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As of June 2018, France’s exported goods were valued at $290 billion up 15.7% compared to the first 6 months of 2017.
Based on estimates from the Central Intelligence Agency’s World Factbook, France’s exported goods plus services represent 30.3% of total French economic output or Gross Domestic Product. The analysis below focuses on exported products only.
From a continental perspective, 64.4% of French exports by value are delivered to other European countries while 18.2% are sold to Asian importers. France ships another 8.8% to North America with another 5.4% worth of French goods arriving in Africa.
Given France’s population of 67.1 million people (including its five overseas regions), its total $517.3 billion in 2017 exports translates to roughly $7,800 for every resident in that country.
France’s unemployment rate was 9.7% as of September 2017 compared to 9.9% one year earlier, according to Trading Economics.
France’s Top 10 Exports
Top 10
The following export product groups represent the highest dollar value in French global shipments during 2017. France’s top 10 export categories accounted for over three-fifths (62%) of the overall value of its global shipments. Also shown is the percentage share each export category represents in terms of overall exports from France.
At the more detailed Harmonized Tariff System code level, France’s most valuable exported products are large airplanes followed by therapeutic or prophylactic drugs and medicines then motor cars.
- Machinery including computers: US$60.7 billion (11.6% of total exports)
- Aircraft, spacecraft: $51.6 billion (9.9%)
- Vehicles: $50.8 billion (9.7%)
- Electrical machinery, equipment: $41.8 billion (8%)
- Pharmaceuticals: $31.4 billion (6%)
- Plastics, plastic articles: $21.4 billion (4.1%)
- Beverages, spirits, vinegar: $18.2 billion (3.5%)
- Perfumes, cosmetics: $17.8 billion (3.4%)
- Optical, technical, medical apparatus: $15.9 billion (3%)
- Iron, steel: $14.9 billion (2.8%)
Among the 10 largest product categories, iron and steel was the fastest-growing via its 28.9% uptick from 2016 to 2017.
In second place was the perfumes and cosmetics category up by 14.2% year over year.
Exports under the vehicles category rose by 12%.
Aircraft and spacecraft was the sole top French export category to decline thanks to its -3.3% drop from 2016 to 2017.
Note that the results listed above are at the categorized two-digit Harmonized Tariff System (HTS) code level. For a more granular view of exported goods at the four-digit HTS code level, see the section Searchable List of France’s Most Valuable Export Products further down below.
Advantages
The following types of French product shipments represent positive net exports or a trade balance surplus. Investopedia defines net exports as the value of a country’s total exports minus the value of its total imports.
In a nutshell, net exports represent the amount by which foreign spending on a home country’s goods or services exceeds or lags the home country’s spending on foreign goods or services.
- Aircraft, spacecraft: US$27.1 billion (Up by 38.2% since 2016)
- Beverages, spirits, vinegar: $13.9 billion (Up by 10.1%)
- Perfumes, cosmetics: $11.9 billion (Up by 18.2%)
- Pharmaceuticals: $8.3 billion (Up by 2.7%)
- Cereals: $4.6 billion (Down by -12.6%)
- Other chemical goods: $3.1 billion (Up by 18.4%)
- Leather/animal gut articles: $2.8 billion (Up by 10.6%)
- Dairy, eggs, honey: $2.7 billion (Down by -13.3%)
- Iron, steel: $2.4 billion (Up by 38.6%)
- Live animals: $2.1 billion (Up by 8%)
France has highly positive net exports in the international trade of aerospace products. In turn, these cashflows indicate France’s strong competitive advantages under the aircraft and spacecraft product category.
Opportunities
France incurred an estimated trade deficit equal to -$88.8 billion during 2017, up 24% from its -$71.7 negative trade balance during 2016.
As of June 2018, France’s trade deficit stood at -$49.6 billion up 9.3% compared to the first 6 months of 2017.
Below are exports from France that result in negative net exports or product trade balance deficits. These negative net exports reveal product categories where foreign spending on home country France’s goods trail French importer spending on foreign products.
- Mineral fuels including oil: -US$44.9 billion (Up by 25.5% since 2016)
- Machinery including computers: -$21.1 billion (Up by 91.9%)
- Vehicles: -$14.3 billion (Up by 2.9%)
- Electrical machinery, equipment: -$13.1 billion (Up by 4.2%)
- Furniture, bedding, lighting , signs, prefab buildings: -$7 billion (Up by 9.4%)
- Knit or crochet clothing, accessories: -$6.1 billion (Up by 2.5%)
- Clothing, accessories (not knit or crochet): -$5.7 billion (Up by 2.9%)
- Organic chemicals: -$4.7 billion (Up by 11%)
- Footwear: -$4.2 billion (Up by 6.2%)
- Fish: -$4 billion (Up by 10.3%)
France has highly negative net exports and therefore deep international trade deficits for mineral fuels-related resources, particularly crude and refined oils, petroleum gas and coal.
