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Using an Agent or Distributor

Companies wishing to use distribution, franchising and agency arrangements need to ensure that the agreements they put into place are in accordance with EU and Member State national laws. Council Directive 86/653/EEC establishes certain minimum standards of protection for self-employed commercial agents who sell or purchase goods on behalf of their principals. In essence, the Directive establishes the rights and obligations of the principal and its agents; the agent’s remuneration; and the conclusion and termination of an agency contract, including the notice to be given and indemnity or compensation to be paid to the agent. U.S. companies particularly should be aware that the Directive states that parties may not derogate certain requirements. Accordingly, the inclusion of a clause specifying an alternate body of law to be applied in the event of a dispute will likely be ruled invalid by European courts.

Key Link:
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:31986L0653:EN:HTML

The European Commission’s Directorate General for Competition enforces legislation concerned with the effects on competition in the internal market of such "vertical agreements." Most U.S. exporters are small- and medium-sized companies and are therefore exempt from the Regulations because their agreements likely would qualify as "agreements of minor importance," meaning they are considered incapable of affecting competition at the EU level but useful for cooperation between SMEs. Generally speaking, companies with fewer than 250 employees and an annual turnover of less than €50 million are considered small- and medium-sized undertakings. The EU has additionally indicated that agreements that affect less than 10 percent of a particular market are generally exempted as well (Commission Notice 2001/C 368/07).

Key Link:
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/site/en/oj/2001/c_368/c_36820011222en00130015.pdf

The EU also looks to combat payment delays with Directive 2000/35/EC. This covers all commercial transactions within the EU, whether in the public or private sector, primarily dealing with the consequences of late payment. Transactions with consumers, however, do not fall within the scope of this Directive. In sum, the Directive entitles a seller who does not receive payment for goods/services within 30-60 days of the payment deadline to collect interest (at a rate of 7 percent above the European Central Bank rate) as compensation. The seller may also retain the title to goods until payment is completed and may claim full compensation for all recovery costs.

http://ec.europa.eu/comm/enterprise/regulation/late_payments/

Considering the host of distribution options available in France, the exporter must carefully select the method best suited to his or her product. French buyers generally prefer to purchase through an intermediary, making sales directly to the end-user uncommon. However, sales of expensive, technically sophisticated goods are an exception to this rule.

Intermediaries may take one of three primary forms under French law:
- Distributor
- Agent
- Salaried Representative

Distributor:
A distributor (concessionnaire) is an individual or legal entity who purchases goods directly from a producer for the purpose of resale. The distributor operates independently and is only bound by the written provisions of the distribution agreement. These agreements, however, are subject to specific rules and regulations regarding exclusive distribution and price setting.

Contract termination conditions are important, and vary with the type of distribution agreement. Either party without prior notification or indemnification may terminate a distribution agreement of specified duration at the end of the contract period. If the termination takes place before the end of the contract period, the terminating party may be sued for breach of contract.

Either party may terminate a distribution agreement with an unspecified duration without indemnification after a fair notice period, usually six months. Termination by the supplier without fair notice may be grounds for damage claims by the distributor.

Agent:
This category covers commercial agents and those acting as agents but not fulfilling the requisites for commercial agent status. Unlike distributors, agents do not actually purchase goods for resale ; instead, they match up buyers and sellers on a commission basis. All agents exercise their activities in an independent manner, and their principals are exempt from payment of payroll taxes. Agents assume their own fiscal charges (business license tax and value-added tax) and social charges (health insurance, social security and retirement/pension benefits).

Commercial Agent:
Agents with a written contract have the status of commercial agents (agents commerciaux) if they exercise their activity as a sustained independent profession and fulfill the following conditions:

- Do not have a written employment contract;
- Negotiate sales and purchases on behalf of producers, manufacturers, or dealers;
- Are registered with the Tribunal of Commerce as commercial agents.

A commercial agent is independent and free to act on the behalf of any other firm. However, in the case where the agent wishes to represent one of his or her principal's competitors, consent of the principal must first be secured.

The principal may justifiably terminate the commercial agent contract only if the agent shows substantial deficiency in carrying out his or her obligations. Otherwise, contract termination gives the agent a right to indemnification, often equal to two years' commissions, in absence of a termination date in the agreement.

Other agents:
Persons who do not fulfill all the requirements for commercial agency, and who are not in a position of subordination to the company they represent, are considered agents. A notarized act or private agreement can effect authorization of an agent. Either party may terminate the agency agreement at will, but the non-terminating party has a right to indemnification of losses.

Salaried Representatives:
Unlike agents, salaried representatives have employment contracts. They and their employers share the burden of payroll taxes contributing to social security, unemployment compensation, and retirement/pension plans.

Statutory Representatives:
Persons are considered statutory representatives if they exercise their activity as a sustained, independent profession and fulfill the following conditions:

- Act as sales representative for the account of one or more employers;
- Abstain from executing commercial operations on their own behalf;
- Institute mutual commitments with employers on the nature of goods or services offered for sale, the region of activity or the category of clients, and the rate of compensation.

Statutory representatives work according to their employers’ instructions and are protected by labor law, but they have a special right to indemnification if unjustly terminated. This indemnity is based on the size and importance of the clientele they create.

Non-statutory Salaried Representatives:
Representatives who are subordinate to their employers and who do not fulfill the requisites for statutory representative status fall into a separate category and are considered regular employees.

Finding a Partner

The Department of Commerce's International Trade Administration offers several services to help the would-be exporter identify potential foreign representatives. The three primary services available from the Commercial Service in France are the Gold Key Service, the International Partner Search (IPS) and Industry Targeted Mailings. To request any one of these services and to learn about other services, firms should contact the nearest U.S. Department of Commerce District Office. The number can be found in the US government pages of your telephone directory, or you may call 1-800-USA-TRADE. Additional details about services provided in France, please check the U.S. Department of Commerce local web site : http://www.buyusa.gov/france/en

Establishing an Office

Establishing a subsidiary/branch office in France is also advisable for some industries. The French government encourages the formation of new enterprises. In conjunction with the Paris Chamber of Commerce and other Chambers throughout the country, the French government offers extensive counseling and assistance in setting up an office in France. Detailed "how to" guides are available from the various chambers of commerce, and also from the Commercial Service and the numerous American consulting firms present in France.

Franchising

The French franchise sector ranks first in Europe in sales, and has enjoyed 11 percent average growth over the last three years. Although very competitive, it offers many opportunities for innovative U.S. franchises. Ten percent of franchises operating in France are foreign, of which 40 percent are American. In January 2006 total franchising sales were estimated at € 43.00 billion. Potential remains for U.S. franchisers in sub-sectors yet to be fully exploited, such as personal service, i.e. household duties, school tutoring, child or senior care, renovation services, etc. However, it is important to note that the traditional Master Franchise approach has not proven very successful in France, while other expansion methods (direct investment or flexible master franchise) seem to work better.

