LODEOM: one last mission?
Following the visit to the territories in March by the Social Security Assessment and Audit Mission (MECSS) to examine the contribution exemptions introduced by the Law on the Economic Development of the Overseas Territories (LODEOM), a new mission has been tasked with looking into the matter. It has been entrusted to Philippe Leyssene, Comptroller-General of the Armed Forces.
The Senate’s mission, which visited the region in March to assess the scheme, will therefore be replaced by the one entrusted by the government to Philippe Leyssene, this time with the aim of developing and simplifying it. For the Minister for Overseas Territories, Naïma Moutchou, the scheme has proven its worth, but needs to evolve in order to transform and sustainably support local economies. In practice, the mission entrusted to Philippe Leyssene follows the rescue, last December, of the two schemes, LODEOM and RAFIP (tax aid scheme for productive investment), for which a budget cut had been planned. The mission will need to undertake a broader review of the drivers of development and the organisation of economic models specific to each overseas territory. It will also need to be “shared with the local authorities and relevant socio-professional groups in order to reach a common understanding of the issues at stake…”. Philippe Leyssene will therefore need to be mindful of everyone’s sensitivities and gauge “the acceptability of reform scenarios”. These proposals must be submitted within a timeframe compatible with the preparation of the forthcoming budget bills (PLF and PLFSS 2027), i.e. by the end of June.
