The advent in questionAll LEDs are however not green

The year that starts will be decisive for social microcredit or France staff. This type of lending to people who do not have access to bank credit, is distinguished from "professional" microcredit which finances microenterprise projects. It can thus be of projects in connection with employment (purchase of a vehicle...) or social integration.

In the coming weeks, a section of the Bill on the consumer credit (which should still be considered in the National Assembly) will specify the guarantee system enjoyed by these loans.

Deposits. The new text defines the purpose of the relevant appropriations and recalled that the borrower should benefit from a "social support". A term that recognizes the role of associations in the timeline of microcredit. Reminder, loans guaranteed by the FSC are the subject of a partnership between the latter, the lending bank, and the support network. Some of these associations there including the Red Cross, the National Union of family Associations and even Catholic relief services, which launched in 2003 its first experiments in the field.

The recognition made by the Act corresponds to a growing interest of borrowers. "The volumes of loans that we have granted are only noticeable increase in one year," noted Alain Bernard, responsible for the Catholic relief project. With 841 loans (October 15) since 2004, the association estimates represent 10 of the total of microcredits. Same order of magnitude for ADIE, who was also recruited 25 persons specialized in this type of loan. At the level of the FSC, the number of loans increased regularly between 2006 and 2009 (see illustration), for a total of EUR 22,15 million over this period.

Another reason for satisfaction, the risk appears to remain under control. At the FSC, only 216 guarantee calls have been accounted for since the start of the device, 2.22 of the number of granted loans and 0.66 of the capital. Catholic Relief Services displays figures slightly higher with, since 2003, a loss experience of 7 on the number of files and 4.5 in capital.

The "advent" in question

All LEDs are however not green. It remains a cultural barrier between the World Bank and associative. "As a first step, some of our volunteers had a very negative image of the banking world," said Alain Bernard. And even today, some recipients cycled through microcredits, which they repay it, without ever turning to a bank. After a while, it has more meaning.

The success of this type of credit also raises the question of his possible "mass". According to a report by the Agency for active solidarities of new, potentially concerned public, with 2 of households without bank account, is very important. "By nature, cannot be an attendant behind each borrower." And conversely, a dry analysis of files by the banks will not be adapted. "He will have to maintain an operating Committee of credit, with a decision shared between support structure and the Bank," noted Alain Bernard.

From this point of view, the commitment of some banks or specialized credit institutions could be extensive. The last score, 18 of them include "financial partners" of FSC, with a strong presence of credit Municipal funds. But the cultural brakes (microcredit as a credit risk, population of beneficiaries not well known by the banks) have not all disappeared. The Act may help to roll back.