At an economic security council meeting held on 24 September, France set out plans to strengthen its economic security policy. The background is a sharp increase in cases subject to scrutiny involving acquisitions by foreign companies and technology outflows.
On 24 September, the French government held its first economic security council meeting and announced plans to strengthen its economic security policy. The meeting aimed to clarify policies for addressing the increase in cases subject to scrutiny involving capital and shareholder structures and technology outflows.
Economic security alerts identified by SISSE exceeded 800 in 2026, approximately three times the roughly 300 recorded five years earlier. The government believes the increase reflects heightened geopolitical tensions and improved detection capabilities.
The scrutiny extends beyond large corporations. Around 80% of the defence industry and technology base is associated with small and medium-sized or mid-sized companies, and startups are also important targets. More than half of the cases in 2025 occurred outside the Paris metropolitan area, particularly in the southeast and southwest.
The government also set out plans to strengthen protection of advanced technologies that will support future growth, identifying cybersecurity, AI, medical and healthcare, and parts of the agriculture and food industries as priority areas. The plans are expected to be implemented through frameworks including the foreign investment screening system and the national science and technology base protection system.