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EUROPE · DIPLOMACY · OVERSEAS

France, Europe & the world

France’s place in the EU, its overseas territories, alliances and economic relationships.30 guides to explore
Meeting room beside large office windows
FRA9 · France in the European Union

A USEFUL STARTING POINT

Find the guide you need first

Choose the dossier that answers your next question. Background and the complete directory are just below.

Half-timbered buildings in Strasbourg’s Petite France
Half-timbered buildings in Strasbourg’s Petite France
03

Strasbourg

Canals, half-timbered houses and Franco-German culture.

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UNDERSTAND BEFORE YOU CHOOSE

Identify the institution and territory

France, the European Union, the Council of Europe and overseas territories are not interchangeable frameworks.

Who is making the decision?

For European news, identify the body proposing, negotiating or adopting a measure. A diplomatic statement, announced agreement and applicable rule are different stages. The background guide explains the framework; the official text or release establishes the actual scope.

Keep territorial differences visible

For travel, trade or a procedure, verify the exact territory and relevant framework. Overseas experiences are not simply mainland France relocated. Confirm practical arrangements with the authority or service responsible for that territory.

Institutions, business and time: three separate checks

International questions lead to practical choices: visiting Parliament in Strasbourg, starting a cross-border activity or arranging a Paris–Istanbul meeting. Each has its own check. Parliament entry depends on the visitor offer; owning a business does not automatically settle the right to work in it; an appointment needs a date and time zone. Use these three guides as routes to the responsible institution, not as individual permissions or a substitute for your own dated confirmation.

FRA9 · PORTAL SELECTION

01—09
Meeting room beside large office windows
01 · France, Europe & world

France in the European Union

Institutions, currency, law and decisions: what Europe changes in France.

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Waves on a sandy beach at sunrise
02 · France, Europe & world

France’s overseas territories

The status, cultures, oceans and realities of territories across several continents.

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Half-timbered buildings in Strasbourg’s Petite France
03 · Cities to explore

Strasbourg

Canals, half-timbered houses and Franco-German culture.

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Halle Freyssinet / Station F in Paris, November 2018; enterprise context, not the business-registration desk
04 · Business & work

Starting a company in France

From idea to registration, make the right decisions in sequence.

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A TGV Duplex at Valence-Ville station
05 · Society & lifestyles ·

France is back on winter time: check your clocks

Mainland France turned its clocks back this Sunday, 25 October: 03:00 became 02:00. Paris is now on UTC+1. Check manual alarms, international meetings and the local times on your tickets.

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Globe showing countries and oceans
06 · France, Europe & world

French diplomacy and defence

Diplomatic network, armed forces, alliances and instruments of influence.

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France–Türkiye trade: products, A.TR and customs
07 · Import, export & customs

France–Türkiye trade: products, A.TR and customs

Products traded, the 2025 record, Customs Union, documents and market entry.

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Prix Goncourt 2026: original list, withdrawal and key dates
08 · Writers, poets & books ·

Prix Goncourt 2026: original list, withdrawal and key dates

The original 16-book announcement remains as a historical record, with the Académie’s 25 September withdrawal noted. The 6 October checkpoint has passed; the next calendar dates are 27 October and 3 November.

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Bayeux Tapestry in London: dates, tickets and visitor guide
09 · The story of France ·

Bayeux Tapestry in London: dates, tickets and visitor guide

The work is at the British Museum from 10 September 2026 to 11 July 2027. Charles III and Emmanuel Macron viewed it on 2 September; 2026 tickets are already sold out.

