Economy

How does France's public debt compare with the rest of Europe?

The new government has made it a priority to rein in the deficit

Confirmed: France’s minimum wage will increase in November

A 2% rise will see the wage rise above €1,800 per month for the first time

Strong public support for new TGV lines in south-west France

More than three quarters (78%) of people polled nationally support the Toulouse-Bordeaux and Bordeaux-Dax lines despite considerable local opposition

news

Do you agree? Flawed trickle-down economics at odds with French values

Columnist Nick Inman digs into why many French people are sceptical that tax breaks for the wealthy will benefit society

Chart: See how France’s inflation compares within the Eurozone

We also look at the figures for the UK and US - and how they differ from the same time the year before

‘Don’t let recent protests in France detract from the positives’

While recent protests have highlighted the challenges France faces, there are also reasons to be optimistic, says columnist Richard Ogier

Inflation in France should fall from June, says Banque de France

Food prices will remain high until then, it is predicted, but a recession can be ruled out for 2023

Inflation, interest rates, energy: is France winning on the economy?

Partner article: Christopher Davenport of Kentingtons looks at how France is managing its economy compared to other European countries

UK’s economic situation ‘worrying’, says French finance minister

His comments come after a week in which the pound crashed to its lowest level against the euro in around two years

French banks to limit fee increases to 2% in 2023 amid high inflation

The banks, which have made enormous profits recently, agreed to the measure upon a government request to help preserve public buying power

Petition launches against ‘shrinkflation’ in shops in France

Have you noticed the practice whereby a product shrinks in size but its price does not? Two independent experts explain why its particularly useful to retailers

‘I fight for wine in French culture, heritage and economy’

The new president of France’s most powerful wine lobby talks to The Connexion about climate change, health and the true value of wine

Foreign firms pledge to invest record €6.7bn in France this year

Technology and manufacturing industries account for most of the investment and job creation

It is a mistake to close so many local banks, claims French think-tank

Economics expert says banks must learn from the Titanic: ‘being a giant does not save you from a shipwreck’

Inflation in France set to reach 3%: Tips for saving on prices

The cost of fuel and food will continue to be high for several months but there are offers around

What lockdown help is there for businesses in France?

The French economy minister has said financial support will be “even stronger than during the first confinement”

France confirms €1,000 grant for second-hand electric cars

The new grant is available to all, has no conditions attached and is for use with second-hand cars - in contrast to previous grants.

Covid-19 France: More cities on ‘max alert’ amid new rules

Health Minister Olivier Véran and Economy Minister Bruno le Maire confirmed stricter rules for more cities, extended aid for stricken businesses, and issued a warning before the Toussaint holidays.

France factory planning permission eased for investors

A list of 74 places where simplified procedures will allow investors to have “key in hand” factory sites, ready to build in nine months, has been published by the government.

Covid-19 in France: ‘Much bigger impact’ than thought

The coronavirus Covid-19 is expected to have a “much bigger impact” on France than thought, including on the economy, schools, high-profile events, tourist destinations, and cultural spaces.

SNCF staff announce strike across France amid 20-hour delay

SNCF staff are to strike across France on Thursday, September 17 - amid delays of up to 20 hours on TGV services last night.

France announces €100billion plan to relaunch economy

French Prime Minister Jean Castex announced the economic relaunch plan to counteract the economic effect of the Covid-19 crisis, with the objective of creating 160,000 jobs in 2021.

Up to €8,000 available for self-employed in France

New measures will give independent workers access to up to €8,000 from their retirement funds, with exemptions on income tax for those who receive financial support.

France firms urged to use lunch vouchers to save restaurants

They are called tickets restaurants, titres-restaurants, chèques déjeuner or chèques pass restaurant – you may know them as luncheon vouchers. Why are users being urged to spend more with them?

Traditional French banks under pressure as customers switch

An increasing number of people in France are changing banks - including many to new "digital banks" - with the quality of customer service and high fees cited as major factors in the decision to switch.

Paracetamol to be made in France post Covid-19

Following the Covid-19 crisis, France plans to produce more medicines nationally, starting with paracetamol, which French consumers stockpiled at the beginning of lockdown.

Covid recovery: President Macron to address France on Sunday

French President Emmanuel Macron is to address the public this Sunday, and is expected to cover topics including the impact of deconfinement, and plans to kickstart the economy - including tourism - after the crisis.

Safety rules proposed as France to reopen hair salons

As it is confirmed that most hairdressers, barbers and beauty salons will be allowed to reopen in France after confinement is lifted on May 11, a list of new rules has been proposed to keep staff and customers safe.

French gîte owners fear what Covid-19 future holds

Help for French businesses to survive Covid crisis

"The state will pay, whatever the cost"

Facemasks take priority over perfume and umbrellas

French economy hit by deepest fall since 1945

France must ‘work twice as hard’ after confinement

France will “have to work twice as hard” after confinement to jumpstart the economy from a crisis worse than that “seen even in wartime”, business federation the Medef and the French junior economy minister have said.

Covid-19 in France: What impact on work?

As French President Emmanuel Macron has announced tough measures across the country to reduce the spread of coronavirus Covid-19, we answer questions about the impact on work and workplaces.

France’s jobless level at new low

But 7% target is tough

Covid-19: France in ‘new epidemic stage’ says minister

France is in “a new stage of the epidemic” of coronavirus Covid-19, the health minister has said, as a total of 100 cases have been confirmed since the end of January.

Future sell-offs in doubt despite Loto share success

The partial privatisation of the lottery monopoly Française des Jeux last November has been judged a success.

Help show vital role of Britons to south west France?

An economics lecturer wants to gauge readers’ support to continue his research on Britons’ importance to the south west’s economy.

