Most affirmative action policies are illegal in France, but US warns French companies against using DEI policies

The Ministry of Commerce in France condemned an “unacceptable” overlap on Saturday after the American embassy in Paris sent many messages of French companies warning of the use of diversity programs known as “Dei”, a frequent goal of Donald Trump.

The messages, which were sent to French companies currently carrying out or looking to do business with the United States, included an attached questionnaire asking companies to believe that they are “do not exercise to enhance diversity, fairness, integration” or Dei.

The questionnaire, who was shared with Agence France -Presse, added that such programs “violate the laws of combating federal discrimination in force” in the United States, where Trump has signed an order prohibiting federal Dei programs on the day when he returned to his position in his second term as president.

France, which is already wandering in Trump’s moves to slap the huge definitions on imports, has declined through the Ministry of Foreign Trade.

The ministry said, “The American interference in the policies of the inclusion of French companies is unacceptable, just like the unjustified tariff threats,” the ministry said.

“France and Europe will defend their companies and consumers, but also their values.”

DEI programs are designed to provide opportunities for blacks, women and other groups that have been historically excluded, and they attract Trump’s anger and followers, who say they are discriminatory and incompatible with merit.

The letter, published by the Le Figaro newspaper on Friday for the first time, told the companies that Trump’s executive command on January 20 against DEI programs “also applies to all contractors and suppliers in the US government, regardless of nationality or country of operations.”

It gives them five days to fill, sign and return the questionnaire.

The office of the Minister of Economy Eric Lombard said the message “reflects the values ​​of the new US government.”

“They do not have,” he said. “The minister will mention his counterparts in the United States.”

“The attack on our sovereignty”

It was not clear how many companies that obtained the message.

The Ministry of Economy estimated that “a few dozen” had received it, but said it had not had a final number yet.

The American embassy did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

As published in the press, the message was not at the head of the American embassy.

“If companies obtain this coordination, this is not an official contact, and much less than the diplomat,” Christopher Misseno, an American business lawyer based in Paris, told AFP.

Mesnooh, the United States government, added that French companies are forced to follow their laws, from Fieldfisher.

“French companies will not now be required to implement the American labor law or federal law against positive work policies,” he said.

In fact, most positive work policies are illegal in France, which prohibits treatment based on origin, ethnic group, or religion, although many large companies have sought to diversify their employment pools.

However, France requires companies with more than 1,000 employees to enhance equality for women under the 2021 Law, with criteria such as at least 30 percent of executives.

This means that a French company adheres to the requirements stipulated in the American message can risk violating the law in France.

The head of the French Business Group, CPME, Amir Reda Tawfiqi, described the message as a “attack on sovereignty” in France, and urged politicians and businessmen to “stand together” against it.

Gerard called on the Confederation of French Action CGT the government “informing companies not to adopt any policy that hurts equality between men and women or fighting racism.”

This story was originally shown on Fortune.com

2025-03-29 22:39:00