Population

67,413,000 (2021)

Official language

French

Currency

Euro

Capital

Paris

Time Zone

UTC+1 (CET); Summer UTC+2 (CEST)

Dialling Code

+33

Area (sq. miles)

247,368

GDP

$3.232 trillion (PPP)

Important Ministries

Ministry of Culture (Ministère de la Culture) is in­ charge of national museums and monuments; promoting and protecting the arts in France and abroad; and managing the national archives and regional ‘maisons de culture’ (culture centres). The Ministry of Culture is also charged with maintaining the French identity.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs provides aid to professionals for the promotion of literary, artistic, linguistic or scientific knowledge of France abroad.

Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation prepares and implements government policy on the development of higher education, research and technology.

National Library of France holds an organised legal deposit to allow the collection and preservation of books, periodicals, cartographic documents, iconographic documents, audio and multimedia documents, software, videograms, websites, and printed music.

Ministry of National Education, Higher Education and Research (or Ministry of National Education) is in charge of the definition and implementation of policies in the fields of education, research, innovation, new information, and communication technologies and space. It is also in charge of the financing and coordination of research organisations and bodies.

VAT on Books

5.5% for both print and digital books

Fixed Book Price Systems

Yes. The Lang Law (1981) allowed for a maximum 5% discount under varied positions and was extended to ebooks more recently. In 2014 a new law dubbed the ‘Anti-Amazon Law’ was passed which prohibits online booksellers from offering the 5% discount, and limited online distributors to offering a discount on the shipping cost which must not surpass 5% of the order value.

Annual Book Fairs

Salon du Livre Paris held over 4 days in in March

Translations Programmes

Burgess Grant translation grant awarded by Institut Français in UK once a year
France Centre National du Livre grant for translators
France Centre National du Livre subsidies for the translation of French works into foreign languages

Trade Magazines

Livres Hebdo

Useful Contacts

British Council

Email: contact@britishcouncil.fr
Tel: 01 49 55 73 00

Department for International Trade

Email: commercialenquiries.paris@fco.gov.uk
Tel: +33 (0) 1 44 51 34 00

Sophie de Bodisco, Food & Drink (T&I), BPFS (I), Retail (I), Sports
Email: debodisco@fco.gov.uk

Hayley Waskett, Retail and Creative Industries
Email: waskett@mobile.trade.gov.uk

Distributors

Interforum for Editis, Le Seuil and La Martinière
Hachette Distribution for Hachette
Sodis and Union Distribution for Madrigal
MDS for Média-Participations