Direct Marketing

There is a wide range of EU legislation that impacts the direct marketing sector. Compliance requirements are stiffest for marketing and sales to private consumers. Companies need to focus, in particular, on the clarity and completeness of the information they provide to consumers prior to purchase, and on their approaches to collecting and using customer data. The following gives a brief overview of the most important provisions flowing from EU-wide rules on data protection, distance selling and on-line commerce. Companies are advised to consult the information available via the hyper-links, to check the relevant sections of national Country Commercial Guides, and to contact the Commercial Service at the U.S. Mission to the European Union for more specific guidance.

Processing Customer Data

The EU’s general data protection Directive (95/46/EC) spells out strict rules concerning the processing of personal data. Businesses must tell consumers that they are collecting data, what they intend to use it for, and to whom it will be disclosed. Data subjects must be given the opportunity to object to the processing of their personal details and to opt-out of having them used for direct marketing purposes. This opt-out should be available at the time of collection and at any point thereafter. This general legislation is supplemented by specific rules set out in the "Directive on the processing of personal data and the protection of privacy in the electronic communications sector" (2002/58/EC). This requires companies to secure the prior consent of consumers before sending them marketing emails. The only exception to this opt-in provision is if the marketer has already obtained the intended recipient’s contact details in the context of a previous sale and wishes to send them information on similar products and services.

Key Link: http://ec.europa.eu/justice_home/fsj/privacy/law/index_en.htm

Transferring Customer Data to Countries Outside the EU

The EU's general data protection Directive provides for the free flow of personal data within the EU but also for its protection when it leaves the region’s borders. Personal data can only be transferred outside the EU if adequate protection is provided for it or if the unambiguous consent of the data subject is secured. The European Commission has decided that a handful of countries have regulatory frameworks in place that guarantee the adequate protection of data transferred to them – the United States is not one.

The Department of Commerce and the European Commission negotiated Safe Harbor to provide U.S. companies with a simple, streamlined means of complying with the adequacy requirement. It allows those U.S. companies that commit to a series of data protection principles (based on the Directive), and who publicly state that commitment by "self-certifying" on a dedicated website, to continue to receive personal data from the EU. Signing up is voluntary but the rules are binding on those who do. The ultimate means of enforcing Safe Harbor is that failure to fulfill the commitments will be actionable as an unfair and deceptive practice under Section 5 of the FTC Act or under a concurrent Department of Transportation statute for air carriers and ticket agents. While the United States as a whole does not enjoy an adequacy finding, companies that join up to the Safe Harbor scheme will.

EU based exporters or U.S. based importers of personal data can also satisfy the adequacy requirement by including data privacy clauses in the contracts they sign with each other. The Data Protection Authority in the EU country from where the data is being exported must approve these contracts. To fast track this procedure the European Commission has approved sets of model clauses for personal data transfers that can be inserted into contracts between data importers and exporters. The most recent were published at the beginning of 2005. Most transfers using contracts based on these model clauses do not require prior approval. Companies must bear in mind that the transfer of personal data to third countries is a processing operation that is subject to the general data protection Directive regardless of any Safe Harbor, contractual or consent arrangements.

Key Links: http://www.export.gov/safeharbor/
http://ec.europa.eu/justice_home/fsj/privacy/modelcontracts/index_en.htm

Distance Selling Rules

Distance and Door-to-Door sales
The EU’s Directive on distance selling to consumers (97/7/EC) set out a number of obligations for companies doing business at a distance with consumers. It can read like a set of onerous "do’s" and "don’ts," but in many ways it represents nothing more than a customer relations good practice guide with legal effect. Direct marketers must provide clear information on the identity of themselves as well as their supplier, full details on prices including delivery costs, and the period for which an offer remains valid – all of this, of course, before a contract is concluded. Customers generally have the right to return goods without any required explanation within seven days, and retain the right to compensation for faulty goods thereafter.

Similar in nature is the Doorstep Directive (85/577/EEC) which is designed to protect consumers from sales occurring outside of a normal business premises (e.g., door-to-door sales) and essentially assure the fairness of resulting contracts.

Key Link: http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/cons_int/safe_shop/index_en.htm

Distance Selling of Financial Services
Financial services are the subject of a separate Directive that came into force in June 2002 (2002/65/EC). This piece of legislation amends three prior existing Directives and is designed to ensure that consumers are appropriately protected in respect to financial transactions taking place where the consumer and the provider are not face-to-face. In addition to prohibiting certain abusive marketing practices, the Directive establishes criteria for the presentation of contract information. Given the special nature of financial markets, specifics are also laid out for contractual withdrawal.

Key Link: http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/cons_int/fina_serv/index_en.htm

Direct Marketing Over the Internet
The e-commerce Directive (2000/31/EC) imposes certain specific requirements connected to the direct marketing business. Promotional offers must not mislead customers and the terms that must be met to qualify for them have to be easily accessible and clear. The Directive stipulates that marketing e-mails must be identified as such to the recipient and requires that companies targeting customers on-line must regularly consult national opt-out registers where they exist. When an order is placed, the service provider must acknowledge receipt quickly and by electronic means, although the Directive does not attribute any legal effect to the placing of an order or its acknowledgment. This is a matter for national law. Vendors of electronically supplied services must also collect value added tax (VAT).

Key Link: http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/e-commerce/index_en.htm

The French direct marketing market for consumer products and services is one of the largest in the world. This market represents 5 percent of the non-food retail business. It accounted for USD 17.50 billion (Euro 14 billion) in 2005, growing 18 percent. Sales through the mail have trended downward in recent years just as telephone and specifically Internet sales have rapidly expanded. Internet sales represent 62 percent of total direct marketing sales. In 2005, 76 percent of French households bought through direct marketing with an average annual purchase of USD 700. Textile products make up 43 percent of direct sales, books and records 31 percent, and high-tech products 17 percent. B-to-B direct marketing sales account for USD 4.4 billion.

Joint Ventures/Licensing

A joint venture with a French firm is one recommended approach. The French government encourages this type of investment and offers a wide range of incentives. Traditionally, a French joint venture partner strengthens the marketing activities of an American firm with its in-place distribution system. In certain industries, French manufacturers have skills that supplement those of the American partner. A joint venture with a French firm that has full French government support can be beneficial as long as manufacturing decisions can be made independently of government involvement. Recognizing the differences in each market is essential for success. It is recommended that companies interested in forming joint ventures consult with the U.S. Commercial Service at the Embassy in Paris before making any alliances.

