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 The French balance of trade reached +4 billion Euros in 2003, making France the fifth largest exporter of goods (principally equipment) and the second largest of services and agrifood (notably cereals and processed foods). France remains the principal European agricultural exporter.
In addition, 62% of French trade is with its partners in the European Union (50% within the Euro Zone). Furthermore, exchanges have considerably increased in 2003 between France and other countries benefiting from a great economic growth, such as China and countries having recently join the European Union.
The need to import energy, which had for so long weighed heavily on the balance of trade, has considerably diminished thanks to nuclear power generation. As a result, 50% of today’s energy requirements are met by domestic sources and 78% of power general is nuclear.
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2001
|
| Agriculture |
2,5
|
| Food industry |
6,6
|
| Consumer goods |
16,2
|
| Automotive |
10,6
|
| Equipment |
23
|
| Processed goods |
31,3
|
| Energy |
9,8
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% of Imports by Sector - 2001
|
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2001
|
| Agriculture |
2,9
|
| Food industry |
8,6
|
| Consumer goods |
14,8
|
| Automotive |
13,8
|
| Equipment |
26
|
| Processed goods |
30,5
|
| Energy |
3,4
|
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% of Exports by Sector - 2001
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FOREIGN TRADE
