The suspension on new Service Civique contracts, imposed since February 1, has been lifted as of Monday, February 10, according to the Service Civique agency. Approved organizations, which are eligible to include volunteers in missions, can now resume preparing agreements for missions set to begin from February 24. The temporary freeze was a result of budget approval delays, though contracts finalized before February 1 remained unaffected.
The Ministry of Public Accounts had instructed the agency to handle individual cases with care, particularly concerning international missions and foreign volunteers serving in France. Missions already established in Mayotte also remained intact. However, concerns have arisen for young individuals who were scheduled to begin their missions on February 1 but had not yet signed their contracts. Mickaël Huet, General Delegate of the “Mouvement Associatif,” expressed frustration, stating that no solution has yet been found for these cases.
In late January, the Service Civique agency reassured organizations that 70% of young volunteers typically begin their missions between September and December, with 61,800 participants. The agency emphasized that the majority of missions are unaffected by the temporary suspension.
The 2025 state budget proposal, presented by the Joint Parliamentary Committee, includes €580 million allocated to Service Civique, supporting 150,000 contracts, consistent with 2024 figures. Amélie de Montchalin, Minister of Public Accounts, announced this during a government question session. However, the budget has sparked concerns, particularly in the nonprofit sector, as it reflects a €20 million reduction compared to 2024.
Huet warned that the budget cuts could either reduce the number of Service Civique contracts in 2025 or shorten the average contract duration, currently set at eight months. He stressed that the program’s core value lies in its long-term commitment, which could be undermined by these changes.
