France


CIBP Member Organization	*Groupe BPCE* Groupe BPCE was created from the merger of Banques Populaires and the Caisses d’Epargne, two complementary cooperative banking networks. A major financial partner to individual customers, business enterprises and the economy as a whole, BPCE is the 2nd largest French banking group. Its ambition is to be the No.1 day-to-day banking partner of the French, of their business enterprises and their institutions. Groupe BPCE provides a comprehensive range of banking, financial and real estate services. Faithful to the cooperative philosophy shared by the Banques Populaires and Caisses d’Epargne, it bases its action on all its networks with a view to promoting a mutually supportive, entrepreneurial society. 37 million customers 7 million cooperative shareholders 120,000 employees 8,200 bank branches
Doing business	The European Commission's website 'Your Europe' provides very useful information for who is interested in doing business in France: 1. Starting in business Setting up a new business Taking over a business 2. Managing a business Keeping the accounts Paying taxes Managing staff Submitting statistics Handling financial difficulties 3. Doing business responsibly Keeping to environmental rules Keeping to social rules Taking sustainability further 4. Profiting from the EU market Selling goods Providing services Competing fairly Benefiting from public contracts 5. Expanding a business Finding business partners Opening a branch Merging with another company Doing business outside the EU 6. Competing through innovation Sharing new ideas Conducting research Protecting intellectual property 7. Deciding to stop Transferring ownership of a business Winding up a business Handling bankruptcy and starting afresh Access to finance Business support
Some data	World Bank Doing Business Database