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Europe
France issues call to 'buy French' as coronavirus erodes single market
2020-03-29
[France24] As the coronavirus pandemic continues to wreak havoc on the Eurozone’s economy, French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire issued a rallying cry to the nation’s supermarkets on 24 March: ’Stock French products!’

As the coronavirus pandemic continues to wreak havoc on the eurozone’s economy, French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire issued a rallying cry to the nation’s supermarkets on 24 March: ’Stock French products!’

Supermarkets in France have heeded the call for what Le Maire termed "economic patriotism". French supermarket chain Carrefour has already moved to source 95% of its fruits and vegetables from within France. The supermarket industry’s trade body, La Féderation du Commerce et de la Distribution, told French business daily Les Echos that once fresh foreign produce runs out on French supermarket shelves, it won’t be replaced.

"Delegating our food supply [...] to others is madness. We have to take back control," French President Emmanuel Macron said in a speech just two weeks before Le Maire announced the economic measures.
I agree - champagne and wines should be American
But for a continent that has built an intricate agro-food market connected by cross-border supply chains, France’s plea to focus inwards for its food supply is a cause for concern for Brussels.
Posted by:Besoeker

#8  Food, pharmaceuticals, steel and computers all all strategic assets. There may be others but it's the height of folly to let China corner the market in any of them.
Posted by: Abu Uluque   2020-03-29 17:07  

#7  Food security is a pretty basic function of a (viable) society, never mind a state.

Obviously, conditions vary and most entities can't achieve it without at least some "outsourcing" and trade.

France is one the few countries in the world that could pull this off if it needed to.

This has some fascinating implications for the EU down the road, given that France is one of the two core states of the union.

I figured the EU would gradually recede into an empty shell ala NATO, or at best be reduced to a "Charlemagnic core" -- but this crisis (and the ones that will follow) is going to speed up that process, and make it more dramatic and sudden than I thought.
Posted by: charger   2020-03-29 13:22  

#6  Foolish? Mor like malfeasance.
Posted by: Alaska Paul   2020-03-29 12:12  

#5  Really clear nations need to support certain vital industries no matter what. Food production is an obvious example. I'd say pharmaceuticals as well. We've been foolish for decades offshoring things an enemy could then restrict, or tamper with.
Posted by: ruprecht   2020-03-29 11:35  

#4  Frexit?
Posted by: Skidmark   2020-03-29 09:19  

#3  p.s. France exports from United States
Posted by: g(r)omgoru   2020-03-29 06:45  

#2  Hypocrisy is the cornerstone of international relations. And, I guess, I approve of anything that is a cause for concern for Brussels
Posted by: g(r)omgoru   2020-03-29 05:43  

#1  Sounds like a prudent, common-sense response to me.

Hat tip to Monsieur Le Maire. Perhaps one day, when all this unpleasantness is over, he might develop an interest in US Politics.
Posted by: Besoeker   2020-03-29 05:21  

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