The Trump administration has required French companies with government contracts in the USA to comply with his order banning diversity, equity, and inclusivity programs, writes Le Figaro. Companies were asked to confirm their compliance by filling out a questionnaire titled «Certification of Compliance with Applicable Federal Anti-Discrimination Law».
The French business publication Les Echos, which first reported on the US requirement on Friday, stated that it was sent to firms by the US Embassy in Paris. «We inform you that Executive Order 14173 «On Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunities», signed by President Trump, applies to all US government service providers, regardless of their citizenship and the country in which they operate», states the letter, a copy of which was published by Le Figaro.
As stated in the letter, in the event of refusal to fill out the questionnaire, companies must provide reasons.
As Reuters writes, the questionnaire raises questions about practical changes that may be required of the targeted companies, given the differences in approaches between the USA and France. American companies, as part of diversity, equality, and inclusivity policies, track data on racial and ethnic backgrounds and set diversity targets. In France, the secular approach limits such practices: laws restrict data collection, and corporate efforts are more focused on gender and socio-economic status.
As the agency notes, letters from the US Embassy were received even by companies that are not present in the USA, such as the state telecommunications group Orange. At the same time, the company Thales and the oil company TotalEnergies, which operate in the USA, did not receive any notifications.
«American interference in the «inclusion policy» of French companies, along with threats of unjustified tariffs, is unacceptable», states the French Ministry of Foreign Trade in a statement sent to Reuters.