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The exporter guide provides an economic and market overview, as well as trends and practical tips for U.S. exporters on how to conduct business in Sweden. The report further describes three market sectors (food retail, food service, and food processing), market entry strategies, and high-value product prospects, focusing on consumer-oriented products.

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.

As a member of the European Union, France implements EU regulations for the import of animal and plant products. The US export certification requirements for most products are harmonized at the EU level; however, a few products, which are not yet harmonized across the EU, are still subject to French national regulations.

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. EU regulations are explained in the Food...

The French livestock industry depends on imported genetically engineered (GE) feed, especially soybean, rapeseed, and corn. However, France has no commercial production or field trials of GE crops. While most French scientists and farmers are generally supportive of biotechnology, consumer attitudes toward GE are primarily negative.

On January 24, 2022 the French State Council provisionally overruled the December 2021 ministerial order banning the sale of raw CBD hemp flowers and leaves. The court noted that the flowers and leaves of cannabis sativa L. with a THC content of less than 0.3 percent were “devoid of narcotic properties” and could therefore be marketed in France.

The French food processing sector encompasses approximately 15,500 companies ranging from small family-owned businesses to some of the world’s largest multinationals. Widely regarded for global leadership in innovative technology, quality and marketing, French food processing companies provide employment to more than 433,000 people, generating $53 billion in export sales.

In 2020, French food and agricultural imports from the United States reached $1.32 billion. While exporting to France is complicated, there are many opportunities for U.S. suppliers.

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) outbreaks have already led to the culling of 15 million poultry birds in France (approximately 5 percent of the total poultry flock). Dozens of new cases are being discovered every day. The new variant of the HPAI H5N1 virus appears to be highly transmissible and is spreading rapidly through reproductive flocks of broilers, ducks and egg laying hens.

France has no commercial production or field trials of genetically engineered (GE) crops. The French livestock industry depends on imported GE products for feed, especially soybean, rapeseed, and corn.

France as a member of the European Community has implemented EU regulations for the import of animal and plant products.