Global Scans · France · Weekly Summary

WHAT'S NEXT?: Discontent with political elites and country performance is driving the discourse and demand for action from the French public. With Presidential elections due in May 2017 it remains to be seen whether another political earthquake may happen in one of the EU's founding countries.

• [New] The euro area is forecast to grow by just 1.0%, with Germany teetering near recession and France and Italy showing limited recovery. CFA Institute Enterprising Investor
• [New] In 2025, new regional hubs will open in Italy, France, and Germany, further strengthening customer support, dealer development, and product management. Engineering News
• [New] France and the UK will work to define and develop reassurance operations to deter Russia from future aggression after the implementation of a peace deal. Institute for the Study of War
• [New] Withdrawal from the WTO could emancipate American policy, potentially deepening EU rifts, such as between France and Poland. USSA News | The Tea Party's Front Page.
• [New] French President Emmanuel Macron will go to an Egyptian port near the Gaza Strip next week to highlight concerns over the conflict in the Palestinian territory. FDD
• [New] States such as Estonia, France and Germany will probably be better equipped to deal with Russian cyber operations in the coming years. Dragonfly Intelligence
• [New] France's foreign minister warned on Wednesday that if world powers were unable to quickly reach a new agreement with Iran over its contested nuclear programme then a military confrontation seemed almost inevitable. FirstPost
• [New] ETA mirrors the ETIAS scheme for visa-exempt nationals travelling to 30 European countries, including France and Germany, which has been delayed until 2026. Spain in English
• [New] By providing local crypto startups with funding, resources, and support, the financial institutions will ensure that France stays a major participant in the world crypto economy. Coinfomania
• French President Emmanuel Macron has signalled that France could extend its small nuclear umbrella over Europe because the US may no longer be relied upon. Stagecraft and Statecraft
• The International Monetary Fund has cautioned that a large-scale trade war could shrink the world economy by 7%, equivalent to the combined economies of France and Germany. Inform Accounting
• France's finance minister said the European Union was not considering reciprocal tariffs to respond to the Trump administration's tariffs, because they could hurt European consumers, but the EU could target individual US companies. CNN
• Industrial cooperation with allies (e.g., Germany and France) and initiatives like AUKUS are key to deterring threats. Defence Online
• Major economies, such as Germany, France, and the UK, are experiencing minimal growth, with some at risk of slipping into recession. Punch Newspapers
• The UK, Germany, and France, home to numerous electronic component manufacturers, faced severe disruptions due to supply chain challenges and workforce limitations. Blogger
• European officials are not convinced the savvy financial engineering will necessarily be enough to convince Southern European countries - including France, Italy, and Spain - to drop their preference for Commission-backed grants funded by joint EU borrowing from capital markets. Politico
• A dutiful buyer of European military equipment, especially from France and Germany, Greece has always justified its arms spending by pointing to territorial disputes and threats from historic rival Turkey. The Defense Post
• In the seven major pharmaceutical markets (US, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, UK, and Japan), the population affected by obesity is expected to grow at an annual rate of 0.57%, reaching over 161.5 million cases by 2033. Clinical Trials Arena
• If NATO's cohesion weakens, a European-led security bloc could emerge, primarily driven by France, Germany, the UK, and Italy. Robert Lansing Institute
• Europe has ambitious environmental policies like the European Green Deal which aims for net-zero emissions by 2050 led by Germany, France, and the Nordic countries. Market Data Forecast
• The French energy sector is undergoing rapid transformation with ambitious targets for offshore wind (18 GW by 2035), heat decarbonization, and low-carbon hydrogen (8 GW of electrolysis capacity by 2035). State of Green
• France has taken a similar submarine-based approach to deterrence as the UK and French president Emmanuel Macron has suggested its deterrent could be used to protect other European countries. Asia Times

Last updated: 16 April 2025