France has lengthy been the world’s largest exporter of cosmetics and private care merchandise, and in 2024 a lot of the exports (40%) went to different European nations, accruing round €10bn, in accordance with the French cosmetics commerce affiliation FEBEA (La Fédération des Entreprises de la Beauté.)
“Our know-how, which can’t be relocated, stays a serious asset,” stated a spokesperson for FEBEA.
“Defending Made in France’s place on the planet requires a concerted, proactive and impressive technique.”
“A commerce warfare solely has losers”
The commerce affiliation stated it was upset that the US administration has determined to introduce an extra 20% customs responsibility on imports of products from the European Union.
“This measure will essentially have an effect on the French cosmetics business,” it stated, and highlighted that the US accounts for 13% of the sector’s exports and “is thus a serious buying and selling associate for French magnificence firms.”
“Till now, transatlantic relations on this sector have been primarily based on a balanced framework, with no reciprocal customs duties. They’re a part of a protracted custom of business cooperation, cross-investment and industrial amenities on each side of the Atlantic,” continued the spokesperson. “On this respect, the USA will stay an vital marketplace for French cosmetics.”
“The commerce warfare has solely losers: it penalises American shoppers, confronted with lowered provide or greater costs, whereas weakening European firms by means of lowered competitiveness or decrease margins,” continued FEBEA.
The commerce affiliation famous that we “are most likely firstly of a industrial escalation” however that “it’s important to not reply with a logic of one-upmanship, however to construct a united, calm and proportionate European response,” including {that a} “community-wide response” i wanted from the EU.
“Dangers accentuating aggressive strain on different world markets”
FEBEA additionally famous that different cosmetics exporting nations akin to South Korea, Japan and China are all affected and “this reconfiguration dangers accentuating aggressive strain on different world markets.”
The commerce warfare is before everything an financial warfare: the competitiveness of the European cosmetics business – and of the French cosmetics business specifically – is at stake. Our response should be “industrial in addition to diplomatic, and performed on the size of the European continent.”
