France

Compliance/Financial Considerations

If you are intend to do any of the following in France, please contact Risk Services at risk@berkeley.edu(link sends e-mail) or 642-5141:

  • Hire a local to work for you as an employee
  • Purchase or lease office or research space
  • Purchase or lease an automobile
  • Establish a long-term (over 90 days) or ongoing project
  • Conduct a clinical trial

U.S. GOVERNMENT COMPLIANCE CONSIDERATIONS

Foreign activities may trigger many U.S. laws, including:

  • Import Controls
  • Export Controls
  • Tax Reporting
  • Foreign Bank Account Reporting
  • Country Embargoes and Targeted Sanctions
  • Foreign Corrupt Practices Act
  • Anti-Boycott Laws

Import Controls. UC employees must adhere to U.S. import requirements, and may need to enlist the services of a customs broker, especially for shipments arriving by sea and subject to the Importer Security Filing 71730(link is external), also known as ISF 10+2.

Export Controls. Export controls may apply to advanced software and technology, research data, and other sensitive assets. UC’s Export Compliance FAQ contains useful information and can be found here(link is external).  Go here(link is external) for the University of California plan for compliance with federal export controls. If you plan on taking or sending potentially export-controlled materials to France, consult the campus Research Administration Compliance Office(link is external) at 642-0120.

Tax Reporting. The University and its employees may be taxed in foreign countries. The tax implications for operating in France may be found at the Internal Revenue Service’s United States-France Income Tax Convention(link is external). For further clarification, contact the Controller’s Office at:

Foreign Bank Account Reporting. The U.S. Treasury Department requires U.S. citizens with a financial interest in or signatory authority over a financial account in a foreign country, where accounts exceed $10,000 at any point during a calendar year, to report such accounts on a Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts(link is external)(FinCen Report 114(link is external)). Those needing to complete the form should contact the Controller’s Office at cashiers@berkeley.edu(link sends e-mail) or 643-9803 for assistance. An IRS 1040 Schedule B form (Part III–Foreign Accounts and Trusts) must be filed by the signatory for any foreign bank account, regardless of the account balance.

Country Embargoes and Targeted Sanctions. In general, collaborations between University personnel and scholars at foreign institutions or organizations do not require export licenses unless they involve export-controlled or -restricted research or involve scholars in sanctioned countries. Before engaging in an international collaboration, the University needs to determine whether export licenses are required and to verify that the foreign collaborator is not blocked or sanctioned. The Office of Foreign Assets Control(link is external) (OFAC) is responsible for enforcing all U.S. embargoes and sanctions. Depending on each country’s embargo or sanction program, activities may be prohibited without specific authorization or license. UC’s International Collaborations(link is external) webpage contains additional information on this topic.   

The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) is intended to stop bribery. It prohibits offering to pay, paying, promising to pay, or authorizing the payment of money or anything of value to a foreign official. The term “foreign official” generally includes any employee or contractor of a foreign government, and may include individuals employed by foreign universities. It is also unlawful to make a payment to a third party knowing that all or part of the payment will go to a foreign official. For more information, review the federal government’s Resource Guide to the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. If you need further clarification, contact the UC Berkeley Office of Legal Affairs at 642-7122. Transparency International’s 2018 survey of perceived public sector corruption rated France at 72 out of 100 (21st out of 180 countries reviewed, i.e. clean).

Anti-Boycott Laws.  The U.S. Department of Commerce(link is external) is responsible for oversight of laws prohibiting individuals and entities from participating in boycotts not approved or sanctioned by the U.S. government. The Export Administration Act(link is external) requires that requests to participate in such boycotts or to conduct activities in any of the boycotting countries be formally reported to the Department of Commerce and/or IRS.

For other compliance-related issues, refer to UC’s International Compliance(link is external) webpage.  

ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR DOING BUSINESS INTERNATIONALLY

Foreign Bank Accounts. Employees wishing to open a foreign bank account should contact the Controller’s Office at cashiers@berkeley.edu(link sends e-mail) or 643-9803. Requests to open accounts must be made through the Office of the President’s Banking and Treasury Services Group(link is external) by the Chancellor or the Chancellor’s designee. 

Real Estate Agreements. Only employees with delegated authority to sign contracts on behalf of The Regents may enter into agreements, leases, or other contracts.  Foreign affiliates or operations must submit to the Real Estate Services Office(link sends e-mail) property management agreements, personal property leases, or contracts with a term longer than one year or in an amount greater than $25,000 per year. The campus then seeks approval from the University president or designee. For more information, consult the Guidelines for the Establishment and Operation of Foreign Affiliate Organizations and Foreign Operations(link is external).

