The Foreign Trade Ministry of France today denounced “US interventions” in French companies, many of which received a letter from the US Embassy in Paris, calling them to clarify whether they were implementing internal programs in the fight against work.

“US interventions in the policy of incorporating French companies, such as threats of unjustified duties, are unacceptable,” the ministry commented in the statement, stressing that France and Europe “will defend their businesses, their consumers and their values”.

Many French companies received a letter and a questionnaire asking them to answer if they were implementing programs against discrimination. He also warned them that if this was the case, he could exclude them from possible cooperation with the US state.

France prohibits most forms of “positive distinction” at work.

The recipients of the letter were informed that “Decree 14173″, signed by Donald Trump shortly after his swearing -in on January 20th to terminate programs that promote equality of opportunities within the federal state, ” Figaro.

The president of the French CPME employers’ Union, Amir Reza-Tofigi, described the decision “unacceptable”, referring to a “blow to national sovereignty” and called on the country’s political and economic actors to “show a single front”.

For its part, the CGT trade union has asked the government to call on businesses “not to adopt a political detrimental to equality between men and women and the fight against racism”, as its secretary, Gerard, said, speaking to the French Agency.

At the Treasury, circles close to Minister Eric Lobar assured that “this practice reflects the values ​​of the new US government” that “is not ours”.

The ministry estimated that “a few dozen” companies have received the letter so far. The big clubs with whom the AFP contacted that they had not received a letter, the form of which is unusual. “It does not bear the logo of the embassy, ​​neither the consulate, nor a US service,” commented Christopher Mesnou, an American lawyer of the Fieldfisher Law Firm, based in the text published by Figaro. “If they received it in this form, then it is not some official communication, nor diplomatic. Because it conveyed the US government’s stance does not mean that this government has approved its mission to companies, “he added.

The US Embassy in Paris did not respond when a comment was asked.

Can the US government demand French companies to comply with its own law? “No. French companies will not now be obliged to enforce the federal law (the US) against positive discrimination, “Messnou said, recalling that” positive discrimination “in France is not allowed in France because of origin, religion or ethnicity. However, in businesses employing more than 1,000 employees from 2021, French law requires 30% of their executives to be women in the context of male-female equality. This percentage should reach 40% in 2030. In this respect, companies that choose to comply with the requirements mentioned in the letter would do something illegal, based on French law.