These cashflow deficiencies clearly indicate France’s competitive disadvantages in the international fuel market, but also represent key opportunities for France to improve its position in the global economy through focused innovations especially in alternative energy sources.
Companies
French Export Companies
France placed roughly 70 companies in the Forbes Global 2000 rankings. The following companies are examples of world-leading French companies:
- Total (oil, gas)
- Sanofi (pharmaceuticals)
- EADS (aerospace)
- Christian Dior (clothing, accessories)
- Schneider Electric (electrical equipment)
- Danone (food processing)
- Renault (cars, trucks)
- Saint-Gobain (construction materials)
- Air Liquide (specialized chemicals)
- Safran (aerospace)
- Michelin Group (automotive parts)
- Pernod Ricard (beverages)
Global trade intelligence firm Zepol lists the following smaller French exporters:
- Transityre France (latex, transmission belts, vehicle tires)
- Hesnault (wines, jams, cheese)
- Mane Fils (aromatic materials)
France’s capital city is Paris.
Searchable List of France’s Most Valuable Export Products
At the more granular four-digit HTS code level, France’s top export products are aircraft or spacecraft followed by drugs and medicines, cars then automotive parts or accessories.
The following searchable table displays 200 of the most in-demand goods shipped from France during 2017. Shown beside each product label is its total export value then the percentage increase or decrease since 2016.
| Rank | French Export Product | 2017 Value (US$) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aircraft, spacecraft | $44.2 billion | -2.9% |
| 2 | Medication mixes in dosage | $24.4 billion | +7.1% |
| 3 | Cars | $22.1 billion | +20.4% |
| 4 | Automobile parts/accessories | $15.5 billion | +5.2% |
| 5 | Turbo-jets | $12.5 billion | +8.2% |
| 6 | Wine | $10.3 billion | +13.1% |
| 7 | Processed petroleum oils | $8.8 billion | +24.9% |
| 8 | Beauty/makeup/skin care preparations | $8.6 billion | +18.3% |
| 9 | Aircraft parts | $7.3 billion | -3.2% |
| 10 | Trucks | $7.2 billion | +13% |
| 11 | Integrated circuits/microassemblies | $6.7 billion | -1% |
| 12 | Cases, handbags, wallets | $6.7 billion | +12.7% |
| 13 | Blood fractions (including antisera) | $5.5 billion | +0.1% |
| 14 | Alcohol (including spirits, liqueurs) | $5 billion | +9% |
| 15 | Jewelry | $5 billion | +6.7% |
| 16 | Phone system devices | $5 billion | +11.6% |
| 17 | Perfumes, toilet waters | $4.8 billion | +13.8% |
| 18 | Lower-voltage switches, fuses | $4.5 billion | +7.3% |
| 19 | Engines (diesel) | $3.8 billion | -16.1% |
| 20 | Packaged insecticides/fungicides/herbicides | $3.5 billion | +5.6% |
| 21 | Cheese, curd | $3.5 billion | +5.2% |
| 22 | Tractors | $3.3 billion | +0.1% |
| 23 | Wheat | $3 billion | -11.2% |
| 24 | Electro-medical equip (e.g. xrays) | $2.8 billion | +5.8% |
| 25 | Electrical energy | $2.8 billion | +28.4% |
| 26 | Miscellaneous plastic items | $2.7 billion | +10.3% |
| 27 | Taps, valves, similar appliances | $2.6 billion | -0.5% |
| 28 | Hot-rolled iron or non-alloy steel products | $2.6 billion | +47.2% |
| 29 | Rubber tires (new) | $2.5 billion | +1.8% |
| 30 | Centrifuges, filters and purifiers | $2.5 billion | -3.1% |
| 31 | Orthopedic appliances | $2.5 billion | -4.4% |
| 32 | Liquid pumps and elevators | $2.5 billion | +8.9% |
| 33 | Miscellaneous animal feed preparations | $2.5 billion | +7.3% |
| 34 | Insulated wire/cable | $2.4 billion | +17.2% |
| 35 | Ethylene polymers | $2.4 billion | +7% |
| 36 | Plastic packing goods, lids, caps | $2.3 billion | +6.6% |
| 37 | Petroleum gases | $2.3 billion | +56.7% |
| 38 | Computers, optical readers | $2.3 billion | +2.6% |
