Overview:

France Country Analysis Report analyzes the political, economic, social, technological, legal and environmental (PESTLE) structure of France. The report provides a holistic view of the country from historical, current and future perspectives. Insightful analysis on critical current and future issues is presented through detailed SCPT (strengths, challenges, prospects and threats/risks) analysis for each of the PESTLE segments. In addition, the PESTLE segments are supplemented with relevant quantitative data to support trend analysis.

Uses of Country Analysis Reports:

Understanding gained from country profiles can be used to plan business investment or market entry in a particular country. The insights provide ideas about key business opportunities. The profiles also provide an overview of the legal and regulatory framework to start or operate a business in the country. Typical uses of each PESTLE segment are:
• Political section provides understanding about the political system and key figures relevant to business in the country and governance indicators.
• Economic section deals with the economic story of a country that provides a balanced assessment of significant macro-economic issues.
• Social section enables understanding of customer demographics through income distribution, rural-urban segmentation and centres of affluence, healthcare and educational scenario.
• Technological section provides strategic information on technology and telecom, technological laws and policies, technological gaps, patents and opportunity sectors in the country.
• Legal section provides information about the legal structure, corporate laws, laws to start a new business and the tax regime.
• Environmental section provides information on the country’s performance on environmental indicators and policies.

Overview 1
Catalyst 1
Summary 1
Key facts and geographical location 10
Key facts 10
Geographical location 11
PESTLE analysis 12
Summary 12
Political analysis 13
Economic analysis 16
Social analysis 20
Technology analysis 23
Legal analysis 27
Environmental analysis 30
Political landscape 33
Summary 33
Evolution 33
Structure and policies 36
Performance 40
Outlook 41
Economic landscape 43
Summary 43
Evolution 43
Structure and policies 45
Performance 47
Outlook 58
Social landscape 60
Summary 60
Evolution 60
Structure and policies 61
Performance 65
Outlook 67
Technological landscape 69
Summary 69
Evolution 69
Structure and policies 69
Performance 71
Outlook 75
Legal landscape 76
Summary 76
Evolution 76
Structure and policies 76
Performance 80
Outlook 81
Environmental landscape 82
Summary 82
Evolution 82
Structure and policies 82
Performance 84
Outlook 86
APPENDIX 88
Ask the analyst 88
Datamonitor consulting 88
Disclaimer 88

TABLE OF FIGURES
Figure 1: Map of France 11
Figure 2: France – key political events since 1930 34
Figure 3: Key political figures in France 36
Figure 4: Structure of government 37
Figure 5: French National Assembly composition 38
Figure 6: France's historical GDP growth (1991–2009) 44
Figure 7: Market capitalization of the Euronext (For companies in France) 46
Figure 8: GDP and GDP growth rate in France, 2001–13 (real GDP at constant 2000 prices) 48
Figure 9: GDP composition by sectors, 2009 49
Figure 10: Agriculture output of France, 2001–09 50
Figure 11: Industrial output of France, 2001–09 51
Figure 12: Service output of France, 2001–09 52
Figure 13: Current account balance of France, 2001–08 53
Figure 14: External trade of France, 2004–09 54
Figure 15: Consumer price index and index-based inflation in France, 2002–13 56
Figure 16: Employment and growth rate in France, 2002–13 58
Figure 17: Major religions of France 63
Figure 18: Expenditure on healthcare in France, 2002–13 65
Figure 19: Government’s expenditure on education in France, 2003–08 67
Figure 20: Growth rate of mobile and fixed line subscribers in France, 2002–13 72
Figure 21: Internet users and growth rate in France, 2002–13 73
Figure 22: France's judicial structure 77
Figure 23: Carbon dioxide emissions in France, 2002–013 85
Figure 24: Carbon fuel usage in France, 2002–12 86

TABLES
Table 1: France – key fundamentals 5
Table 2: France – key facts 10
Table 3: Analysis of France’s political landscape 13
Table 4: Analysis of France’s economy 16
Table 5: Analysis of France’s social system 20
Table 6: Analysis of France’s technology landscape 23
Table 7: Analysis of France’s legal landscape 27
Table 8: Analysis of France’s environmental landscape 30
Table 9: Mid-year population by age (million), 2008 61
Table 10: Patents received by USPTO, 2003–07 70
Table 11: Individual income tax rates in France, 2009 79
Table 12: Key environmental measures 83