Articles

The US State Department's page on FRANCE may be found HERE

Personal Safety

FOLLOWING A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN CORONAVIRUS DISEASE (COVID-19) INFECTION RATES, AUTHORITIES IN FRANCE WILL FURTHER TIGHTEN RESTRICTIONS AND INTRODUCE A NATIONWIDE PARTIAL LOCKDOWN THAT WILL BE IN FORCE OCTOBER 30 - DECEMBER 1. DURING THIS PERIOD, RESIDENTS MUST REMAIN IN THEIR HOMES EXCEPT TO PERFORM ESSENTIAL TASKS, SUCH AS PURCHASING ESSENTIAL GOODS, SEEKING MEDICAL ATTENTION, TAKING CARE OF CLOSE FAMILY MEMBERS, OR ENGAGING IN OUTDOOR EXERCISE. AUTHORITIES HAVE MANDATED THE NATIONWIDE USE OF PROTECTIVE FACE COVERINGS IN ENCLOSED PUBLIC SPACES, INCLUDING SHARED WORKSPACES, WHILE IN A NUMBER OF LOCAL JURISDICTIONS, INCLUDING PARIS, ALSO REQUIRE THEIR USE IN OUTDOOR PUBLIC SPACES. INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS ON MOST FOREIGN NATIONALS REMAIN IN EFFECT. AUTHORITIES COULD REIMPOSE, EXTEND, FURTHER EASE, OR OTHERWISE AMEND ANY RESTRICTIONS WITH LITTLE TO NO NOTICE, DEPENDING ON DISEASE ACTIVITY OVER THE COMING WEEKS.

Note: this page contains basic risk information. For more details, please contact the Risk Services Office at risk@berkeley.edu(link sends e-mail).

If you are traveling to France on University-related business, please sign up for the University’s travel insurance program by going here. For more information on the travel insurance program, please go here

Because everyone’s health is unique, we suggest seeking the advice of a medical professional before traveling internationally. Members of the campus community interested in protecting their health while abroad may schedule an appointment with the University Health Services International Travel Clinic

France’s health infrastructure is very good. In a health emergency, dial 15 from a land line, 112 from a cell phone. A list of English-speaking doctors in the Paris Consular District can be found here.

Air pollution is a concern throughout France, but particularly in Paris, Antibes, Lyon, Nice, Valenciennes, Marseille, and Toulon. If you have a chronic respiratory condition such as asthma, please consult a medical professional prior to your trip and carry appropriate medications.

Petty crime is common at airports, department stores, restaurants, and tourist sites. Criminals (especially young pickpockets) often work in groups and use distraction strategies. The police rarely recover stolen items.

Robberies and muggings frequently occur on the Paris metro and RER, especially on trains connecting Charles de Gaulle (CDG) and Orly (ORY) airports with central Paris. Travelers should consider shuttle buses or taxis when traveling from Paris airports after dark.

Southern France has a significant problem with organized crime. The use of violence and guns in the commission of crimes has become more common. On the southern coast of France, theft of personal belongings from cars stopped in traffic, as well as break-ins targeting cars with foreign license plates, are more frequent than elsewhere in the country.

Extremist groups, many based in the Middle East and North Africa, pose an increasing risk of terrorist activity in France. On January 7, 2015, Muslim terrorists killed 12 people at the Paris office of Charlie Hebdo, a satirical publication. A policewoman was killed during a related attack in Montrouge the next day, and on January 9, 2015, a lone terrorist killed four people at a Jewish supermarket in eastern Paris. On June 26, 2015, a lone terrorist attacked an American-owned chemical plant near Lyon after beheading one victim. On November 13, 2015, teams of terrorists reportedly killed at least 129 people in a series of coordinated attacks across Paris.

And on midnight of Bastille Day, 2016, a terrorist drove a truck through the holiday crowd in Nice and killed 86 people, among them UC Berkeley undergraduate Nick Leslie.

Although terrorist attacks remain unusual, travelers should be vigilant around symbolic targets such as tourist attractions, government buildings, commercial centers, and religious sites.

Legal/Political

Criminal Penalties:  You are subject to local laws. If you violate local laws, even unknowingly, you may be expelled, arrested, or imprisoned. Furthermore, some laws are also prosecutable in the U.S., regardless of local law. 

Arrest Notification:  If you are arrested or detained, ask police or prison officials to notify the U.S. Embassy immediately. 

  • Penalties for possessing, using, or trafficking in illegal drugs in France are severe.
  • Convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines. 
  • In France and Monaco, driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol could land you immediately in jail.

Flying Drones: The use of drones and drone footage in France is highly regulated. It is against the law in France to operate drones over public spaces in urban areas, and near airports, military bases, prisons, nuclear plants, and large gatherings such as outdoor concerts and parades. The privacy of individuals captured in drone footage is paramount. Violators can be arrested and subject to fines of up to 75,000 euros and/or one year imprisonment. 

LGBTI Travelers: There are no legal restrictions on same-sex sexual relations or the organization of LGBTI events in France.