The fifth-largest economy by nominal figures, and the second-largest in Europe, France is at the forefront of one of the most mature regional industrial gas markets.
Despite its economic power – France is second only to Germany as the largest in Europe – fears persist over the continuing debt crisis in the Eurozone and, in some quarters, France is a concern in terms of weighing on the wider region’s recovery. Following lower-than-expected GDP in first quarter 2014, the question has even been raised, is France entering a renewed downturn?
In industrial gas terms, the French market was relatively static in revenues in 2013, valued at $2.9bn and still a significant market in the region, again second only to Germany (see table, below).
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