France Country Commercial Guide
Learn about the market conditions, opportunities, regulations, and business conditions in france, prepared by at U.S. Embassies worldwide by Commerce Department, State Department and other U.S. agencies’ professionals
Select Country Guide
Market Challenges
Last published date:

Key issues to watch in 2023 were: 1) the impact of Russia’s illegal war against Ukraine and measures by the EU and French government to mitigate the fallout; 2) the degree to which Covid-19 and resulting supply chain disruptions continue to affect the macroeconomic environment in France and across Europe, and the extent of the government’s continued support for the economic recovery; and 3) the creation of winners and losers resulting from the green transition, which will be determined in part by firms’ operating models and exposure to fossil fuels.

U.S. firms must navigate national and European regulations and standards for selling products in France.  The French at times interpret existing EU regulations more stringently than other Member states and regulate areas where the EU has not yet proposed legislation.

Another challenge for U.S. firms is dealing with highly concentrated retail distribution chains and networks.  Many French global manufacturers and suppliers exercise strong control over these retail networks, with well-organized buying offices that have put in place very stringent selection processes for new suppliers, products, and services.  High retail mark-ups combined with innovative and creative marketing approaches are prerequisites to entering the French retail market.

×

Global Business Navigator Chatbot Beta

Welcome to the Global Business Navigator, an artificial intelligence (AI) Chatbot from the International Trade Administration (ITA). This tool, currently in beta version testing, is designed to provide general information on the exporting process and the resources available to assist new and experienced U.S. exporters. The Chatbot, developed using Microsoft’s Azure AI services, is trained on ITA’s export-related content and aims to quickly get users the information they need. The Chatbot is intended to make the benefits of exporting more accessible by understanding non-expert language, idiomatic expressions, and foreign languages.

Limitations

As a beta product, the Chatbot is currently being tested and its responses may occasionally produce inaccurate or incomplete information. The Chatbot is trained to decline out of scope or inappropriate requests. The Chatbot’s knowledge is limited to the public information on the Export Solutions web pages of Trade.gov, which covers a wide range of topics on exporting. While it cannot provide responses specific to a company’s product or a specific foreign market, its reference pages will guide you to other relevant government resources and market research. Always double-check the Chatbot’s responses using the provided references or by visiting the Export Solutions web pages on Trade.gov. Do not use its responses as legal or professional advice. Inaccurate advice from the Chatbot would not be a defense to violating any export rules or regulations.

Privacy

The Chatbot does not collect information about users and does not use the contents of users’ chat history to learn new information. All feedback is anonymous. Please do not enter personally identifiable information (PII), sensitive, or proprietary information into the Chatbot. Your conversations will not be connected to other interactions or accounts with ITA. Conversations with the Chatbot may be reviewed to help ITA improve the tool and address harmful, illegal, or otherwise inappropriate questions.

Translation

The Chatbot supports a wide range of languages. Because the Chatbot is trained in English and responses are translated, you should verify the translation. For example, the Chatbot may have difficulty with acronyms, abbreviations, and nuances in a language other than English.

Privacy Program | Information Quality Guidelines | Accessibility