A key member of the European Union, the French Republic imported US$569.3 billion worth of products from around the globe during 2020, down by -11.6% from $644.0 billion in 2019.
This article presents a quick reference snapshot of France’s main imported products in 2020, categorized by dollar amount and major trading partners.
Data is organized by overall metrics then drill down to the most valuable French imports during 2020 for each of France’s top 10 supplier countries. Those leading trading partners accounted for about two-thirds (66.2%) of total French import purchases.
France is strategically located in Western Europe near a core of its most valuable trading partners. France shares its eastern land borders with Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, Italy and Monaco. The French southwestern land border forms a partial northern perimeter for Spain and Andorra.
Product categories shown summarize calculations at the two-digit Harmonized System code level. Two-digit codes enable higher-level insights and trends for French imports and each of the top supplier countries.
France’s Main Imports from Germany
In 2020, Germany’s exports to France amounted to $81.5 billion or 14.3% of overall French imports.
That dollar amount represents a -14.4% drop compared to 2019.
By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 76.6% of France’s imports from Germany.
- Vehicles: $13.8 billion
- Machinery: $11.5 billion
- Aircraft, spacecraft: $6.1 billion
- Electronic equipment: $5.2 billion
- Plastics: $5 billion
- Pharmaceuticals: $4.1 billion
- Medical, technical equipment: $2.7 billion
- Iron and steel: $2.2 billion
- Organic chemicals: $2.1 billion
- Paper: $2 billion
- Iron or steel products: $1.93 billion
- Other chemical goods: $1.89 billion
- Mineral fuels including oil: $1.7 billion
- Furniture, lighting, signs: $1.2 billion
- Aluminum: $1.1 billion
The only increases from 2019 to 2020 were for French imports from Germany under the pharmaceuticals product category via a 7.8% gain in revenue then miscellaneous chemical goods (up 2.6%).
Posting the severest declines among France’s top 15 imported products were aircraft and spacecraft (down -43.5%), mineral fuels including oil (down -25.2%), vehicles (down -18%), iron and steel as materials (down -15.9%), machinery (down -15.8%) then furniture, lighting and signs (down -14.1%).
France’s Main Imports from China
In 2020, China’s exports to France amounted to $64.4 billion or 11.3% of overall French imports.
That dollar amount represents a 8.1% gain compared to 2019.
By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 87.5% of France’s imports from the mainland China.
- Electronic equipment: $15.6 billion
- Machinery: $12.2 billion
- Other textiles, worn clothing: $6.2 billion
- Clothing (not knit or crochet): $3.1 billion
- Furniture, lighting, signs: $2.9 billion
- Toys, games: $2.7 billion
- Knit or crochet clothing: $2.5 billion
- Medical, technical equipment: $1.96 billion
- Plastics: $1.95 billion
- Footwear: $1.6 billion
- Organic chemicals: $1.4 billion
- Vehicles: $1.3 billion
- Iron or steel products: $1.2 billion
- Leather, animal gut articles: $1 billion
- Ships, boats: $642.1 million
Fastest increases from 2019 to 2020 were for French imports from China under the miscellaneous textiles including worn clothing product category via a 647.7% gain in revenue, ships and boats (up 227.4%) then organic chemicals (up 13.9%).
Posting the severest declines among France’s top 15 imported products were articles made from leather or animal gut (down -25%), knitted and crocheted clothing (down -15.9%), footwear (down -12.7%) and vehicles (down -10.7%).
France’s Main Imports from Italy
In 2020, Italy’s exports to France amounted to $44.7 billion or 7.9% of overall French imports.
That dollar amount represents a -8.2% drop compared to 2019.
By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 67% of France’s imports from Italy.
- Machinery: $6.4 billion
- Vehicles: $5.1 billion
- Pharmaceuticals: $2.6 billion
- Electronic equipment: $2.3 billion
- Plastics: $2.2 billion
- Iron or steel products: $1.8 billion
- Furniture, lighting, signs: $1.4 billion
- Footwear: $1.3 billion
- Paper: $1.1 billion
- Iron and steel: $1 billion
- Leather, animal gut articles: $986.8 million
- Cereal, milk preparations: $957.4 million
- Clothing (not knit or crochet): $929.5 million
- Medical, technical equipment: $898.4 million
- Knit or crochet clothing: $781.4 million
The only increases from 2019 to 2020 were for French imports from Italy under the pharmaceuticals product category via a 63.3% gain in revenue and cereal or milk preparations (up 3.8%).
Posting the severest declines among France’s top 15 imported products were medical or technical equipment (down -22%), iron and steel as materials (down -20.5%), unknitted and non-crocheted clothing (down -15.4%), footwear (down -14.3%), products made from iron or steel (down -14%) and vehicles (down -13%).
