Individual Learning Account

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Name of the instrument - Local language
Compte Personnel de Formation (CPF)
Name of the instrument - English translation
Individual Learning Account
Scheme ID
259
Country
France
Reporting year
2020
Type of instrument
Grant for individuals
Sub-type of instrument
Lump-sum support
Type of entry
Single instrument
Short description

The individual learning account enables anyone, employees or job seekers, at one's own initiative, to undertake a training action. The account is credited with EUR 500 a year up to EUR 5 000 (EUR 800 - EUR 8 000 for low-qualified people). The CPF allows all economically active persons (i.e. in the labour force), from the moment they enter the labour market and up to the date on which they claim all their rights to a retirement scheme, to acquire rights to education and training that can be used throughout their working life. Since January 1, 2019, each employee (excluding civil servants) has a Personal Training Account (CPF) credited in euros instead of hours. The CPF is intended to fund qualifying training (mandatory), 'corresponding to the foreseeable needs of the economy in the short or medium term'. Sources of funding include individuals (by their contribution to vocational training - based on wages), companies (by their contribution to vocational training - based on gross income and the State (the state supports the implementation of the CPF). Companies of 10 employees or more may sign a CPF direct management agreement. Companies then do not have to make the CPF contribution of 0.2% to their OPCA, although this contribution has to be used to fund training requests of their employees. In that case, employees may not address their request to an OPCA.

Level of operation
National
Name of a part of the country
Not applicable
Name of the region (for regional instruments)
Not applicable
Name of the sector (for sectoral instruments)
Not applicable
Relevance
Key instrument
[1] Loi n° 2014-288 du 5 mars 2014 relative ą la formation professionnelle, ą l'emploi et ą la démocratie sociale; Décret n° 2014-1120 du 2 octobre 2014 relatif aux modalités d'alimentation et de mobilisation du compte personnel de formation
Objective(s) and target(s)
The official objectives are diverse : - securing career paths - reinforce companies' productivity - enable access to knowledge and skills of the labour force - reducing inequalities in the access to vocational training
Year of implementation
2015
Year of latest amendment
2018
Operation/management
The CPF replaced the DIF (Individual Right to Training) since 1 January 2015. The CPF is managed by the Caisse des Dépōts et Consignations, a public financial institution, which serves as a bank for the account. However, beneficiaries deal with intermediary organisations to identify and validate the use of their time credit. OPCAs (associations created by agreement between employers' organisations and trade unions) are the intermediaries of employees wishing to use their training time available through their CPF. For job-seekers, the public employment services (Pōle emploi) and the FPSPP (administrated by employers organisations and trade unions) are the intermediary.
Eligible group(s)
Not applicable
Group(s) with preferential treatment
Seven types of eligible groups and funding can be differentiated. They concern the way in which the CPF is going to be abounded: a) The employees: Since 2020, employees who have worked half or more of the legal or conventional working hours for the entire year 2019 have acquired EUR 500 per year for training (capped at EUR 5 000). For employees with few or no qualifications who have not attained a level of training leading to a diploma classified at level 3 (CAP, BEP), the annual amount of the CPF credit is increased to EUR 800 (capped at EUR 8 000); b) Part-time employees: Part-time employees, whose working hours are between 50% and 100% of fulltime throughout the year, benefit from the same vesting rates as full-time employees in order to strengthen their access to training and their employability. A pro rata system is maintained for employees whose part-time work is less than 50% of full time; c) Self-employed workers: The Personal Training Account (CPF) is credited with EUR 500 per work year, up to a maximum of EUR 5 000 for professional activities carried out in 2019. For 2018, the account has been credited up to EUR 360 for 2018 (24 hours X EUR 15). When the self-employed worker has not exercised his activity for a full year, his CPF rights are calculated in proportion to the time he exercised the activity during the year. In order to receive a contribution to his account, the self-employed worker must be up to date with the payment of the contribution to vocational training (CFP); d) Public officials (not concerned for the moment by the monetization of accounts); e) Seasonal employment: Seasonal employees, within the meaning of 3° of Article L.1242-2 of the French Labor Code, may benefit, pursuant to an agreement or a unilateral decision of the employer, from increased rights on their CPF; f) Persons seeking employment: The training rights acquired during the activity are attached to the active person. As a result, their portability is ensured, even when the person changes status, from employee to job seeker, whether or not they are registered with Pōle employ; g) Persons with disabilities who are admitted to an institution or service providing assistance through work (ESAT): The person of at least 16 years of age admitted to ESAT, having concluded a contract of support and assistance through work, benefits from a Personal Training Account (CPF). The annual amount of the Personal Training Account credit is increased to ER 800 per year of full-time or part-time admission, up to a total ceiling of EUR 8 000), starting with the 2019 intake
Education and training eligible
The CPF is intended to fund qualifying training (mandatory), 'corresponding to the foreseeable needs of the economy in the short or medium term'. In particular, the following training are eligible: - Training to acquire the common base of knowledge and skills (content defined by decree) - The accompanying actions to the validation of prior experience - Training leading to a qualification registered on the National Directory of Professional Certification (RNCP - Répertoire national des certifications professionnelles) - Training leading to a branch professional qualification certificate (CQP) or interbranch (CQPI). - Training leading to a qualification registered on the inventory being developed by the National Professional Certification Commission (CNCP - Commission Nationale de la Certification Professionnelle - Training contributing to the access to a qualification for job-seekers, and financed by the regions, employment agency (Pōle Emploi and the AGEFIPH). The training request is at the initiative of the employee. It may be requested during or outside working hours. If the training will happen at least partly during working hours, the employer needs to give agreement on the content (theme of the training) and the schedule. If the training takes place entirely outside working hours, no agreement is needed. The following training only requires the employer's agreement on the training schedule (not on the choice of training): - Training aimed at the acquisition of the common base of knowledge and skills or accompanying actions to the validation of prior experience - Specific training foreseen by sectoral, company or group agreements. Companies of 10 employees or more may sign a CPF direct management agreement.
Source of financing and collection mechanism
Individuals (by their contribution to vocational training - based on wages), companies (by their contribution to vocational training - based on gross income, State (the state supports the implementation of the CPF). Companies of 10 employees or more may sign a CPF direct management agreement. Companies then do not have to make the CPF contribution of 0.2% to their OPCA, although this contribution has to be used to fund training requests of their employees. In that case, employees may not address their request to an OPCA.
Financing formula and allocation mechanisms
For those working full-time, CPF is credited with EUR 500 per year up to EUR 5 000 (EUR 800 - 8.000 for low qualified). In the case of part-time work less than 50%, the calculation is made in proportion to the number of hours worked ; for the others the financing formula is similar to that of full-time workers. For employees having not benefitting from a career plan interview over the last 6 years, an additional amount of EUR 3 000 could be entitled. If an employee is laid off following refusals to accept substantial changes to employment contracts, an additional amount of EUR 3 000 could be entitled.
Eligible costs
Fees and other costs related to education and training (transportation, accommodation, meals, child and dependent parent care costs). Wages of the employees are maintained and supported by the employers and/or by the OPCO.
Volumes of funding
Approximately EUR 751 000 000 in 2017, and EUR 885 000 000 in 2018 (expenses of collective agencies)
Beneficiaries/take up
2015: 207 4702016: 492 370 (source : Ministry of Labour, 2018)
Organisation responsible for monitoring/evaluation
France Compétences
Most relevant webpage - in English
Not available
Most relevant webpage - local language
https://www.moncompteformation.gouv.fr/espace-prive/html/#/
Recent changes

