IAN TAIT (asker) Feb 6, 2019:

Thanks for your interest in this special term. I think I will keep the French words and add a note to explain its meaning.

philgoddard Feb 6, 2019:

Thanks for that, Alison I would rewrite the whole paragraph - an English reader will not be interested in what it's called in French.

Alison MacG Feb 6, 2019:

L’Etat baisse de façon considérable les recettes plafonnées des Agences de l’Eau entre le 10 ème et le le 11 ème programme. C’est que Bercy appelle le « plafond mordant ». Pourquoi le mot « plafond » ? Parce que Bercy plafonne traditionnellement le montant de recettes susceptibles d’être perçues par les Agences. Et dès que ce montant est dépassé, il est reversé à l’Etat. Pourquoi le mot « mordant » ? Parce que, par rapport au plafond antérieur, le nouveau plafond est plus bas donc il « mord » sur les montants traditionnels.
http://exprimeo.fr/article/12470/eau-edouard-philippe-fait-u...

Daryo Feb 6, 2019:

the "biting" happens to the collected funds If more earmarked tax is collected than is the budget of the agency for which the funds are earmarked, then the general budget comes to "bite" (take away) the excess.

philgoddard Feb 6, 2019:

I'm just trying to get a bit more background. If I understand it correctly, it's a cap on the budget of the agencies that protect the water supplies.
I don't fully understand why they use the word "biting".

IAN TAIT (asker) Feb 6, 2019:

"Le plafonnement" is the limit at which the tax is capped.

philgoddard Feb 6, 2019:

What is the ceiling they refer to?