France: Selected Issues Paper

International Monetary Fund

No 2013/252, IMF Staff Country Reports from International Monetary Fund

Abstract: This Selected Issues paper examines external developments and competitiveness in France. Over the past decade, the current account has deteriorated from a surplus of 1.2 percent of GDP in 2002 to a deficit of about 2.3 percent in 2012, as France lost ground in goods trade and services recorded just a slight increase in global market shares. The slight improvement of the trade deficit seen in 2012 may suggest a change in trend, although it is still too early to determine. Past deterioration in export performance points to competitiveness weaknesses, rooted in significant rigidities in labor and product markets.

Keywords: ISCR; CR; potential GDP; France; spending; Potential GDP growth; potential GDP estimate; wage bill; expenditure ratio; CA method; France firm Peer comparison; D. Potential GDP; Fiscal consolidation; Total factor productivity; Exports; Current account; Global; Europe (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 84
Date: 2013-08-05
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