05-09-2018, Law for the Freedom to Choose a Vocational Future. CPF changed and become "autonomous". The CPF allows all economically active persons (i.e. in the labour force), from the moment they enter the labour market and up to the date on which they claim all their rights to a retirement scheme, to acquire rights to education and training that can be used throughout their working life. Since January 1, 2019, each employee (excluding civil servants) has a Personal Training Account (CPF) credited in euros instead of hours. Since the rights are attached to the individual, it is possible to use the CPF without the agreement of one's employer. Digitalisation is one of the major aspect of the law with the creation of the individual online account. Until 2019, the individual account was credited a number of hours at the end of each year, within the ceiling of 150 hours of training over 8 years. With the 5th September 2018 Law, the account is no more credited a number of hours but a number of euros: 500 euros a year (800 euros a year for low-qualified people) with a ceiling of 5000 euros (8000 euros for low-qualified people). The major change is the monetisation of the CPF. The rationale of these amedments is based on Individual rationnality. Each individual has the right to choose his\her professionnal path. As a consequence they need to have access to a large offer of trainings. Digitalisation and monetarisation of training account is a way to enhance access to training. For example monetarisation is a way to enhance supply and demand meets on the training market.

Recent changes in response to COVID-19

No changes

Sources
moncpformation.fr
https://www.moncompteformation.gouv.fr/espace-prive/html/#/
Project for the financial Law 2018, 2019, 2020 https://www.performance-publique.budget.gouv.fr/documents-budgetaires/l…
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