The decree authorizing gradual retirement from age 60 published in the Official Journal

The decree lowering the right to phased retirement to 60 years from the current 62 years was published in the Official Journal on Wednesday, July 23, with entry into force on September 1.

This applies to insured persons covered by the general scheme, special schemes and in particular the State civil service scheme, the scheme for agricultural employees and non-employees and the old-age insurance schemes for liberal professions and lawyers, the decree specifies.

These provisions "will apply to pensions taking effect on or after September 1, 2025," it reads.

This measure is the result of a series of agreements signed in the fall of 2024 between the Medef (French employers' union), the CFDT (French trade union federation) and the CFTC (French unions' union), one of which concerned the employment of senior citizens and included plans to promote phased retirement, which is not very widespread.

This scheme, which becomes available from the age of 60, allows employees to benefit from a portion of their pension while working less, in order to continue improving their pension rights. To benefit from it, the employee must have contributed to the pension for at least 150 quarters.

"The end of a career should no longer be a worrying and strictly binary choice - full-time or nothing - but rather should adapt to the desires and needs of each individual while promoting continued employment for as long as possible," Astrid Panosyan-Bouvet, Minister of Labor and Employment, told AFP.

"Lowering the age of access to phased retirement to 60 constitutes a major step forward in this direction," she added.