With a GDP of approximately $2.7 trillion in 2019 (+1.5% growth in 2019, down from 1.7% in 2018), France is the world’s fifth-largest economy and Europe’s third largest economy after Germany and the UK. It has substantial agricultural resources and maintains a strong manufacturing sector, despite a recent decline. A dynamic service sector now accounts for an increasingly large share of economic activity and is responsible for most job creation in recent years. France initiated the G-20, is host to the OECD, and is a member of the G-7, the European Union, and the World Trade Organization, confirming its status as a leading economic player in the world.
France has an educated population, first-rate universities, and a talented workforce. It has a modern business culture, sophisticated financial markets, strong intellectual property protections, and innovative business leaders. The country is known for its world-class infrastructure, including high-speed passenger rail, maritime ports, extensive roadway networks and public transportation, and efficient intermodal connections. In 2018, France was the ninth largest global market for foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows with a year-on-year increase of 2%. In total, there are more than 28,000 foreign-owned companies doing business in France. It is the home to 29 of the world’s 500 largest companies. In 2018, the World Economic Forum ranked France 17th in terms of global competitiveness.
Trade and investment ties between the United States and France are strong. On average, over $1 billion in commercial transactions, including sales of U.S. and French foreign affiliates, takes place every day. U.S. exports to France include industrial chemicals, aircraft and engines, electronic components, telecommunications, computer software, computers and peripherals, analytical and scientific instrumentation, medical instruments and supplies, and broadcasting equipment. The United States is the top foreign destination for French investment, France being the sixth largest FDI inflows source in 2019, and the United States is the largest foreign investor in France in terms of job creation. The United States and France have a bilateral convention on investment and a bilateral tax treaty addressing, among other things, double taxation and tax evasion.
In 2019, the United States was the leading foreign investor in France with a stock of foreign direct investment (FDI) totaling over $87 billion. More than 4,500 U.S. firms operate in France, supporting nearly 500,000 jobs. The United States exported $59.6 billion of goods and services to France in 2019.
