Experts for legal and tax advice in the German-French context

According to the Federal Statistical Office, France was Germany's second most important trading partner in terms of exports in 2022, just as Germany was the second most important trading partner for France, in both cases directly after the United States. In terms of foreign trade, Germany and France each ranked 4th, after China, the Netherlands and the United States.

The Franco-German Chamber of Industry and Commerce and Business France estimate that around 4,600 German companies with over 310,000 employees are currently present in France. Germany is the second largest acquisitive direct investor in France, after the USA and ahead of the UK. In terms of investment projects, France has been among the top five contributors to foreign investment projects in recent years. Among the more than 36,000 German companies controlled by a foreign parent company, France accounted for about 9% of foreign subsidiaries and ranked 6th in this field.

Despite a cooling of the economic climate, the French market remains attractive to German economic operators, with over 64 million consumers and a GDP of €2,557 billion in 2022 (equivalent to €39,011 per inhabitant). On the other side, the German market, with over 80 million consumers and a GDP of 3,869.9 billion euros in 2022 (equivalent to 46,264€ per inhabitant), remains attractive to French economic operators.

Our experts - lawyers / avocats or tax consultants / expert-comptable - will accompany you in all projects in the Franco-German context, whether exporting, setting up a sales structure, establishing a branch or subsidiary, or taking over an existing company.