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Month: May 2022

Self-employed workers are on the rise in Monaco

by: Stephanie Horsman
05/05/2022

Monaco counted over 5,500 self-employed workers at the end of 2021, a solid increase of 4.7% over the previous year. Men are heavily represented in this category, equalling over 70% of the independent workers in the country.

According to the latest report by Monaco’s statistics body IMSEE, the self-employed are on the rise. In the year 2021, 5,544 people were signed on as independent contractors in the Principality, a healthy increase of 4.7% on 2020.

The service sectors account for 94.2% of all independent contractors. The wholesale trade sector has the highest number of self-employed workers, accounting for 15.5% of the total, followed by the specialised activities sector, which includes designers, translators, photographers and the like with 12.9%, and management consultancy activities which comes in at 9.3%. In all three of these sectors, there was a climb in the number of people involved over the previous year equalling 37.7% of the total number of self-employed.

Even some of the smaller trades for freelancers, such as motor vehicle sales, which accounts for 1% of the overall, saw a 13.7% increases in the number of self-employed workers.

Men account for 3,966 of the self-employed, and women are 1,578 in number, making this type of employment overwhelmingly male dominated in 2021, though the proportion of women has steadily risen, going from 27.9% in 2018 to 28.5% in 2021.

The average age of a self-employed person is 50.7-years-old, roughly the same as in 2020. The 45-54 age group is the most represented at just under 30%. The gender breakdown suggests women are slightly younger, 48.7-years-old, than their male counterparts who average 51.5 years of age.

Over 80 nationalities make up Monaco’s self-employed, though the French are the most represented, followed by the Italians who are roughly a quarter of the total number. Monegasques are third, coming in at 14%. These proportions are similar to those of previous years.

Though women are represented less overall, there are certain activities where they dominate. Hairdressing and beauty are one such occupation, with 79.7% being female. Paramedical professions come up roughly evenly split with women having a slight advantage at 50.5%.

At the other end of the spectrum, taxi drivers and those in architectural and engineering activities are almost exclusively male at 90.6%, with motor vehicle sellers even higher at 92.2%.

 

Photo by Evgeniy Surzhan on Unsplash

 

 

 

ASM preview: “We’ve given ourselves the right to dream”

by: Luke Entwistle
05/05/2022

AS Monaco midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni told the press on Wednesday that Monaco have given themselves “the right to dream” at the end of the season, whilst Philippe Clement struck a wary tone.

The press assembled in La Turbie on Wednesday for a pre-match press conference ahead of Friday’s trip to reigning champions LOSC Lille.

Having fought back from the brink after a disappointing March, Tchouaméni admitted that he had doubts about bouncing back to launch an assault on the Champions League places, but is grateful to be in the fight for the podium.

The Frenchman told Monaco Life, “Honestly, every season has its own story. If you had asked me after the defeat against Strasbourg if we would have won seven in a row, honestly, I wouldn’t have believed you. Now, we have given ourselves the right to dream. We have three games left, starting with an important match against Lille. Away from home, that will be a difficult match.”

That is the objective for Tchouaméni, who has often been linked with a move away from AS Monaco, but who would nonetheless like to play Champions League football with the Principality side next season.

“The elimination in the play-off round last year stuck in my throat. Playing Champions League football with Monaco isn’t something that would displease me.”

Only three “finals” stand between Monaco and Champions League football next season. They are only outside of the podium on goal difference, whilst the two teams ahead of them, Rennes and Marseille, must still play against each other. In all likelihood – although it isn’t completely guaranteed – Monaco will qualify should they win their remaining fixtures.

Clement, however, is wary of Friday’s opponents Lille, who despite losing 3-0 against Troyes in an ill-tempered match at the weekend, are nonetheless the reigning champions of France. “I’m not too fond of facing teams when they have just lost a match,” admitted Clement.

“They will want to show a reaction. Lille are also strong at home, where they have only lost three times all season… so I’m mistrustful of this opponent.”