| 39 | Anti-knock/oxidation/gum inhibitors | $2.2 billion | +7.2% |
| 40 | Flat-rolled other alloy steel products | $2.2 billion | +25.5% |
| 41 | Piston engine parts | $2.2 billion | +7.1% |
| 42 | Air or vacuum pumps | $2.2 billion | +0.8% |
| 43 | Scents used for beverage or industrial manufacturing | $2.2 billion | +8.4% |
| 44 | Bread, biscuits, cakes, pastries | $2.1 billion | +7.6% |
| 45 | Flour/meal/starch/malt extract food preparations | $2 billion | +22.6% |
| 46 | Iron or steel scrap | $2 billion | +43.7% |
| 47 | Machinery parts | $2 billion | +6.8% |
| 48 | Flat-rolled iron or non-alloy steel products (plated/coated) | $1.9 billion | +16.3% |
| 49 | Electrical/optical circuit boards, panels | $1.9 billion | +6.9% |
| 50 | Chemical industry products/residuals | $1.9 billion | +15.7% |
| 51 | Transmission shafts, gears, clutches | $1.9 billion | +6.1% |
| 52 | Footwear (leather) | $1.9 billion | +11.3% |
| 53 | Propylene/olefin polymers | $1.8 billion | +26.2% |
| 54 | Miscellaneous iron or steel items | $1.8 billion | +16.2% |
| 55 | Ball, roller bearings | $1.8 billion | +6.9% |
| 56 | Other food preparations | $1.7 billion | +10.9% |
| 57 | Aluminum plates, sheets, strips | $1.7 billion | +13.3% |
| 58 | Live bovine cattle | $1.7 billion | +7.9% |
| 59 | Other organic cleaning preparations | $1.7 billion | +3.4% |
| 60 | Women's clothing (not knit or crochet) | $1.6 billion | +9.3% |
| 61 | Regulate/control instruments | $1.6 billion | +3.9% |
| 62 | Electrical converters/power units | $1.6 billion | +1.2% |
| 63 | Refrigerators, freezers | $1.5 billion | +9.7% |
| 64 | Heavy machinery (bulldozers, excavators, road rollers) | $1.5 billion | +11.3% |
| 65 | X-ray equipment | $1.5 billion | +7% |
| 66 | Miscellaneous machinery | $1.5 billion | +8.6% |
| 67 | Iron and steel screws, bolts, nuts, washers | $1.5 billion | +13% |
| 68 | Electric motors, generators | $1.5 billion | +5.5% |
| 69 | Electric water heaters, hair dryers | $1.4 billion | +6.6% |
| 70 | Chocolate, other cocoa preparations | $1.4 billion | +0.8% |
| 71 | Electric circuit parts, fuses, switches | $1.4 billion | +9.6% |
| 72 | Corn | $1.4 billion | -12.3% |
| 73 | Seats (excluding barber/dentist chairs) | $1.4 billion | +8.1% |
| 74 | Heterocyclics, nucleic acids | $1.4 billion | +6.1% |
| 75 | Unrecorded sound media | $1.4 billion | +9.7% |
| 76 | Electrical lighting/signaling equpment, defrosters | $1.4 billion | +16% |
| 77 | Piston engines | $1.4 billion | +208.4% |
| 78 | Plastic plates, sheets, film, tape, strips | $1.4 billion | +6.1% |
| 79 | Sugar (cane or beet) | $1.3 billion | +26.2% |
| 80 | Miscellaneous furniture | $1.3 billion | +4.8% |
| 81 | Other diagnostic/lab reagents | $1.3 billion | +2.9% |
| 82 | Acrylic polymers | $1.2 billion | +9.7% |
| 83 | Gold (unwrought) | $1.2 billion | +23.6% |
| 84 | Physical/chemical analysis tools | $1.2 billion | +4.3% |
| 85 | Vulcanized rubber items | $1.2 billion | +8.6% |
| 86 | Temperature-change machines | $1.2 billion | +3.6% |
| 87 | Printing machinery | $1.2 billion | +7.1% |
| 88 | Jerseys, pullovers (knit or crochet) | $1.1 billion | +13.9% |
| 89 | Fork-lift trucks | $1.1 billion | +11.7% |
| 90 | Lifting/loading machinery | $1.1 billion | +7.2% |
| 91 | Wrist/pocket watches (precious metal case) | $1.1 billion | +3.7% |
| 92 | Electric ignition/start equipment | $1.1 billion | +5.9% |
| 93 | Flat-rolled stainless steel items | $1.1 billion | +17% |
| 94 | Yachts, other pleasure/sports vessels | $1.1 billion | -3.1% |
| 95 | Coffee | $1.1 billion | +43.6% |
| 96 | Wrist/pocket watches (no precious metal case) | $1.1 billion | +2.8% |
| 97 | Other measuring/testing machines | $1.1 billion | +8% |