France’s Main Imports from Spain
In 2020, Spain’s exports to France amounted to $40.4 billion or 7.1% of overall French imports.
That dollar amount represents a -2.8% drop compared to 2019.
By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 69.8% of France’s imports from Spain.
- Vehicles: $10.3 billion
- Machinery: $2.1 billion
- Fruits, nuts: $2 billion
- Plastics: $1.82 billion
- Mineral fuels including oil: $1.78 billion
- Electronic equipment: $1.77 billion
- Vegetables: $1.3 billion
- Iron and steel: $1.1 billion
- Iron or steel products: $1 billion
- Meat: $979.4 million
- Pharmaceuticals: $965.8 million
- Paper: $876.5 million
- Aluminum: $868.5 million
- Furniture, lighting, signs: $638 million
- Vegetable/fruit preparations: $625.9 million
Fastest increases from 2019 to 2020 were for French imports from Spain under the pharmaceuticals product category via a 13.4% gain in revenue, fruits and nuts (up 12.8%) then vegetables (up 9%).
Posting the severest declines among France’s top 15 imported products were iron and steel as materials (down -15.5%), plastics as a material (down -12.6%), machinery (down -11%), aluminum (down -10.1%) then electronic equipment (down -9.2%).
France’s Main Imports from Belgium
In 2020, Belgium’s exports to France amounted to $37 billion or 6.5% of overall French imports.
That dollar amount represents a -13.3% drop compared to 2019.
By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 69.6% of France’s imports from Belgium.
- Mineral fuels including oil: $6.3 billion
- Vehicles: $2.68 billion
- Iron and steel: $2.65 billion
- Plastics: $2.5 billion
- Organic chemicals: $2.2 billion
- Machinery: $1.8 billion
- Pharmaceuticals: $1.5 billion
- Other chemical goods: $1.1 billion
- Beverages: $837.4 million
- Vegetable/fruit preparations: $811.3 million
- Cereal, milk preparations: $768 million
- Electronic equipment: $737.8 million
- Iron or steel products: $705 million
- Dairy, eggs, honey: $674 million
- Paper: $621.3 million
Fastest increases from 2019 to 2020 were for French imports from Belgium under the beverages product category via a 7.1% gain in revenue and pharmaceuticals (up 5.4%).
Posting the severest declines among France’s top 15 imported products were mineral fuels including oil (down -36.9%), electronic equipment (down -15.6%), iron and steel (down -14%), dairy, eggs and honey (down -13.9%), machinery (down -11.1%) then paper (down -10.9%).
France’s Main Imports from the US
In 2020, the United States’ exports to France amounted to $35.2 billion or 6.2% of overall French imports.
That dollar amount represents a -19.5% drop compared to 2019.
By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 88.7% of France’s imports from America.
- Machinery: $8 billion
- Medical, technical equipment: $3.9 billion
- Mineral fuels including oil: $3.692 billion
- Pharmaceuticals: $3.69 billion
- Electronic equipment: $2.6 billion
- Aircraft, spacecraft: $2.01 billion
- Organic chemicals: $2 billion
- Other chemical goods: $1.4 billion
- Vehicles: $1.2 billion
- Plastics: $877.6 million
- Collector items, art, antiques: $411.9 million
- Perfumes, cosmetics: $403.2 million
- Nickel: $395.7 million
- Iron or steel products: $331.4 million
- Other base metal goods: $290.7 million
Fastest increases from 2019 to 2020 were for French imports from the United States under the collector items, art and antiques product category via a 38.2% gain in revenue then miscellaneous chemical goods (up 12.6%).
Posting the severest declines among France’s top 15 imported products were aircraft and spacecraft (down -43%), miscellaneous base metal goods (down -37.9%), machinery (down -33.3%), nickel (down -32.3%), perfumes and cosmetics (down -27.1%) then products made from iron or steel (down -23.9%).
France’s Main Imports from Netherlands
In 2020, the Netherlands’ exports to France amounted to $25.9 billion or 4.5% of overall French imports.
That dollar amount represents an -8.7% drop compared to 2019.
By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 66.2% of France’s imports from the Netherlands.
- Machinery: $3.3 billion
- Mineral fuels including oil: $1.8 billion
- Electronic equipment: $1.64 billion
- Plastics: $1.55 billion
- Vehicles: $1.54 billion
- Organic chemicals: $1 billion
- Pharmaceuticals: $917.7 million
- Dairy, eggs, honey: $874.1 million
- Other chemical goods: $754.5 million
- Live trees and plants: $729.2 million
- Vegetable/fruit preparations: $681.6 million
- Medical, technical equipment: $679 million
- Meat: $628.3 million
- Tobacco: $560.9 million
- Paper: $466 million
Fastest increases from 2019 to 2020 were for French imports from the Netherlands under the electronic equipment product category via a 7% gain in revenue and machinery (up 5.7%).