French products could face 100% import tax to US

French products including cheese, yoghurts, sparkling wine, cosmetics and accessories could have additional import taxes of up to 100% imposed on them by the United States, it has been suggested.

Farmers from across France blockade roads in protest

Farmers across France have come together in tractors to block roads into Paris and other major cities to protest against poor economic and social conditions in the farming community.

President Macron sums up key G7 issues as summit ends

President Emmanuel Macron has wrapped up the G7 summit in Biarritz, on topics including the “GAFA” digital tax, Amazon fires, Brexit, tensions between Donald Trump and China, and nuclear power in Iran.

Provence sends French rosé to Trump after tax threat

The French region of Provence has sent crates of local rosé wine to American President Donald Trump, after the latter threatened to increase import taxes on French wine to the USA.

Hackers alter more than 2,000 French tax returns

The tax returns of more than 2,000 people in France may have been altered by hackers, for reasons that remain unclear, it has been confirmed.

France hits back at President Trump on Iran tensions

France has hit back at United States President Donald Trump after he criticised the country for commenting on growing tensions in the Persian Gulf.

France in top five for foreign investment

France has become more appealing for foreign investors and has reached the top five of an influential global index of attractiveness for the first time.

More jobs created in France in first months of 2019

Job creation accelerated in the first quarter of 2019 with 93,800 new jobs, mostly in industry and construction, state statistics agency Insee reports.

Tax cuts and green pledges for government’s Act 2

Tax cuts for 12 million families, pension reform and urgent action on the environment were among key promises by the prime minister as he launched the second half of the Macron presidency.

Legalise cannabis in France, economic think tank says

Recreational cannabis should be legalised in France, with a suggested fixed price of €9 per gram, an economic think tank under the authority of the Prime Minister has recommended.

Millions of jobs in France but workers ‘lack skills’

Recruitment in France is predicted to rise sharply this year, with more than 2.5million new jobs created.

Asian visitors boost French tourism

A surge in visitors from Asia helped France retain its crown as the most-visited country in the world in 2018, new figures show.

Franco-German electric battery plan to rival China

More than €5billion is to be invested in a Franco-German project to develop electric car batteries to compete with China.

France now more attractive to foreign money than China

France is now more attractive than China for foreign investment, according to an annual classification of the top five most attractive investment countries worldwide.

France to remove one bank holiday to fund elderly care

The French government is expected to announce the removal of one public holiday a year - with no extra pay for workers - as a means to finance increased support for older people.

French state ‘secu’ deficit falls

France has made progress in balancing the books of its social security system.

China orders 300 Airbus planes for €30bn during visit

China has ordered 300 Airbus planes in a €30 billion deal hailed as an “excellent sign” for Chinese-French relations, it was confirmed during President Xi Jinping’s visit to France this week.

France introduces extra tax on digital giants

France is to impose an extra tax on digital giants such as Google, Apple, Facebook and Amazon from this year, in part to finance the social measures announced in response to the gilets jaunes protests.

New-(ish) owner takes over France's La Poste

The jolly yellow vans and bicycles which fan out across France each day will not change but La Poste will have a new owner next year.

Important mortgage bank is to shut down

One of France’s oldest banks, Crédit Foncier, established in 1852 and an important player in home loans to British and American buyers, is to close.

Calculating the hidden cost of Brexit

Dr Tim Blakemore , a former senior law lecturer at the University of Northampton who now lives in France, argues that the UK will end up paying far more than the £39billion 'divorce bill' to leave the EU

Macron announces France’s new €8bn ‘poverty plan’

President Emmanuel Macron’s anti-“poverty plan” is set to be announced today (Thursday September 13), and expected to include measures such as breakfast at school, and mandatory education up to 18.

Leading firms fined for paying bills late

Leading public and private companies have been named and shamed for late payment of bills to suppliers and fined a total of €6.9million as the government moves to protect small PME businesses.

Stopping centime coins is first step to saving €30bn

France wants to find €30billion in savings in public expenditure by 2020... and getting get rid of one and two centime coins could help.

Mythbuster: France trailing European financial markets

Fact or Fake? In this regular column, we look at the ‘truths’ that everyone ‘knows’ about France

Funding for small French airports queried

A think tank set up by the prime minister to look at ways to make savings has advised reducing state funding to regional airports – a measure which opponents say could put at risk many small airports.

Public sector jobs axed in economy push

Prime Minister reveals nearly 15,000 public jobs will go in next two years, while pensions, family allowance and housing benefits will fall behind inflation

SNCF signs ‘biggest ever TGV order in France’ for €3bn

Train company SNCF has ordered 100 new and modern TGV trains from French manufacturer Alstom, to the value of three billion euros, in what has been called the “biggest order of TGVs ever in France”.

India overtakes France

India has overtaken France to be the world’s sixth-largest economy and the World Bank says it is likely to also overtake the UK.

Cash still popular in France despite other pay options

French people are still very likely to use cash to pay for goods, despite the increase in online shopping and the continued development of other, more high-tech forms of payment.

Economic matters

How to measure productivity?

Deficit drops below 3% for first time since 2007

Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire welcomes figures and says they prove President Emmanuel Macron's policies are working

Job creation back at 2007 levels

Employers in France advertised more than 250,000 new jobs in 2017 - the highest level for a decade

Buoyant economy boost for France

Economy grows at its fastest rate since 2011, figures show

€5bn to help economy in small towns

New government plan aims to fund housing developments and create new jobs

India to overtake France economically in 2018

France is to join the UK in being overtaken on the global economic stage by India in 2018.

How the Rugby World Cup 2023 could benefit France

The economic impact of France’s successful Rugby World Cup 2023 bid has been scrutinised today, and generally expected to be positive.