Selling to the Government

The EU public procurement market, including EU institutions and Member States, totals around EUR 1,600 billion per year. This market is regulated by two EU Directives which apply for contracts above certain agreed thresholds. Under the agreed thresholds, each EU Member State has developed its own procurement law, which is not regulated by the EU public procurement Directives, although the general principles of the EU Treaty regarding non-discrimination and free movement of goods apply even below the thresholds. The two EU public procurement Directives are: Directive 2004/18 on Coordination of procedures for the award of public works, services and supplies contracts, and Directive 2004/17 on Coordination of procedures of entities operating in the Utilities sector, which covers water, energy, transport and postal services. Those Directives are implemented in each EU Member State’s national procurement legislation. Two Remedies Directives outline the procedures that EU Member States ought to put in place in case of violation of the EU public procurement law: Directive 89/665 on the “Coordination of the laws, Regulations and administrative provisions relating to the application of review procedures to the award of public supply and public works contracts” for the classic sectors, and Directive 92/13 for remedies in the utilities sector.

Two proposals for new Directives, scheduled for 2007, are under discussion by EU institutions. First, a proposal for a new Remedies Directive, which would increase possibilities for aggrieved companies to complain in pre-contractual period, is being discussed by the EU institutions. Second, a proposal for a Directive covering defense procurement would detail which particular less sensitive armaments procurement will be covered by EU Directives and which sensitive items will be allowed to benefit from an exemption of the law.

Most tenders from European public contracting authorities for public supplies whose value is above the agreed thresholds are open to U.S.-based companies by virtue of the WTO Government Procurement Agreement (GPA). The GPA allows U.S. firms to bid on all supplies and services and some construction works contracts above thresholds contracted by EU central public contracting authorities. However, there are restrictions for U.S. suppliers in the utilities sector both in the EU Utilities Directive and in the EU coverage of the GPA. The Utilities Directive allows EU contracting authorities in these sectors to either reject non-EU bids where the proportion of goods originating in non-EU countries exceeds 50% of the total value of the goods constituting the tender, or are entitled to apply a 3% price difference to non-EU bids in order to give preference to the EU bid. These restrictions are applied when no reciprocal access for EU companies in the U.S. market is offered.

The website of the U.S. Mission to the EU also has a database of all European public procurement tenders that are open to U.S.-based firms by virtue of the GPA. This database is free of charge, contains on average 6,000 to 10,000 tenders and is updated twice per week.

For more information, please see the website of the U.S. Commercial Service at the U.S. Mission to the European Union dedicated to procurement and the market research page which contains a handful of reports on EU tendering and government procurement.

Key Links: http://www.buyusa.gov/europeanunion/euopportunities.html
http://www.buyusa.gov/europeanunion/mrr.html

The French Government generally follows EU procurement regulations, which call for non-discrimination against foreign firms. In France, procurement regulations do not usually present barriers to entry for foreign firms. However, local political pressure and administrative procedures are often said to favor French companies.

French Government procurement comes under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of the Economy and Finance. The "Commission Centrale des Marches" (CCM), or Central Procurement Board, has overall responsibility for monitoring compliance with procurement regulations.

France is obliged to follow EU public works regulations requiring government purchasing entities to publish tender notices for all public works projects valued at over Euro 5.270 million, or approximately USD 6.535 million. Tender notices exceeding this must be published in the Official Journal of the European Union, as well as in the French “Bulletin Officiel des Annonces des Marches Publics.” In telecommunications, however, a European Union Utilities Directive requires France to give EU bidders a three percent price preference and gives France the option to reject bids with over 50 percent non-EU content. Certain defense-related industries are also excluded from regular procurement rules. In addition, public projects must conform to the following requirements:

- A minimum of 52 days is required for bid submissions after an offer is announced.
- The reason for a bid's rejection must be provided upon request.
- The amount of the winning bids must be publicly disclosed.

For information on French Government procurement regulations and procedures, contact:

CCM
Tour de Lyon
Tel: (33) 1.44.87.17.17 or (33) 1.53.17.86.69
Fax: (33) 1.53.17.87.04
http://www.finances.gouv.fr/minefi/publique/publique4/index.htm

Information on current and past French and EU procurement tenders and bids may be obtained through the following web site: http://www.journal-officiel.gouv.fr

Access to procurement tenders and bids may also be obtained by subscribing to the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU), or the Bulletin Officiel des Annonces des Marches Publics (BOAMP). However, these publications often do not arrive from overseas in a timely manner. OJEU can be ordered from:

UNIPUB
4611F Assembly Drive
Lanham, MD 20706-4391
Tel: (800) 274-4888
Fax: (301) 459-0056
Web Site: http://www.unipub.fr

For subscriptions to BOAMP, contact:
BOAMP
Direction des Journaux Officiels
Tel: (33) 1.40.58.75.00
info@journal-officiel.gouv.fr

Distribution and Sales Channels

The Retail Network:
France possesses a diverse and comprehensive retail network, which increasingly resembles that of the U.S. From the largest department store chains to the smallest individual proprietorships, French distribution channels are demonstrating some significant new trends that could affect how products are sold in France.

Small-and medium-sized family-owned firms, which traditionally accounted for a majority of French wholesale and retail trade, are rapidly losing ground to hypermarkets - large retail outlets carrying a wide variety of products at discounted prices. At the same time, mail order marketing, Internet sales, and specialized chain stores have shown strong growth. On the other hand, a law limits the amount of retail space that can be purchased or leased commercially, with a special exemption required for space greater than 300 square meters (one square meter equals about 10.5 square feet).

French food retailers fall under six principal formats: hard-discounts, hypermarkets, supermarkets, city center stores, department stores and traditional outlets. The first five account for 75 percent of the country’s food distribution; the sixth, which includes neighborhood and specialized food stores, for about 25 percent.

Developments in recent years have altered the country’s retail food distribution system. First, France passed legislation limiting the number of hypermarket/supermarket openings. While the new law has limited the number of new establishments, it has prompted hyper/supermarkets to expand their existing surface areas. Second, mergers and alliances among major hyper/supermarkets have allied the country’s 7 largest retailers with five central buying offices. In 1999, Carrefour and Promodes merged, creating the world’s largest retail chain after Wal-Mart.

With an eye to capturing market share from the restaurant and fast-food sectors, hyper/supermarkets began to sell ready-to-eat products such as roasted meats (cooked chicken, etc.), fresh-baked bread, and pastries. They also focus on premium quality food including regional and exotic products, and have also developed various lines of discounted products to react to the severe competition of hard discounters that have been gaining market share over the past few years.

Primary Retail Channels:
- Hypermarkets (Hypermarchés)
- Supermarkets (Supermarchés)
- City-Center Stores & Department Stores (Grands magasins)
- Convenience Stores (Magasins populaires)
- Hard Discounters (Magasins Discount)
- Large Specialized Stores (Grandes surfaces specialisees)
- Multi-Channel Retail Groups (Groupes de distribution multi-canaux)
- Traditional outlets (Magasins de detail traditionnels)
- Gas-Marts (Boutiques de stations d’essence)
- Central Buying Offices (Centrales d'achats)
- Direct Marketing (Vente à distance)
- Food Service (Hotel, Restaurants, Restauration collective):

Hypermarkets (Hypermarchés):
Hypermarkets are defined as stores with a minimum selling area of 2,500 square meters. French hypermarkets offer 25,000-40,000 products for sale at competitive prices, of which 3000-5000 food items and 20,000-35,000 non-food articles. Generally located in suburbs, they cover a total sales area of 7.3 million square meters. As of September 1, 2006, there were 1435 hypermarkets, employing over 281,000 people. The top five hypermarket companies are Leclerc, Carrefour, Intermarche, System U, and Auchan.