| 98 | Harvest/threshing machinery | $1 billion | +16% |
| 99 | Radar, radio communication items | $1 billion | +47.4% |
| 100 | Liquid/gas checking instruments | $1 billion | +3.8% |
| 101 | Copper waste, scrap | $1 billion | +31.8% |
| 102 | Vinyl chloride polymers | $1 billion | +12.8% |
| 103 | Barley | $1 billion | -6.3% |
| 104 | Solar power diodes/semi-conductors | $998 million | -8.5% |
| 105 | Computer parts, accessories | $994.7 million | +46.6% |
| 106 | Fresh or chilled beef | $985.8 million | +6.4% |
| 107 | Rubber/plastic article making machines | $975.1 million | +12% |
| 108 | Initiators/accelerators, catalytic preps | $967.2 million | +48.2% |
| 109 | Poultry meat | $962 million | +1.7% |
| 110 | Plastic plates, sheets, film, tape, strips | $933.2 million | +9.6% |
| 111 | Swine meat | $932.9 million | +6.2% |
| 112 | T-shirts, vests (knit or crochet) | $932.8 million | +6.8% |
| 113 | Mineral, aerated waters | $928.3 million | +2.3% |
| 114 | Footwear (textile) | $912.1 million | +11.2% |
| 115 | Cellulose fiber paper | $910.2 million | +5.2% |
| 116 | Polyacetal/ether/carbonates | $906.9 million | +12.8% |
| 117 | Radioactive chemical elements | $905.8 million | -7.9% |
| 118 | Electric storage batteries | $878.6 million | +14.4% |
| 119 | Concentrated/sweetened milk, cream | $872.5 million | +9% |
| 120 | Dishwashing, clean/dry/fill machines | $868.8 million | +6% |
| 121 | Lubricant/cutting-oil preparations | $863.7 million | +5.2% |
| 122 | Uncoated paper | $861 million | +16% |
| 123 | Tracksuits, swimwear (not knit or crochet) | $856.1 million | -6% |
| 124 | Cruise/cargo ships, barges | $854.8 million | -38.4% |
| 125 | Hair preparations | $851.8 million | -2.6% |
| 126 | Lamps, lighting, illuminated signs | $841.8 million | +4.2% |
| 127 | Hand-drawn paintings, drawings | $835.9 million | -36% |
| 128 | Styrene polymers | $805.6 million | +11.3% |
| 129 | Miscellaneous aluminum items | $785.8 million | +3.2% |
| 130 | Non-alcoholic drinks (not water/juice/milk) | $780.1 million | -1.8% |
| 131 | TV/radio/radar device parts | $765.7 million | +6.1% |
| 132 | Not concentrated/unsweetened milk, cream | $755.3 million | +7.9% |
| 133 | Models, puzzles, miscellaneous toys | $744.9 million | +5.9% |
| 134 | Glass containers including bottles, jars, pots | $742.1 million | +7.6% |
| 135 | Iron or steel tubes, pipes | $738.5 million | -12.8% |
| 136 | Compasses, other navigational instruments | $738.4 million | -6.9% |
| 137 | Personal toilet/shaving preparations, deodorants | $735.8 million | +9.7% |
| 138 | Sports equipment | $728.1 million | +12.6% |
| 139 | Rape/colza seeds | $727.9 million | +9.5% |
| 140 | Coated paper, paperboard | $720.1 million | +1.8% |
| 141 | Household glassware including decorations | $713.7 million | +5.1% |
| 142 | Plastic tubes, pipes, fittings | $697.7 million | +10.8% |
| 143 | Polyamides | $691.7 million | +18.2% |
| 144 | Women's clothing (knit or crochet) | $688.7 million | +9.2% |
| 145 | Aluminum (unwrought) | $688.6 million | +22.8% |
| 146 | Printed books, brochures | $688.5 million | +2% |
| 147 | Sowing seeds, fruits, spores | $685.1 million | +5.7% |
| 148 | Copper wire | $676.4 million | +21.8% |
| 149 | Synthetic rubber | $674.4 million | +32.2% |
| 150 | Paint/varnish non-aqueous solution | $673.1 million | +7.2% |
| 151 | Self-adhesive plastic in rolls | $667.2 million | +10.4% |
| 152 | Filament/discharge lamps | $665.6 million | +19.1% |
| 153 | Trailers | $647.3 million | -1.3% |
| 154 | Print/write/draw inks | $645.5 million | +1% |
| 155 | Men's suits, trousers (not knit or crochet) | $637.6 million | -1.7% |
| 156 | Apples, pears (fresh) | $608.9 million | +0.3% |
| 157 | Paper containers, cellulose wadding | $608.8 million | +4.8% |