Posting the severest declines among France’s top 15 imported products were vehicles (down -29.2%), organic chemicals (down -25.8%), tobacco (down -17.5%), miscellaneous chemical goods (down -16.4%), plastics as a material (down -15.3%) and meat (down -15%).
France’s Main Imports from the UK
In 2020, the United Kingdom’s exports to France amounted to $19.5 billion or 3.4% of overall French imports.
That dollar amount represents a -19.9% drop compared to 2019.
By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 75.2% of France’s imports from Britain.
- Machinery: $3.1 billion
- Vehicles: $2.5 billion
- Pharmaceuticals: $1.3 billion
- Electronic equipment: $1.2 billion
- Aircraft, spacecraft: $1.1 billion
- Plastics: $857.8 million
- Beverages: $675.5 million
- Fish: $659.1 million
- Medical, technical equipment: $651.4 million
- Other chemical goods: $547 million
- Mineral fuels including oil: $533 million
- Organic chemicals: $513 million
- Tanning, dyeing extracts: $381.7 million
- Meat: $353.9 million
- Gems, precious metals: $321.4 million
Fastest increases from 2019 to 2020 were for French imports from the United Kingdom under the tanning or dyeing extracts product category via a 56.7% gain in revenue and miscellaneous chemical goods (up 5.5%).
Posting the severest declines among France’s top 15 imported products were gems and precious metals (down -75.8%), aircraft and spacecraft (down -31.7%), machinery (down -25.8%), vehicles (down -21.4%), mineral fuels including oil (down -19.3%) and plastics as a material (down -17.2%).
France’s Main Imports from Switzerland
In 2020, Switzerland’s exports to France amounted to $14.8 billion or 2.6% of overall French imports.
That dollar amount represents a -11.4% drop compared to 2019.
By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 87.5% of France’s imports from Switzerland.
- Pharmaceuticals: $2.1 billion
- Clocks, watches: $1.64 billion
- Medical, technical equipment: $1.6 billion
- Coffee, tea, spices: $1.44 billion
- Gems, precious metals: $1.39 billion
- Machinery: $1.08 billion
- Perfumes, cosmetics: $1.07 billion
- Organic chemicals: $801.9 million
- Electronic equipment: $642.4 million
- Plastics: $266.3 million
- Tanning, dyeing extracts: $255.5 million
- Aluminum: $216 million
- Mineral fuels including oil: $199.8 million
- Vehicles: $165.9 million
- Inorganic chemicals: $141 million
Fastest increases from 2019 to 2020 were for French imports from Switzerland under the tanning or dyeing extracts product category via a 16% gain in revenue and organic chemicals (up 4.9%).
Posting the severest declines among France’s top 15 imported products were clocks and watches (down -30.9%), vehicles (down -28.5%), mineral fuels including oil (down -27.5%), gems and precious metals (down -17.3%), aluminum (down -16.6%) and plastics as a material (down -13.2%).
France’s Main Imports from Poland
In 2020, Poland’s exports to France amounted to $12.9 billion or 2.3% of overall French imports.
That dollar amount represents a -2.2% drop compared to 2019.
By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 76.2% of France’s imports from Poland.
- Electronic equipment: $2.1 billion
- Machinery: $2 billion
- Vehicles: $1.4 billion
- Furniture, lighting, signs: $763.5 million
- Plastics: $637.6 million
- Rubber: $404.3 million
- Tobacco: $369.7 million
- Iron or steel products: $363.3 million
- Wood: $359.7 million
- Medical, technical equipment: $349.2 million
- Meat: $333.9 million
- Paper: $233.8 million
- Soaps, lubricants, candles: $178.4 million
- Cocoa, cocoa preparations: $169.9 million
- Other food preparations: $166.6 million
Fastest increases from 2019 to 2020 were for French imports from Poland under the cocoa including cocoa preparations product category via a 26.8% gain in revenue, soaps, lubricants and candles (up 25%), tobacco (up 23.2%), miscellaneous food preparations (up 18.6%), electronic equipment (up 13.2%) and medical or technical equipment (up 8.1%).
Posting the severest declines among France’s top 15 imported products were rubber (down -16.9%), iron or steel products (down -16.5%), vehicles (down -10.8%), furniture, lighting and signs (down -10.3%) then machinery (down -8.8%).
See also
More great research: World’s Top 100 Imported Consumer Products, China’s Top 100 Imported Consumer Products, France’s Top 100 Imported Consumer Products
References
Independent insights and analysis presented in this article are based on researched facts and statistics sourced from the following educational sources.
International Trade Centre, Trade Map.
Wikipedia, France, Borders of France.
World’s Top Exports, Import News.