Supermarkets (Supermarchés):
Supermarkets are smaller versions of hypermarkets, with a selling area between 400 and 2,500 square meters. They usually carry 3,000-5,000 items, of which 500-1500 are non-food products, and cover a total sales area of 6.7 million square meters. As of September 1, 2006, there were 5,787 supermarkets, employing over 162,000 people. The top four supermarket companies are Intermarché, Super U, Champion, and Casino.

City-Center Stores & Department Stores (Grands magasins):
Defined as high-quality supermarkets and dating back to the turn of the century, these are smaller than regular supermarkets, are usually located in town centers and offer a wide selection of food and non-food products. They total over 270 and tend to be grouped under major leading companies such as Monoprix/Prisunic. City-center stores seem to be declining: their numbers have dropped 20 percent in the last five years. Currently, the 103 department stores employ over 23,800 people. Paris has the most department stores of any French city; six of the ten top-selling stores are there.

Department stores have lost some market share in all areas except in the medium-to-high price range. A unique feature of the French department store is that many non-food products are sold by the manufacturers’ own sales staff, which can account for up to 20 percent of the store's total sales force. Some department stores in Paris such as Galeries Lafayette, Au Printemps, and Le Bon Marché have gourmet food sections. Although they do not account significantly for total food sales in France, they set the quality standard for product presentation.

Convenience Stores (Magasins de proximité):
Convenience stores are generally located in city centers of small-to-medium size towns. They are self-service stores run by one or two independent operators, i.e., individuals not paid by the distribution group. These stores number approximately 1,500 outlets representing no more than three percent of total food sales.

Hard Discounters (Magasins Discount):
Compared to hyper/supermarkets, hard discount stores offer a smaller range of goods for lower prices. As of September 1, 2006, there were 4,074 hard discount stores in France. These stores represent about 12 percent of total food sales and usually sell generic products or their own private-label items. The top five hard-discount companies are Lidl, Ed, Aldi, Leader Price and Netto.

Large Specialized Stores (Grandes surfaces specialisees):
Large specialized stores offer an extensive choice of goods in a specific category at a competitive price and with an emphasis on customer service. This dynamic sector included over 10,300 stores in 2006, including such store categories as toys, health and beauty, gardening, and media/books/music. Do-it-yourself equipment stores are the most numerous (2467), followed by textiles (2,595) and beauty/heath products (2,036).

Multi-Channel Retail Groups (Groupes de distribution multi-canaux):
The distinctions made above between hypermarket chains, supermarket chains, etc. are becoming blurred. In recent years, major multi-channel retail groups owning chains of different types of stores have emerged. Pinault-Printemps and Nouvelles Galeries Reunies fall into this category, because they own chains of specialty and convenience stores.

Traditional retail food outlets (Magasins de detail traditionnels):
Traditional outlets include a broad array of establishments, from corner grocery stores, bakeries, and neighborhood butcher shops to open air markets to frozen and gourmet food stores. The aggressive expansion of mass distribution outlets threaten these traditional outlets, which account for 20 percent of the country’s total retail food distribution and represent a total of about 50,000 stores. To survive, these outlets must have flexible store hours, product variety, and special services such as home delivery. Small neighborhood store chains offer U.S. suppliers entry into the French market.

Gas-Marts (Boutiques de stations d’essence):
Linked with gasoline stations, these account for less than one percent of total food sales and about 400 outlets in France.

Central Buying Offices (Centrales d'achats):
In addition to contacting the largest store chains listed above, introducing products via central buying agencies is an excellent distribution method. A complete list of French central buying agencies, the Annuaire des Supermarches, Hypermarches, Centrales d'Achat et Groupements d'Achats, is available for about € 363.99 (freight included) from:

L.S.A - Libre Service Actualites
Tel: (33) 1.49.04.48.50
Fax: (33) 1.49.04.48.51
Website http://www.tradedimensions.fr

Food Service Sector (Hotels, Restaurants, Restauration collective):
In Calendar Year 2005, France's Hotel, Restaurant and Institution (HRI) food sector served approximately 9.1 billion meals worth approximately 72.9 billion euros ($90.7 billion), or an increase in sales of 2.9 percent compared to calendar year 2004.

The French HRI sector is large, sophisticated, saturated and highly competitive. Entry through this sector must be planned carefully. Successful products or food systems are innovative and price competitive. Specific counseling sessions with U.S. Department of Agriculture/Foreign Agricultural Service trade and marketing specialists are recommended for those wishing more information as they plan their specific marketing campaigns in France.

For more information on the Retail Food Sector in France, visit the following Website:
http://www.usda.fas.gov
(click on Attache Reports and France)

Selling Factors/Techniques

Selling your product or service in France is similar to the U.S. Buying decisions are made on the basis of quality, price and after-sales service. The principal difference in France is, in fact, the language. Since August 1994, the "Loi Toubon" requires that all advertising, labeling, instructions and promotional programs be in French, so we strongly recommend close contact with the Commercial and Agricultural sections in the Embassy, as well as arranging for local legal representation.

Electronic Commerce
In July 2003, the European Union (EU) started applying Value Added Tax (VAT) to sales by non-EU based companies of Electronically Supplied Services (ESS) to EU based non-business customers. U.S. companies that are covered by the rule change must collect and submit VAT to EU tax authorities. European Council Directive 2002/38/EC changed the EU rules for charging Value Added Tax.

U.S. businesses mainly affected by this rule change are those that are U.S. based and selling ESS to EU based, non-business customers or those businesses that are EU based and selling ESS to customers outside the EU who no longer need to charge VAT on these transactions.

There are a number of compliance options for businesses. The Directive created a special scheme that simplifies registering with each Member State. The Directive allows companies to register with a single VAT authority of their choice. Companies have to charge different rates of VAT according to where their customers are based but VAT reports and returns are submitted to just one authority. The VAT authority responsible for providing the single point of registration service is then responsible for reallocating the collected revenue among the other EU VAT authorities.

Key Links:
http://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/taxation/vat/how_vat_works/e-services/index_en.htm

Direct Internet marketing Internet is booming in France. Product and services sales, as well as the number of web sites on the Internet, have increased dramatically in recent years. Retail online sales estimates (Business-to-Consumer) in 2005 were USD 10.8 billion (8.70 Billion Euros) and accounted for 62 percent of total direct marketing sales. The categories of products reporting the best market share in 2005 are consumer electronics; computers, cameras, mobile phones (up 45 percent); and cultural products; books, CDs, DVD’s (up 48 percent). Internet sales increased by 53 percent in 2005. The number of Internet users in France has increased dramatically and in 2006 over 15 million people bought online, a 15 percent increase over 2005.

