VZCZCXRO6080
RR RUEHAG RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLZ RUEHROV
DE RUEHFR #3496 2331631
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 211631Z AUG 07 ZDK
FM AMEMBASSY PARIS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9626
RUCPDOC/DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS PARIS 003496 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EEB/TPP/ABT 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ETRD ECON EFIN KIPR FR
SUBJECT: STARTING AN IMPORT SAFETY DIALOGUE WITH FRANCE 
 
REF: STATE 114788 
 
¶1. (U) Post shared reftel points on starting an import safety 
dialogue with Sophie Hubert at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs 
Directorate for the Americas (Office of North America), and with 
Francis Amand, Head of Security and Regulations at the Ministry of 
Economy and Finance's Directorate for Consumer Affairs and Fraud, on 
August 21.  We will follow up once our interlocutors have had the 
opportunity to discuss the matter internally. 
 
¶2. (U) The GOF is taking steps to show that it is engaged on this 
issue at senior levels. On August 20 Minister of Economy, Finance 
and Employment Christine Lagarde visited a shopping mall in suburban 
Paris to highlight product safety concerns.  Lagarde told the press 
that France must not consider "country-by-country" boycotts of 
products, but insisted that standards be respected, "particularly 
for children's toys."  Lagarde, accompanied by Secretary of State 
for Consumer Affairs Luc Chatel, noted that in 2006 the Ministry of 
Economy's Directorate General for Consumer Affairs and Fraud had 
inspected more than 5000 toys, with over 18% having been deemed 
hazardous and subsequently withdrawn from the French market. 
 
 
PEKALA