In the framework of the fight against the housing crisis, article 210 F of the French tax code provided for a favourable tax regime under which the net capital gain deriving from the disposal, between 1 January 2012 and 31 December 2017, of offices and business premises is taxed at a reduced rate of 19%, subject to the commitment by the purchaser to turn the premises into housings within 3 years.
Article 18 of the Finance law for 2017 has eased the conditions of this favourable regime as from 1 January 2017 by (i) extending its scope to industrial premises and (ii) lengthening up to 4 years the period during which the purchased premises must be turned into housings.