Regulation of labor and product markets is pervasive. The government continues to own shares in corporations in a range of sectors, including banking, energy production and distribution, automobiles, transportation, and telecommunications. Legislation passed in 1998 will shorten the legal workweek from 39 to 35 hours effective January 1, 2000. A key objective of the legislation is to encourage job creation, for which significant new subsidies will be made available. France has been very successful in developing dynamic telecommunications, aerospace, and weapons sectors.
Nuclear waste is stored on site at reprocessing facilities.
Most unions are affiliated with one of the competing national federations, the largest and most powerful of which are the communist-dominated General Labor Confederation, the Workers' Force, and the French Democratic Confederation of Labor. U.S. industrial chemicals, aircraft and engines, electronic components, telecommunications, computer software, computers and peripherals, analytical and scientific instrumentation, medical instruments and supplies, broadcasting equipment, and programming and franchising are particularly attractive to French importers. Principal French exports to the United States are aircraft and engines, beverages, electrical equipment, chemicals, cosmetics, and luxury products. Northern France is characterized by large wheat farms. Dairy products, pork, poultry, and apple production are concentrated in the Western region.