Trade Promotion and Advertising

General Legislation
Laws against misleading advertisements differ widely from Member State to Member State within the EU. To respond to this imperfection in the Internal Market, the Commission adopted a Directive, in force since October 1986, to establish minimum and objective criteria regarding truth in advertising. The Directive was amended in October 1997 to include comparative advertising. Under the Directive, misleading advertising is defined as any "advertising which in any way, including its presentation, deceives or is likely to deceive the persons to whom it is addressed or whom it reaches and which, by reason of its deceptive nature, is likely to affect their economic behavior or which for those reasons, injures or is likely to injure a competitor." Member States can authorize even more extensive protection under their national laws. Comparative advertising, subject to certain conditions, is defined as "advertising which explicitly or by implication identifies a competitor or goods or services by a competitor." Member States can, and in some cases have, restricted misleading or comparative advertising.

The EU’s Television without Frontiers Directive lays down legislation on broadcasting activities allowed within the EU. It is currently being reviewed to adapt to advances in internet, mobile phones and digital TV technologies. It partially lifts Regulations on advertising and product placement and proposes to ban advertising to children of food and drink. The new rules should be adopted in 2007.

Following the adoption of the 1999 Council Directive on the Sale of Consumer Goods and Associated Guarantees, product specifications, as laid down in advertising, are now considered as legally binding on the seller. (For additional information on Council Directive 1999/44/EC on the Sale of Consumer Goods and Associated Guarantees, see the legal warranties and after-sales service section of 4.4, below.)

The EU adopted Directive 2005/29/EC concerning fair business practices in a further attempt to tighten up consumer protection rules. These new rules will outlaw several aggressive or deceptive marketing practices such as pyramid schemes, "liquidation sales" when a shop is not closing down, and artificially high prices as the basis for discounts in addition to other potentially misleading advertising practices. Certain rules on advertising to children are also set out.

Key Link: http://ec.europa.eu/comm/consumers/cons_int/safe_shop/fair_bus_pract/index_en.htm

Medicine
The advertising of medicinal products for human use is regulated by Council Directive 2001/83/EC. Generally speaking, the advertising of medicinal products is forbidden if market authorization has not yet been granted or if the product in question is a prescription drug. Mentioning therapeutic indications where self-medication is not suitable is not permitted, nor is the distribution of free samples to the general public. The text of the advertisement should be compatible with the characteristics listed on the product label, and should encourage rational use of the product. The advertising of medicinal products destined for professionals should contain essential characteristics of the product as well as its classification. Inducements to prescribe or supply a particular medicinal product are prohibited and the supply of free samples is restricted.

The Commission plans to present a new framework for information to patients on medicines in 2007. The framework would allow industry to produce non-promotional information about their medicines while complying with strictly defined rules and would be subject to an effective system of control and quality assurance.

Key Link: http://ec.europa.eu/eur-lex/pri/en/oj/dat/2001/l_311/l_31120011128en00670128.pdf

Food
On July 16, 2003, the Commission adopted a proposal for a Regulation on nutrition and health claims made on foods (COM 2003/424) supplementing 2000/13/EC on the labeling, presentation and advertising of foodstuffs. The proposal is expected to be adopted by the end of 2006. The proposed Regulation would set rules on the use of language such as "low fat” and "light," among others. The proposal seeks to harmonize the rules for making claims throughout the EU and establish what nutrition and health claims are allowable.

Key link: http://ec.europa.eu/comm/food/food/labelingnutrition/claims/index_en.htm

Food Supplements
Directive 2002/46/EC establishes rules relating to the labeling of food supplements and the maximum levels of vitamins and minerals in particular. In Summer 2007, the European Commission will evaluate if items other than minerals and vitamins need to be included in this Directive.

Key link: http://ec.europa.eu/food/food/labellingnutrition/supplements/index_en.htm

Tobacco
The EU Tobacco Advertising Directive bans tobacco advertising in printed media, radio, internet and sponsorship of cross-border events or activities. Advertising in cinemas and on billboards or merchandising is allowed though these are banned in many Member States. Tobacco advertising on television has been banned in the EU since the early 1990s, and is governed by the TV Without Frontiers Directive.

Key link: http://ec.europa.eu/health/ph_determinants/life_style/Tobacco/tobacco_en.htm

Advertising can also be done through many different media, including TV, radio or newspapers and magazines. There are far too many newspapers, magazines and technical journals to list. Please check the following website for media lists, under “audiovisuel” for TV and radio, and under “presse écrite” for newspapers and magazines:
http://mediasig.premier-ministre.gouv.fr

It should be noted that newspapers do not carry nearly the volume of advertising to which Americans are accustomed. In addition, mass media advertising (press, TV, radio, billboards) represents 35 percent of total promotional spending while direct marketing, promotion, event advertising, public relations, guides and catalogs represent 65 percent of the total French market for advertising services.

Judicious use of the media is an important part of any and all promotional programs. Below is a list of the most prominent general circulation French newspapers and magazines:

Le Figaro
Tel: (33) 1.57.08.50.00 - Fax: (33) 1.57.08.57.84
Web Site: http://www.lefigaro.fr

Le Monde
Tel: (33) 1.42.17.20.00 - Fax: (33) 1.42.17.21.21
Web Site: http://www.lemonde.fr

L'Express
Tel: (33) 1.75.55.10.00
Web Site: http://www.lexpress.fr

Liberation
Tel: (33) 1.42.76.17.89 - Fax: (33) 1.42.72.94.93
Web Site: http://www.liberation.fr

France Soir
Tel: (33) 1.53.56.87.00 - Fax: (33) 1.53.56.88.48
Web Site: http://www.francesoir.fr

Le Parisien
Tel: (33) 1.40.10.30.30 - Fax: (33) 1 40.10.35.16
Web Site: http://www.leparisien.com

Le Nouvel Economiste
Tel: (33) 1.58.30.64.64 - Fax: (33) 1.58.30.64.65
Web Site: http://www.nouveleco.fr

International Herald Tribune
Tel: (33) 1.41.43.93.00 - Fax: (33) 1.41.43.93.38
Web Site: http://www.iht.com

Le Nouvel Observateur
Tel: (33) 1.44.88.34.34 - Fax: (33) 1.44.88.37.82
Web Site: http://www.nouvelobs.com

Le Point
Tel: (33) 1.44.10.10.10 - Fax: (33) 1.43.21.43.24
Web Site: http://www.lepoint.fr

Les Echos
Tel: (33) 1.49.53.65.65 - Fax: (33) 1 45 61 48 92
Web Site: http://www.lesechos.fr

L'Expansion
Tel: (33) 1.75.55.10.00 - Fax: (33) 1.75.55.41.20
Web Site: http://www.lexpansion.com

La Tribune Desfosses
Tel: (33) 1.44.82.16.16 - Fax: (33) 1.44.92.17.16
Web Site: http://www.latribune.fr

An efficient way to do trade promotion is to participate in some of the French trade shows, some of which are world-leading events or have a large international attendance. For details about the shows, please check the following web site: http://www.buyusa.gov/france/en/142.html

The U.S. Department of Commerce in France also provides customized Corporate Promotion Services (presentation of products or services, seminars, press conferences, receptions/hospitality) in either an Embassy-owned, beautiful historical building or at other venues.

