be done about that letter. As you, I don't expect much, so any news is good news. But its purpose is not just to get an answer; it is to show the madness in public.

Web

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