France paves way for late night and Sunday shop opening

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/feb/16/france-vote-late-night-sunday-shop-opening-boost-jobs

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France’s lower house of parliament has approved a set of measures allowing more stores to open on Sundays and evenings, especially in tourist areas.

The reforms approved at the weekend have prompted controversy in France, where Sunday afternoons are considered to be sacred family time when commerce largely shuts down.

They are part of a bill by the economy minister Emmanuel Macron aimed at freeing up labour rules to boost jobs. A vote on the full bill is scheduled for Monday before it goes to the upper house.

One measure would create “international tourist zones” where stores could open every Sunday and evenings until midnight.

Those zones may include the Champs-Elysées shopping district, the Galeries Lafayette and Printemps department stores and parts of the French Riviera. Retailers in other areas could open 12 Sundays a year.