For details about the shows, please check the following web site: [http://www.buyusa.gov/france/en/14.html - _section13]

Pricing

The U.S. exporter can usually determine the export price of his/her manufactured product using 70 percent of the domestic price (after deduction of all local marketing costs). This allows the French importer to price imports from the U.S. on the same price level as an American counterpart. A simple way to compare U.S. and French retail prices consists of taking the net U.S. retail price and comparing it with the French retail price without the Value Added Tax (V.A.T.), currently 19.6 percent. The French consumer is generally willing to pay a maximum of 10-15 percent over the American retail price. When determining the export price, it is important to consider that if prices are FOB, the French importer will have to pay for transportation, insurance, customs duties, value-added tax and fixed fees per shipment.

Terms of Payment:

For U.S. exporters, what is called "the financing of export sales" is not basically different from financing domestic sales. The fundamental concern in both cases is that one be paid in a timely manner for the goods and/or services delivered.

France's modern banking system offers a full range of payment means, the most significant of which are:
- Commercial letters of credit
- Sight and time drafts (documentary collections)
- Bank transfers
- Certified checks

Although bank transfers and certified checks are fairly self-explanatory methods of payment, commercial letters of credit and sight and time drafts may be less familiar to the would-be exporter but are potentially attractive terms of payment.

Sales Service/Customer Support

Conscious of the discrepancies among Member States in product labeling, language use, legal guarantee, and liability, the redress of which inevitably frustrates consumers in cross-border shopping, the EU institutions have launched a number of initiatives aimed at harmonizing national legislation. Suppliers within and outside the EU should be aware of existing and upcoming legislation affecting sales, service, and customer support.

Product Liability
Under the 1985 Directive on liability of defective products, amended in 1999, the producer is liable for damage caused by a defect in his product. The victim must prove the existence of the defect and a causal link between defect and injury (bodily as well as material). A reduction of liability of the manufacturer is granted in cases of negligence on the part of the victim.

Key link: http://ec.europa.eu/comm/consumers/cons_safe/prod_safe/defect_prod/index_en.htm

Product Safety
The 1992 General Product Safety Directive introduces a general safety requirement at the EU level to ensure that manufacturers only place safe products on the market. It was revised in 2001 to include an obligation on the producer and distributor to notify the Commission in case of a problem with a given product, provisions for its recall, the creation of a European Product Safety Network, and a ban on exports of products to third countries which are not deemed safe in the EU.

Key link: http://ec.europa.eu/comm/consumers/cons_safe/prod_safe/index_en.htm

Legal Warranties and After-sales Service
Under the 1999 Directive on the Sale of Consumer Goods and Associated Guarantees, professional sellers are required to provide a minimum two-year warranty on all consumer goods sold to consumers (natural persons acting for purposes outside their trade, businesses or professions), as defined by the Directive. The remedies available to consumers in case of non-compliance are:
- repair of the good(s);
- replacement of the good(s);
- a price reduction; or
- rescission of the sales contract.

Key link: http://ec.europa.eu/comm/consumers/cons_int/safe_shop/guarantees/index_en.htm

Other issues pertaining to consumers’ rights and protection, such as the New Approach Directives, CE marking, quality control and data protection are dealt with in Chapter 5 of this report.

Although less developed than in the U.S., French businesses also provide all kinds of services such as after-sales service, home delivery, maintenance contracts, warehousing facilities, hotlines, or toll free numbers for any technical assistance. For some products such as electrical appliances, e.g. TV, replacement service is available.

Logistics:

Companies wishing to develop long-term marketing and sales capabilities in France should pay close attention to securing proper distribution and storage facilities close to major airports and seaports. Many logistics firms, including American ones, operate in
France and should be considered when firms develop significant market opportunities and sales channels in France. (See Chapter 9, Country Contacts - Logistics.)

Protecting Your Intellectual Property

Copyright
The EU’s legislative framework for copyright protection consists of a series of Directives covering areas such as the legal protection of computer programs, the duration of protection of authors’ rights and neighboring rights, and the legal protection of databases. Almost all Member States have fully implemented the rules into national law; and the Commission is now focusing on ensuring that the framework is enforced accurately and consistently across the EU.

The on-line copyright Directive (2001/29/EC) addresses the vexed problem of protecting rights holders in the online environment while protecting the interests of users, ISPs and hardware manufacturers. It guarantees authors’ exclusive reproduction rights with a single mandatory exception for technical copies (to allow caching), and an exhaustive list of other exceptions that individual Member States can select and include in national legislation. This list is meant to reflect different cultural and legal traditions, and includes private copying "on condition right holders receive fair compensation."

Key Link: http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/copyright/index_en.htm

Patents
EU countries have a "first to file" approach to patent applications, as compared to the "first to invent" system followed in the United States. This makes early filing a top priority for innovative companies. Unfortunately it is not yet possible to file for a single EU-wide patent that would be administered and enforced like the Community Trademark (see below). For the moment the most effective way for a company to secure a patent across a range of EU national markets is to use the services of the European Patent Office (EPO) in Munich. It offers a one-stop-shop that enables rights holders to get a bundle of national patents using a single application. However these national patents have to be validated, maintained and litigated separately in each Member State. EPO’s web site is http://www.european-patent-office.org/

Key Link: http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/indprop/index_en.htm

Trademarks
The EU-wide Community Trademark (CTM) can be obtained via a single language application to the Office of Harmonization in the Internal Market (OHIM) in Alicante, Spain. It lasts ten years and is renewable indefinitely. For companies looking to protect trademarks in three or more EU countries the CTM is a more cost effective option than registering separate national trademarks. On October 1, 2004, the European Commission (EC) acceded to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Madrid Protocol. The accession of the EC to the Madrid Protocol establishes a link between the Madrid Protocol system, administered by WIPO, and the Community Trademark system, administered by OHIM. As of October 1, 2004, Community Trademark applicants and holders are allowed to apply for international protection of their trademarks through the filing of an international application under the Madrid Protocol. Conversely, holders of international registrations under the Madrid Protocol will be entitled to apply for protection of their trademarks under the Community Trademark system.

