President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday called for a renegotiation of "excessive" contracts between energy suppliers and very small businesses, to help the latter cope with soaring prices.

Speaking at the traditional Epiphany cake ceremony at the Elysée Palace, the head of state said he was particularly keen to help very small businesses (VSEs) with fewer than ten employees who had recently renewed their energy contracts.

Emmanuel Macron addressed "all those who have negotiated excessive contracts, which are basically above the reference prices that were given by the Energy Regulation Commission" (CRE), i.e. around 280 euros per megawatt-hour.

"Today, I see contracts sometimes at 500 or 600 euros, 350 or 400. Well, what we're going to ask suppliers to do right now is to go back to each of these craftsmen, each of these VSEs, and renegotiate them to get them back in the river bed," added the Head of State.

An adviser to the Elysée Palace said that it was up to suppliers to take this step in January.

EDF is one of the groups concerned by this presidential request, which will be the subject of a ministerial meeting on Friday, according to the French presidency.

Meeting at Bercy on Tuesday, energy suppliers pledged to take measures to ease the cash flow of craftsmen and SMEs in France, particularly bakers hit by rising electricity and raw material prices. (Reported by Elizabeth Pineau, edited by Jean-Stéphane Brosse)