Clement will likely be able to count on the same side that won 2-0 against Angers on Sunday. Monaco Life was present at training in La Turbie on Wednesday and can report that Ruben Aguilar, despite seeming to come off with a niggle over the weekend, did train with the group. Gelson Martins and Cesc Fabregas are still absent, and neither will make the trip to Lille.

Tchouaméni says that the recent seven-game run has given them the “right to dream”. It is now in Monaco’s hands to make that dream a reality.

 

 

 

Celebrating Japanese culture in Monaco

by: Stephanie Horsman
04/05/2022

The Friends of Japan are hosting a Children’s Day this Saturday, giving budding shogun warriors and ojos (Japanese for princesses) a chance to learn about this rich culture, its food and its traditions.

Local organisation Association Monaco Friends of Japan (AMFJ) was created to strengthen and develop relationships between the people of Monaco and Japan, giving both sides a look into the worlds of the other.

The association does this through exhibitions, film screenings, courses and workshops designed to bring a bit of the Orient to the Principality, as well as the organisation of touristic trips and stays in each country where visitors and guests can study culture, traditions, art, fashion, gastronomy, and sporting endeavours such as martial arts.

On 7th May, the younger members of society are being asked to join in a celebration of all things Japanese at the Komodo no hi, or Children’s Day, organised by Friends of Japan and the Japanese Embassy.

Young people can learn the ancient art of origami, calligraphy, Shiatsu massage, and join in Manga demonstrations and a Japanese drumming concert. Additionally, Japanese food and drink will be available on site throughout the day.  

Entry is free and the event runs all day Saturday from 10:30am to 5pm at the Japanese Garden of Monaco.

 

 

Photo by Monaco Life

 

 

 

New rules and protections for self-employed in France

by: Stephanie Horsman
04/05/2022

Auto-entrepreneurs and micro enterprises in France will soon be required to add a new tag to their name identifying their entreprises individual status. Here’s how it works and why. 

Starting 15th May, all entreprises individuel, or individual companies with sole proprietorship, including auto-entrepreneurs and micro enterprises, will need to include the letters ‘EI’ or ‘Entrepreneur Individuel’ before or after their name on any documents pertaining to their business or the promotion of their business.

This small addition could mean the difference between personal finances being protected from professional debts or not.

In the past, only a person’s primary residence was protected from professional debts incurred. From 15thMay, this has been altered to include all personal assets, giving an added layer of security to people who are forging career paths on their own.

For example, a person is running a mobile car wash business from home. This person owns her home, has a personal bank account and has a collection of vintage cars. For her company, she has a business bank account, a mobile car wash van and all the equipment needed to perform her job, such as high-pressure hoses, sponges, and vacuum cleaners.

The person takes out a loan to expand the company, but defaults on the loan. Before this new law, her creditors could go after everything except her home to recoup their funds. Now, they can only go after things pertaining to her business, namely, the business bank account, the mobile van and the equipment. Her home, personal bank account, and her vintage car collection are safe.

As the system is very new, and there is still a lack of formal requirements laid out in order to benefit from this protection, creditors need a way to discern between which assets are personal and which are business-related.

The suggested way is incredibly simple. Business owners must add EI or Entrepreneur Individuel, either before or after their given names on all documents and paperwork relating to the company. It should be added to all invoices, receipts, quotes, order forms and on all publicity.  

The law is not retroactive and does not include debts incurred before 15th May 2022, nor does it exempt the EI from debtors seizing income tax and social charges, which are considered personal assets. Finally, there is a hefty €750 maximum fine associated if the EI fails to use the new moniker after the 15th.

The alternative before was to set up as an entreprise individuelle à responsabilité limitée (EIRL), or sole proprietorship with limited liability, but this process was infinitely more complicated, required a lot of paperwork, and offered fairly limited protection.

