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As a member of the European Union, France implements EU regulations for the import of animal and plant products.

France, as a member of the European Union (EU), generally follows EU directives, regulations, and obligations. This report focuses on food laws in force in France that cover areas which are not EU harmonized.

France is the world’s leading tourist destination. Revenues are exceeding pre-covid standards since France earned 126 billion in 2023 due to foreign tourism. Commercial catering remains the dominant sector in the HRI industry, holding a 58 percent market share and generating a turnover of $73.3 billion, reflecting a 9-percent increase from 2022.

In 2023, French food and agricultural imports from the United States reached $1 billion. While exporting to France can be challenging, there are many opportunities for U.S. suppliers.

Zambia’s production of its staple crop, corn, is expected to drop by more than 50 percent in marketing year 2024/25, due to extended dry spells associated with the El Niño event. Almost a million hectares of corn have been destroyed by the drought that forced the Zambian President to declare a “National Disaster and Emergency”.

In 2023, French food and agricultural imports from the United States reached $1 billion. While exporting to France can be challenging, there are many opportunities for U.S. suppliers.

As a member of the European Union, France implements EU regulations for the import of animal and plant products.

France, as a member of the European Union (EU), generally follows EU directives, regulations, and obligations.

France is the world’s leading tourist destinations. Revenues are returning to pre-covid standards since France earned 58 billion in 2022 thanks to foreign tourism.

In 2022, the agri-food market in France was strongly impacted by inflation, recorded at 5.3 percent. This price increase has impacted the most modest strata of society and has cut into their ability to buy. Consumers are moving away from big brands to less expensive distributor brands.

During Covid-19, the French government designated the retail sector as essential. Retail companies were authorized to continue operations. The nationwide lockdown and the closing of restaurants gave a significant boost to the retail sector.

With 91 million visitors in 2019, France is one of the world’s leading tourist destinations. Tourism accounted for 7.5 percent of GDP, providing employment to 1.5 million people. In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic reduced the flow of visitors by almost 55 percent, triggering a loss of nearly 160,000 jobs. The Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional (HRI) sector saw a decrease in total sales revenue to $64 billion, a 30 percent decline from the previous year.