The country we represent is :

Area: 674 843 km², the largest country in Europe.

Population: 66.6 million inhabitants, the second most populous country in the European Union.

Flag: tricolour, with three vertical bands.

Motto: Liberty, Equality, Fraternity

National Day: Bastille Day, 14th July

Capital City : Paris.

Government: semi-presidential system determined by the French Constitution of the fifth Republic.  - Actual president: François Hollande- Prime Minister: Jean-Marc Ayrault

Official language: French.

Main Religion: Roman Catholicism, even if there is a freedom of religion.

Place: an important country worldwide (the world’s fifth largest economy) and in Europe (second largest economy).

Accession to EU: one of the founding countries of European Union.European Coal and Steel Community: 1950Maastricht Treaty: 1992

Currency: the Euro since 2002.

Representation in the European Parliament: France is represented in the European Parliament by 19 different parties that belong to 7 pan-European organizations, by 74 MEP.

Accession to Shengen agreements: In 1985, France was among the five of the member states to sign the Shengen agreement, and it was put into force in France in 1993

• Party of the European Left, • European Free Alliance, • European Green Party, • Party of European Socialists,

• European Democratic Party, • European People’s Party, • Movement for a Europe of Liberties and Democracy.

The pan-European organizations France belongs to:

Economic Situation: This country is quite powerful in the 3 sectors of activity.

• Agriculture: first European country and second agribusiness exporter worldwide (big variety of productions, the productivist system and mechanization). However today, the number of exploitations is constantly reducing.

• Industry: cars, chemistry, arming, even if today this sector is in crisis because of deindustrialization.

• Services: the most important, with 67% of the working persons in all kind of services, and in tourism.

The European policy in France

• France is one of the 3 biggest member states.

• The government : defends the country’s interests with the European Committees.

• The Foreign minister and the minister in charge of the European Affairs : promote the French points of view on the important European Affairs.

• 74 MEP : working in commissions, are part of the European legislative affairs, vote the European budget.

• France impulses the European integration, even if it sometimes opposes (Charles de Gaulle and “empty chair” policy). However, today, the population seems to lose interests for European construction.

TOCUT Laëtitia, GAUTHIER Olivier, ANSLOT Benjamin

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