Key Links: http://oami.eu.int/en/default.htm
http://www.wipo.int/madrid/en

Designs
The EU adopted a Regulation introducing a single Community system for the protection of designs in December 2001. The Regulation provides for two types of design protection, directly applicable in each EU Member State: the registered Community design and the unregistered Community design. Under the registered Community design system, holders of eligible designs can use an inexpensive procedure to register them with the EU’s Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market (OHIM), based in Alicante, Spain. They will then be granted exclusive rights to use the designs anywhere in the EU for up to twenty-five years. Unregistered Community designs that meet the Regulation’s requirements are automatically protected for three years from the date of disclosure of the design to the public.

Key Links: http://oami.eu.int/en/design/default.htm

Trademark Exhaustion
Within the EU, the rights conferred on trademark holders are subject to the principle of "exhaustion." Exhaustion means that once trademark holders have placed their product on the market in one Member State, they lose the right to prevent the resale of that product in another EU country. This has led to an increase in the practice of so called "parallel importing" whereby goods bought in one Member State are sold in another by third parties unaffiliated to the manufacturer. Parallel trade is particularly problematic for the research-based pharmaceutical industry where drug prices vary from country to country due to national price Regulation. Community wide exhaustion is spelled out in the Directive on harmonizing trademark laws. In a paper published in 2003, the Commission indicated that it had no plans to propose changes to existing legal provisions.

Key Link: http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/indprop/tm/index_en.htm

Under the French intellectual property rights regime, patents, trademarks, and designs and models protect industrial property, while literary/artistic property is protected by copyrights. By virtue of the Paris Convention and the Washington Treaty regarding industrial property, U.S. nationals are entitled to receive the same protection of industrial property rights in France as French nationals. In addition, U.S. nationals have a "right of priority period" after filing a U.S. patent, trademark, design or model, in which to file a corresponding application in France. This period is twelve months for patents and six months for trademarks, designs and models.

Patents:
There are two types of patents: patents of invention (Brevets d'Invention) and certificates of utility (Certificats d'Utilité). Patents of invention cover all inventions. Certificates of utility cover all inventions except those of a pharmaceutical nature, which are covered by complementary certificates (Certificats Complémentaires de Protection).

In order to qualify for patent protection, the invention must:

* Have an industrial or agricultural application
* Imply a non-obvious procedure, and
* Have absolute novelty.

Duration: Patents for inventions have a twenty-year life span, after which they become part of the public domain. Certificates of utility have a six-year, non-renewable life span.

Patent Registration: Applications for patent registration must be filed with the French National Institute for Industrial Property, the Institut National de la Propriete Industrielle (INPI), before the invention is publicly disclosed. INPI receives applications, examines their validity, and registers the patents. After the application for a patent is filed, INPI conducts a check for comparable inventions. Upon approval and registration, a patented invention may be manufactured, operated, used or sold only with the authorization of the patent's owner. The owner can transfer, or sell the patent, or grant a license for others to use it. A patent must be used to be retained. Applicants can consult INPI's library to check for the existence of similar inventions prior to filing.

INPI
Division des Brevets
Tel: (33) 1.71.08.71.63
Fax: (33) 1.53.04.45.23
Web Site: http://www.inpi.fr

Patent protection in France may also be obtained through ownership of a European Patent, which is filed through the European Patent office in Munich:

European Patent Office
Erhardtstrasse 27
80298 Munich, Germany
Tel: (49 89) 23 99 46 36
Web Site: http://www.european-patent-office.org/

Patent registration in France requires a French address, which may be obtained through a legal representative in France. A list of patent advisors who can act as legal representatives can be obtained from the French Association of Patent Advisors, Compagnie Nationale des Conseils en Propriete Industrielle:

CNCPI
Tel: (33) 1.53.21.90.89
Web Site: http://www.cncpi.fr

Certificate of Utility Registration: Certificates of Utility are also granted by INPI (see above). However, in this case, INPI does not conduct a check for comparable inventions.

Trademarks
Trademark protection can apply to both goods and services. In a general sense, trademarks recognize and protect indicators, which serve to distinguish one product or service from similar products or services. In the French regime, trademarks:
* Can be written or designed trademarks.
* Can be sonorous trademarks, such as musical tunes, jingles, words, slogans.
* Must not be deceptive as to the nature or origin of the goods.
* Must be recognizable by sight or sound.
* Must have novelty for the specified product line.

Duration: A trademark has a ten-year life span and is renewable every ten years.

Trademark Registration: Applications must be filed with INPI, which receives applications, examines their validity, and registers trademarks. After registering the trademark, it must be publicly and unequivocally used five consecutive years, or all trademark rights are forfeited. It may be sold totally or partially, by product or service category.

INPI
Division des Marques
Tel: (33) 1.71.08.71.63
Fax: (33) 1.53.04.45.23
Web Site: http://www.inpi.fr

Registration of trademarks, as in the case of patents, requires a French address, which may be obtained through a legal representative in France. A list of trademark advisors who can act as legal representatives can be obtained from CNCPI, whose address is listed above.

Designs and Models
Designs and models have the following characteristics:
* Designs are an assembly of traits or colors on the surface of an object. They constitute an original two-dimensional decoration.
* Models are all creations (ornaments).
* They must have absolute novelty.

Although some designs and models can be protected under patent or copyright procedures, others fall into a category that requires special treatment. Designs or models having an industrial function follow patent procedures, while designs or models having a purely ornamental function follow copyright procedures. Those designs or models which have both a practical and an ornamental function are subject to the following:

Duration: Infringement protection has a 25 year life span, and is renewable for another 25 years.

Registration: Exclusive proprietary rights to the design or model are acquired through the act of creation itself. Registration merely serves as proof of that creation. Designs and models are to be registered with the INPI:

INPI-Designs and Models Section
Tel: (33) 1.71.08.71.63
Fax: (33) 1.53.04.45.23

To prove the date of creation of a design or model without formal registration, a designer may wish to use a special envelope (enveloppe speciale). The date of creation begins when the envelope is received by the INPI.

Copyrights
Copyrights cover artistic works, literary works and software. In the French IPR regime, in order to qualify for a copyright, the language used to express the idea must be original, not the idea itself.

Duration: Copyrights are valid for 50 years after the death of the author, with two major exceptions: music copyrights are valid for seventy years after the death of the composer, and software copyrights are valid for 25 years after creation. Contrary to other copyrights, software designed by a salaried employee belongs to the employer.

Registration: Artistic and literary works are automatically protected once created and fixed in tangible form. Therefore, registration is not required, but nonetheless recommended.

