French workers to get 5 more teleworking days - ministry

French cross-border workers are likely to be allowed to work from home for five more days per year, the Ministry of Finance said on Friday, without risking having to pay taxes in both countries.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, both countries had granted French commuters an unrestricted number of teleworking days, but the exception ended on Thursday now that the disease is less severe and travel has become easier. 

Luxembourg and France are planning to raise the maximum of number of teleworking days to 34 per year - up from 29 now - without French commuters running the risk of having to pay taxes in both countries, Finance Ministry spokesman Max Dörner said in an email.

A bill would reach parliament as soon as the two countries had reached an agreement, he said.

Two opposition lawmakers from the Christian Democrat CSV party had asked if media had correctly reported the increase to 34 days. “For the moment and unless I am mistaken, there is no amendment to the double taxation agreement with the French Republic," the pair said in a parliamentary question.

The end of the exception this week forced commuters coming to work from Germany, France and Belgium back into the office, so as not to breach the maximum days per year they can work from home.

People coming to work in Luxembourg from Belgium can also work from home for 34 days per year, but those in Germany only 19.

Cross-border employees make up half of Luxembourg's workforce, a number which rose by 4.4% over the space of last year, the country’s official statistics agency Statec said in April. Prior to the pandemic, more than 200,000 commuters crossed the border each day in 2019.

(Additional reporting by Yannick Lambert)

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