| 158 | Glass fibers | $602.7 million | +3.7% |
| 159 | Miscellaneous engines, motors | $595.3 million | +41.4% |
| 160 | Buttermilk, yogurt, curdled milk | $586.1 million | -2.8% |
| 161 | Ethyl alcohol | $585.9 million | +4.1% |
| 162 | Potatoes | $584.6 million | -2.8% |
| 163 | Butter, other fats or oils derived from milk | $583.6 million | +36.3% |
| 164 | Industrial preparation machinery | $580.2 million | -7.9% |
| 165 | TV receivers/monitors/projectors | $572.9 million | +4.8% |
| 166 | Whey | $568.5 million | +17% |
| 167 | Tissues, napkins, toilet paper | $563.7 million | +3.3% |
| 168 | Air conditioners | $563.5 million | -10.9% |
| 169 | Uncoated paper for writing/printing | $557.5 million | -5.9% |
| 170 | Footwear (rubber or plastic) | $553.7 million | +1.6% |
| 171 | Miscellaneous iron and steel structures | $549.9 million | +5.5% |
| 172 | Miscellaneous meat (preserved/prepared) | $544.1 million | +3% |
| 173 | Aluminum waste, scrap | $541.1 million | +14.2% |
| 174 | Leather clothing, accessories | $516.2 million | +5.9% |
| 175 | Interchangeable hand/machine tools | $515.4 million | +10.7% |
| 176 | Women's coats, jackets (not knit or crochet) | $503.1 million | +15.8% |
| 177 | Oscilloscopes, spectrum analyzers | $501.7 million | -5.4% |
| 178 | Unvulcanized compounded rubber | $501.7 million | +9.5% |
| 179 | Petroleum resins | $495.3 million | +6.3% |
| 180 | Sutures, special pharmaceutical goods | $494.9 million | -1% |
| 181 | Microphones/headphones/amps | $493.5 million | +24.8% |
| 182 | Agricultural/forestry machinery (soil cultivation) | $488 million | +17.3% |
| 183 | Wood casks, barrels, vats, tubs | $487.6 million | +20.1% |
| 184 | Base metal mountings, fittings | $487.5 million | +12.9% |
| 185 | Ice cream, other edible ice | $487 million | +8.3% |
| 186 | Other machine parts, accessories | $484.4 million | +6.3% |
| 187 | Paper/paperboard waste, scrap | $482 million | +11.7% |
| 188 | Cocoa butter, fat, oil | $479.3 million | +18.2% |
| 189 | Coated/laminated non-wovens | $477.8 million | -2% |
| 190 | Stone articles, or of other mineral substances | $474.9 million | +3.9% |
| 191 | Machinery to make pulp, paper, paperboard | $474.4 million | +7.4% |
| 192 | TV receiver/transmit/digital cameras | $474.4 million | +8% |
| 193 | Spray/dispersing mechanical appliances | $472.3 million | +8.1% |
| 194 | Essential oils | $471.4 million | +18.8% |
| 195 | Ethers | $470.9 million | +18.9% |
| 196 | Coal tar oils (high temperature distillation) | $470.5 million | +21.1% |
| 197 | Other prepared/preserved vegetables (non-frozen) | $461.5 million | +6.3% |
| 198 | Iron or non-alloy steel products (semi-finished) | $461.2 million | +73.4% |
| 199 | Railway/streetcar locomotives, rolling stock | $460.9 million | +17.2% |
| 200 | Electric generating sets, converters | $453.1 million | -4.6% |
These 200 exported goods were worth a subtotal of US$416.4 billion or about four-fifths (79.6%) by value for all products exported from France during 2017.
See also France’s Top 10 Major Export Companies, France’s Top 10 Imports and France’s Top Trading Partners
Research Sources:
International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook Database (GDP based on Purchasing Power Parity). Accessed on August 31, 2018
The World Factbook, Country Profiles, Central Intelligence Agency. Accessed on August 31, 2018
Trade Map, International Trade Centre. Accessed on August 31, 2018
Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on August 31, 2018
Wikipedia, List of Companies of France. Accessed on August 31, 2018
Zepol’s company summary highlights by country. Accessed on August 31, 2018
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