French Company Ordered to Comply with U.S. Executive Order on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Policies - President Donald Trump
Paris, March 30 — The Trump administration has directed some French companies with U.S. government contracts to comply with his executive order banning Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs. This highlights the extraterritorial reach of U.S. policies and their potential impact on European corporate practices.
The companies have been instructed to complete a questionnaire titled "Certification Regarding Compliance With Applicable Federal Anti-Discrimination Law" to confirm their compliance. Reuters has seen a copy of the questionnaire. This move comes amid rising economic and political tensions between the United States and Europe, which have been increasing since Donald Trump's election on an "America First" platform.
It also brings attention to the difference between U.S. and French policies, with U.S. companies embracing DEI policies by collecting racial and ethnic data and setting diversity targets. However, in France, a secular approach limits such practices, with laws imposing strict restrictions on data collection, and corporate efforts primarily focus on gender and socioeconomic background.
This letter and questionnaire will raise concerns in European boardrooms, especially as Trump’s actions on tariffs and security issues have led to changes in transatlantic relations.
French business daily Les Echos reported that the letter was sent to French companies by the U.S. Embassy on Friday. The letter states, "We inform you that Executive Order 14173, 'Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-based Opportunities,' signed by President Trump, applies to all suppliers and service providers of the U.S. Government, regardless of their nationality and the country in which they operate."
The letter further states, "We request that you please complete and sign this document in English within five days and return it to us by email. If you do not agree to sign this document, we would appreciate it if you could provide detailed reasons, which we will forward to our legal services."
It is not yet clear whether this letter and questionnaire have been sent to foreign companies in other European countries. However, sources have confirmed that France's state-owned telecom group Orange (ORAN.PA), which has no U.S. presence, received the letter, while defense electronics firm Thales (TCFP.PA) and oil giant TotalEnergies (TTEF.PA), both of which operate in the U.S., did not receive it.
An official close to French Finance Minister Eric Lombard said the matter will be raised with the U.S. government. The official stated, "This practice reflects the values of the new U.S. government. They are not the same as ours. The minister will remind his counterparts in the U.S. government of this."
It is still unclear whether similar letters and questionnaires have been sent to foreign companies in other European countries.