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FRA9 · INDEX

All guides

10

Pope Leo XIV in France: dates, route and Paris travel impact

The 25–28 September 2026 official journey connects Paris, Saint-Denis, Lourdes and Metz. Notre-Dame, Île de la Cité, Concorde and several stations will face closures or restrictions. · ↗
11

France’s 2027 presidential election: dates, candidates and voting

The first round will be held on 18 April 2027 and the run-off on 2 May. As of 2 September 2026 several figures are declared or expected to run, but none is yet an official candidate: the final list depends on the Constitutional Council’s validation of 500 endorsements. · ↗
12

France e-invoicing 2026: duties, platforms and implementation dates

France’s e-invoicing rollout began on 1 September 2026. Every business established in France must be able to receive the new flows, while large companies and intermediate-sized businesses must also issue them. More than four million businesses had designated a receiving address at launch. · ↗
13

French public debt: €3.536tn, the 10-year rate and the next key dates

Agence France Trésor published a 4.19% TEC 10 reference rate for 1 September 2026, while the latest Insee measure puts public debt at €3,536.1bn, or 117.5% of GDP, at the end of March. The two figures measure different things: one is a daily market reference and the other a consolidated quarterly debt stock. · ↗
14

El Chadaille Bitshiabu to Galatasaray: what is reported and what still needs signing

Galatasaray and RB Leipzig are reported to have agreed a loan for French centre-back El Chadaille Bitshiabu. The 21-year-old is expected in Istanbul for a medical and signature; early on 2 September, neither club had yet published a final transfer announcement. · ↗
15

Lumière Summit 2026 brings film, animation and gaming together on 7 September

Emmanuel Macron and South Korean president Lee Jae-myung will co-chair the first international summit devoted to the future of film and moving images in Saint-Paul-de-Vence. · ↗
16

Barcelona beat Rayo Vallecano 5-2 as Raphinha and Lamine Yamal score twice

FC Barcelona came from behind against Rayo Vallecano at Camp Nou to make it three La Liga wins from three. · ↗
17

Édouard Balladur dies at 97: from İzmir to Matignon, a Fifth Republic career

The former prime minister died in Paris on 31 August 2026. Born in Smyrna, now İzmir, he led the French government from 1993 to 1995 during the second cohabitation. · ↗
18

New euro banknotes: ten designs and voting until 21 September

The European Central Bank is putting ten design proposals to the public under two themes: European culture, and rivers and birds. · ↗
19

Agentic AI: France’s privacy regulator maps the risks

The CNIL and France’s AI and Digital Council examine systems able to act on a user’s behalf. · ↗
20

Automated decisions: a record fine renews the debate

A European fine of nearly €825 million against Uber puts explainability of algorithmic decisions back at centre stage. · ↗
21

French GDP was flat in the second quarter of 2026

INSEE confirms flat GDP after a 0.2% first-quarter fall; purchasing power per consumption unit declined 0.6%. · ↗
22

French inflation reached 2.4% in August 2026

INSEE’s preliminary estimate puts consumer inflation at 2.4% and the EU-harmonised measure at 2.7%. · ↗
23

French industrial producer prices rose 1.3% in July

Industrial producer prices accelerated over one month and stood 4.3% above a year earlier. · ↗
24

French farm-gate prices edge higher again

INSEE reports a modest rebound in farm-gate prices, with wide differences across products and regions. · ↗
25

Hermès posted €4.1bn in first-quarter sales

The group reports 6% growth at constant exchange rates in the first quarter of 2026. · ↗
26

Esports World Cup closes after seven weeks in Paris

From 6 July to 23 August, the competition brought together about 2,000 players, 200 clubs and more than 100 countries. · ↗
27

France’s new professional-sport law changes governance

The law adopted in July revises governance, financial oversight and organisation in professional sport. · ↗
28

European swimming championships test sustainable event standards

The 2026 event uses a public platform to measure travel, energy, waste and local legacy. · ↗
29

France and Saudi Arabia put defence, energy and AI on one agenda

The 25 August declaration broadens cooperation into investment, transport, health, tourism and culture. · ↗
30

France–Saudi Arabia: what the new agreements cover

Defence, energy, AI, culture and investment anchor the 25 August declaration. · ↗