For musical works, including songs, instruments, poems, sketches less than 20 minutes, monologues, and other musical audiovisual productions, applications must be filed with the French Society for Musical Authors, Composers and Editors:

Societe des Auteurs, Compositeurs et Editeurs de Musique (SACEM)
Tel: (33) 1.47.15.47.15
Fax: (33) 1.47.15.47.16
Web Site: http://www.sacem.fr

Membership acceptances are restricted to reputable applicants who are already known for the quality of their works. If not qualified for SACEM, applications must be filed with the National Association of Musical Authors and Composers:

Syndicat National des Auteurs et Compositeurs de Musique (SNACM)
Tel: (33) 1.48.74.96.30
Fax: (33) 1.42.81.40.21
Web Site: http://www.snac.fr

For theatrical works, including plays, operas, operettas, musical comedies, films and theatrical scripts, applications must be filed with the Society for Theatrical Authors and Composers:

Societe des Auteurs et Compositeurs Dramatiques (SACD)
Tel: (33) 1.40.23.44.44
Fax: (33) 1.45.26.74.28
Web Site: http://www.sacd.fr/

For literary works and software, applications must be filed with the French Literary Society:

Societe des Gens de Lettres (SGDL)
Tel: (33) 1.53.10.12.00
Fax: (33) 1.53.10.12.12
Web Site: http://www.sgdl.org

For documentary and educational works, applications must be filed with the Civil Society for Multimedia Authors:

Societe Civile des Auteurs Multimedia (SCAM)
Tel: (33) 1.56.69.58.58
Fax: (33) 1.56.69.58.59
Web Site: http://www.scam.fr/

Due Diligence

Once the U.S. company has identified several potential representatives, it should contact them directly in writing. Just as the U.S. firm is seeking information on the French representative, the representative is interested in corporate and product information on the U.S. firm. The U.S. firm should provide full information on its history, resources, personnel, the product line, previous export activity, and all other pertinent matters.

At the same time the firm is providing information on itself, it should also engage in a thorough investigation of the potential representative. Following is a list of important facts the firm should endeavor to find out:

- Current status and history, including background on principal officers
- Personnel and other resources
- Sales territory covered
- Current sales volume
- Typical customer profiles
- Methods of introducing new products into the sales territory
- Names and nature of U.S. firms currently represented
- Trade and bank references
- Assessment of whether U.S. firm's special requirements can be met
- View of in-country market potential for the U.S. firm’s products

Exporters have the right to explore the qualifications of those who propose to represent them overseas. Therefore, the U.S. firm should not hesitate to ask the potential representative(s) or distributor(s) detailed questions.

In addition, the U.S. firm is advised to obtain at least two businesses and credit reports to ensure that the distributor or representative is reputable.

-The US Commercial Service in France provides comprehensive financial reports:
Search made through local credit information database provider.
For more information see:
[http://www.buyusa.gov/france/en/14.html - _section18].

Local Professional Services

A wide variety of service providers is available to support U.S. companies doing business in the European Union (EU), from the largest global firms to small niche players. The U.S. Commercial Service EU website (see below) lists various professional service providers and additional information is available upon request.

Key link: http://www.buyusa.gov/europeanunion/services.html

Also, see EU Member State Country Commercial Guides which can be found at the following website: http://www.buyusainfo.net/adsearch.cfm?search_type=int&loadnav=no

A lawyer with experience in France should be retained as soon as the establishment of a French business entity is contemplated. The American Embassy in Paris maintains a list of American lawyers practicing in France, which is available upon request. More detailed information about professional backgrounds can be obtained from the Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory and from the Bar Register of Pre-eminent Lawyers. Lawyers and bankers in the United States also will normally have means of recommending lawyers in France.

France has two major categories of legal practitioners:

Avocats: An "avocat" must be a lawyer. "Avocats" may render legal advice on all matters, draft agreements and contracts, handle commercial disputes and collection cases, and plead and defend civil and criminal cases before the French courts to which they are admitted. See contacts at:
http://www.amb-usa.fr/consul/acs/guide/Attorneys.pdf

Notaries (Notaires): A French "notaire" is a public official appointed by the Ministry of Justice. He is not the equivalent of a public notary in the United States. The number of "notaires" in each jurisdiction is limited, and their fees fixed by law. Their functions include the preparation and recording of notarial acts (e.g., wills, deeds, acts of incorporation, marriage, contracts), the administration and settlements of estates (excluding litigation in court) and serving as the repository of wills. They are not lawyers, but very specialized members of the legal profession. They may not litigate in courts.

Web Resources

EC Directive on Commercial Agents
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:31986L0653:EN:HTML

Guidelines on “Vertical Agreements”
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/site/en/oj/2001/c_368/c_36820011222en00130015.pdf

EC Directive on Late Payments
http://ec.europa.eu/comm/enterprise/regulation/late_payments/

EC on Data Protection
http://ec.europa.eu/justice_home/fsj/privacy/law/index_en.htm

Safe Harbor
http://www.export.gov/safeharbor/

Model Contracts for the transfer of personal data
http://ec.europa.eu/justice_home/fsj/privacy/modelcontracts/index_en.htm

Ensuring safe shopping across the EU
http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/cons_int/safe_shop/index_en.htm

Financial services
http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/cons_int/fina_serv/index_en.htm

Electronic commerce
http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/e-commerce/index_en.htm

European public procurement tenders open to U.S. companies
http://www.buyusa.gov/europeanunion/eu_tenders.html

Procurement
http://www.buyusa.gov/europeanunion/euopportunities.html

EU Tenders Website
http://ted.europa.eu

Market Research Reports
http://www.buyusa.gov/europeanunion/mrr.html

eVAT
http://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/taxation/vat/how_vat_works/e-services/index_en.htm

EC Internal Markets official documents
http://ec.europa.eu/comm/consumers/cons_int/safe_shop/fair_bus_pract/index_en.htm

Medicinal products for human use
http://ec.europa.eu/eur-lex/pri/en/oj/dat/2001/l_311/l_31120011128en00670128.pdf

Food labeling
http://ec.europa.eu/comm/food/food/labellingnutrition/claims/index_en.htm

Food Supplements
http://ec.europa.eu/food/food/labelingnutrition/supplements/index_en.htm

Tobacco
http://ec.europa.eu/health/ph_determinants/life_style/Tobacco/tobacco_en.htm

Liability of defective products
http://ec.europa.eu/comm/consumers/cons_safe/prod_safe/defect_prod/index_en.htm

Safety of products
http://ec.europa.eu/comm/consumers/cons_safe/prod_safe/index_en.htm

Sale of goods and guarantees
http://ec.europa.eu/comm/consumers/cons_int/safe_shop/guarantees/index_en.htm

European Patent Office
http://www.european-patent-office.org/

Industrial property
http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/indprop/index_en.htm

Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market (OHIM)
http://oami.eu.int/en/default.htm

WIPO Madrid System
http://www.wipo.int/madrid/en

OHIM Community Design
http://oami.eu.int/en/design/default.htm

Exhaustion of trademark rights
http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/indprop/tm/index_en.htm

Professional service providers
http://www.buyusa.gov/europeanunion/services.html

EU Member State Country Commercial Guide
http://www.buyusainfo.net/adsearch.cfm?search_type=int&loadnav=no

Please note AmCham is open: Monday-Thursday 9:30-13:00, 14:00-18:00, Friday 9:30-13:00
AmCham France is not open to the public. Please call to make an appointment if you would like to come by.

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