This new status is meant to phase out EIRLs and streamline the system to offer protection in a simple way that everyone can implement immediately. The text of the new law was enforced on 15th February, disallowing new EIRLs to be formed, effectively making EIs the new gold standard for the self-employed.

 

 

 

“We want to fight every game for Clement and the fans”

by: Luke Entwistle
04/05/2022

ASM’s in-form Dutch striker Myron Boadu sat down with Monaco Life to discuss the team’s recent resurrection, the impact of Philippe Clement, and the process of “becoming himself” again.

Arriving from AZ Alkmaar in August 2021, the €17 million price tag looked to be weighing heavily on the young Dutchman’s shoulders, as he netted only twice during Nico Kovac’s reign as AS Monaco manager, averaging a goal every 510 minutes. Fast forward to May and Monaco are on a seven-game winning run, whilst Myron Boadu, under the tutelage of new manager Phillipe Clement, looks to have broken free from the shackles that constrained him during those difficult beginnings, scoring three goals in his last six games and averaging a goal every 96 minutes.

Monaco Life: Coming from the Eredivisie, you took time to adapt to Ligue 1. How do you evaluate those first few months?

Myron Boadu: I’m a young player. For me, it was the first time going abroad and of course to a stronger league, so that was a little bit difficult in the beginning. I expected it, but on the other hand, I also expected that I’d be scoring goals every game, like in Holland. I talked a lot with my agent, with my parents, with the coach at that time and Paul Mitchell as well. So, they gave me the confidence to just do my thing, they said just have patience and my qualities will show through. I also spoke with Calvin Stengs (OGC Nice winger). We talked about the new life that we were experiencing, and he had similar problems to me. I think it was good to have each other.

What would you say are the most notable differences between the two leagues?

I saw a difference in the style of play. Most of the teams play against us with five defenders, and in the Eredivisie, even the clubs that are playing to avoid relegation are playing a 4-3-3, attacking football. That is the main difference, as well as the physicality. It’s not normal. All of the defenders here are so strong, and I consider myself a strong guy. That’s what really stands out for me. What I see here as well is that everyone has a winning mentality, even in training, which is a little bit different from Holland. In training in France, when we lose as a team, we can really go back to the dressing room angry, disappointed. It is really competitive, but I think that is good. In Holland, it’s a little bit less so. We come off the pitch and it’s finished.

You talk about training, how has the intensity of those sessions improved you both on a physical and tactical level?

I had to adapt, it was finding out the right schedule to work on my physique. It was also good to replicate in training what I would expect in a game, with Axel Disasi, Benoît Badiashile and Aurélien Tchouaméni. Those kinds of guys are super strong, so in that way, it allowed me to adapt to Ligue 1’s style of play. Ben Yedder is a fantastic player as well, and a fantastic person. For me it was important to see a top striker in front of me. I’m happy that he’s my team-mate. In training I watch what he does, how he does it, and I try to add it to my game. If we are in a finishing drill then he and Kevin Volland will give me words of advice, and I appreciate that from them.

Having undergone that process of adaptation, you scored against Nantes in the defeat on penalties in the Coupe de France semi-final. Can you talk us through that bittersweet moment?

It was a very important moment for me because I felt that from January until that moment I became the person I am today, I became myself again. The first six months was a matter of adapting to this new situation and I think that is normal… I was ultimately disappointed, I wanted to be in the final, but I was happy to have scored that goal. For me at that point, I knew I just had to continue like that.

That match was the beginning of a difficult March. How pivotal has Clement been to the turnaround? Disasi and Badiashile have both talked about the calmness and optimism that he exudes.

After that match, we had a lot of disappointments one after another, but the coach always told us that he knew how good we could be, and I think that is important for a coach to do that and we respect him a lot. We want to fight every game for him and for the fans, to win the games.

On a personal level, how is it having a coach that speaks your mother tongue?

