Distributing a product

Evolution of the sector

In 2004, the wholesale trade represented 172,000 companies and a 53.6 billion euro turnover. The retail trade represented 350,000 companies, a 359.8 billion euro turnover. The setting up of hypermarkets is regulated by the Royer Law of 1973 and the Raffarin Law of 1996 ; they aim to protect local shops.

Market shares

Mass marketing dominates the retail trade sector in France with, in 2006, 5,525 supermarkets and 4,074 hard discount stores. The Carrefour group is in the leading position with a turnover of 77.9 billion euros. Then comes Auchan with 35.3 billion, Intermarché with 31.5 billion, Leclerc and Casino ( 2006 ranking).

Organizations in the retail sector

The Federation of Trade and Distribution Companies (FCD)
The associated trade stores

We can identify professional tradeshows on your sector.

Market access procedures

International Conventions

Member of World Trade Organisation
Member of OECD
Party to the Kyoto protocol
Party to the Washington convention on International trade in endangered species of wild fauna and flora
Party to the Basel convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their disposal
Party to the Montreal protocol on Substances that deplete the Ozone Layer
Wassenaar arrangement on export controls for conventional arms and dual-use goods and technologies
Party of the International coffee agreement 2001

Main International economic cooperation

Member of the European Union
Member of the European Economic Area which has guaranteed, since 1 January 1993, the free movement of most goods between European countries.
Multilateral agreements and bilateral agreements with many countries.

Non tariff barriers

At the European level, agricultural products are protected within the Common Agricultural Policy and textile products from China, Belarus, North Korea, Montenegro, Kosovo and Uzbekistan are subject to particular formalities and import licenses or control procedures (export document, monitoring document).
At the national level, trade in plants and seeds, aircraft, and others has to be declared; they have to be certified respectively by the GNIS(the national interprofessional organization for seeds and plants), the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Agriculture.

Customs duties and taxes on imports

Operations carried out within the EEA are free of duty.
The Common Customs Tariff of the European Union applies to goods originating outside Europe. Generally the duty is relatively low, especially for industrial products (4.2% on average).

Customs classification

The Combined Nomenclature of the European Community (EC) integrates the HS nomenclature and supplements it with its own subheadings with an eight digit code number and its own Legal Notes created for Community purposes.

Import procedures

For goods of a value under 1,000 kg or 1,000 EUR, a verbal declaration at customs, and presenting the invoice, is sufficient.
For higher values, you must declare it at the Customs Office:
1) a brief declaration (air or maritime manifest) to conclude the collection of the goods.
2) a common law declaration (SAD, single administrative document), as well as the accompanying documents to allow their clearance.
The SAD form can be obtained from Chambers of Commerce or an approved printer. A computerized customs clearance platform (SOFI: International Freight Computer System) can be accessed in Customs offices or in some Chambers of Commerce.

 

In the case of deliveries and purchases within the European Community, the declaration of exchange of goods (DEB) or Intrastat declaration must be sent to the Customs Service.

Importing samples

For the import, export and re-export of commercial samples the ATA (Temporary Admission) book can be used. It must be written on the product that it is a free sample and that it may not be sold.

For further information

French Customs website
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Ministry of the Economy, Finance and Industry

We can indicate you which are the customs duties applied to your product.

We can indicate you which are the customs duties applied to your product.

Find out the local taxes that apply to your product.

Organizing goods transport

Main useful means of transport

Goods transport (national and international) in France is dominated by road transport, with more than 2 billion goods transported every year. Road transport of goods is above all practical. Plans for putting trucks on trains and reviving the use of waterways could advance the development of a form of transport other than road, but their potential remains limited.

 

International goods transport for its part is dominated by sea transport. This means of transport is economical and France is easy to access because of its extensive sea coast. Five of the fifteen biggest European ports are located in France; they are linked with each other and serve the other large European centers of consumption in the North and in the South thanks to an extensive networking of shipping lines. The ports represent 85% in volume and 66% in value of French foreign trade.

Ports

Marseille
Le Havre
Dunkerque
Nantes Saint Nazaire
Calais
Rouen

Airports

Paris - Airport Roissy-Charles de Gaulle

Sea transport organizations

The Ministry of equipment, transport and housing

Air transport organizations

The Ministry of equipment, transport and housing

Road transport organizations

The Ministry of equipment, transport and housing

Rail transport organizations

The Ministry of equipment, transport and housing

Get a ballpark figure for transportation costs for your product in this country through a shipping estimate

Identifying a supplier

Type of production

In France, industry represents 20% of the GDP and 17% of employment.
The pharmaceutical, aeronautical, and new information and communication technology (NICT) industries have an important place on the French industrial scene.

Business directories

Société
The Yellow Pages
The professional pages
Indexa
Kompass
Firma France

Manufacturers associations of the main industries

The French pharmaceutical industry association for responsible self-medication.
The French aeronautical and space industries group.
The French information industry group (GFII)
Federation of ores, industrial minerals and nonferrous metals
Federation of Railway Industries
National Association of Food Industries

Trade Agencies and their representations abroad

The French confederation of trade between companies
Portal for Chambers of Commerce and Industry
The Assembly of French Chambers of Commerce and Industry

Enterprises federation

The government information website for SMEs
Net PME, the information website for SMEs
The Directorate-General "Enterprise and Industry" of the European Commission
The CGPME (General Confederation of Small and Medium Enterprises)
The MEDEF (Movement of French Enterprises)

Standards

National standards organizations

AFNOR
UTE
ETSI

Integration in the international standards network

At the European level:
- CEN, European Committee for Standardization
- CENELEC, European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization

At the international level:
- International Standards organization (ISO)
- International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC)

Classification of standards

NF is the national certification mark.
CE is the European certification mark. It is compulsory for a country to be able to sell on the market.

Online consultation of standards

The AFNOR on-line shop
The on-line catalog of European standards
The ISO catalog
The most important standardization programs

Certification organizations

See the list of independent organizations

Find out the standards and labelling requirements that apply to your products

Intellectual Property

National organizations

The national institute of industrial property (INPI) for patents, trademarks, models and industrial designs.

The Society of Authors, Composers and Publishers of Music (SACEM), The National Union of Authors and Composers of music (SNAC), The Society of Stage Authors and Composers (SACD), The Society of Men of Letters (SGDL), The Civil Society of Multimedia Authors (SCAM), etc., for royalties.

Regional organizations

For the protection of patents: the European patent office
To control trademarks, designs and models: the Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market

International membership

Member of the WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization)
Signatory to the Paris Convention for the Protection of Intellectual Property