He knows I can score goals, he gives me a lot of confidence and he talks with me a lot. Whilst I can understand French, it makes it easier in training, because he can explain to me even better in Dutch and then I know exactly what to do. I don’t even have to think, I just know.

The turning point came in a 3-0 win against PSG. Despite a difficult run leading up to the fixture against the league leaders, how was the atmosphere within the group?

Before PSG, the dynamic within the team was already good, but of course if you beat PSG 3-0, it’s going to do a lot of good to your confidence. On top of that, PSG is the best team in the league. We already knew how good we were, we just needed a game to confirm that, and PSG was that game.

Since that victory, Monaco have strung together another six wins, amounting to a seven-game winning streak, their best since January/February 2021. The team is clearly high on confidence, whilst you have scored three goals in your last six fixtures. How confident are you at the moment?

The confidence in taking the next chance is something that I also had in Holland so I had to rediscover that. At the beginning of my time here I got overly frustrated with myself when I missed a chance, whereas now I just think, “okay, you missed this one, but the next one is going in, and if you miss the next one then the one after that is going in”. This season has taught me a lot. I also talk with the right people and they give me extra confidence to refind myself. Now I just want to continue to score goals and I hope that I can do that.

Of course, the hope is that Monaco’s run takes them into next season’s Champions League. Is that a dream of yours to play in that competition?

The Champions League is where the best teams are, and of course you want to compete with the best. I think with the history that Monaco has, we should be playing in the Champions League. It is a dream for all of us, and I know that we can do it. Of course, we have three finals so we’re not there yet. For us, it’s important just to keep doing the same things that we have been doing, by not thinking about the table. We just have to win our games, and we do that by being ourselves.

And then there is also the World Cup at the end of the year…

It’s a dream to go to the World Cup for sure. But at this point I just want to continue here like I’ve been doing. For me, the Dutch squad is currently far away, but I think everything is possible. So, I just have to continue, end the season well, and then from the first minute of next season, I have to do the same.

Boadu is only just hitting his stride at Monaco, and should he continue down the same path, there is no reason for him not to force his way into Louis Van Gaal’s plans, whilst his dream of playing Champions League football next year remains very much alive.

 

 

 

Photo by AS Monaco

 

 

Who are the Principality’s new ambassadors?

by: Stephanie Horsman
04/05/2022

Monaco welcomed four new Ambassadors to town on Tuesday from El Salvador, Cyprus, Mexico and Vietnam.

After a morning meeting with Prince Albert II offering letters of credence, Monaco’s newest Ambassadors, Lorena Sol de Pool, Georgios Chacalli, Blanca Elena Jimenez Cisneros, and Toan Thang Dinh, were ushered to the Hermitage Hotel for an official lunch with Isabelle Berro-Amadeï, Minister for External Relations and Cooperation

Graduating with a Doctorate in Law, Lorena Sol de Pool began her career in diplomacy in 1995, serving as Consul of El Salvador in Boston, then in Washington DC and New York. She then became Permanent Representative to the OAS and UNESCO and is currently Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of El Salvador to France.

Georgios Chacalli joined the Cypriot Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE) in 1989 and today has become Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Cyprus in Monaco as well as 10 other countries including Hungary, Sweden, the United States, and France. He previously held positions of responsibility at the MAE, such as Director of European Union Affairs as well as Political Director of Multilateral Affairs and Bilateral Relations.

Blanca Elena Jimenez Cisneros is a specialist in the fields of environmental engineering, water management, the fight against climate change and science diplomacy. Director of the Water Sciences Division of UNESCO, member of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), and author of more than 500 articles, she is now Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Mexico in France.

Toan Thang Dinh joined the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1990 and became Minister-Counsellor in 2010, then Minister at the Embassy of Vietnam in France in 2010. He also joined the Department of Foreign Policy Planning and then occupied the post of Director General of the European Department at the MAE. He is currently Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam to France, Portugal, the Principality of Andorra and the Central African Republic.

 

 

Photo by Stephane Danna, Government Communication Department