International Focus: Paris, France
September 23, 2019
September/October 2019
More articles in this issue:
Amazon to Create 1,800 Jobs in France
U.S. online retailer Amazon announced plans to create some 1,800 positions in France, increasing the company’s permanent staff to 9,300 by the end of the year. Amazon has 20 office locations in France, its third largest European market.
CES Unveiled Returns to Europe
CES Unveiled will return to Europe this fall, giving a preview of what to expect at CES 2020. CES Unveiled in Amsterdam will take place on October 17, 2019, followed closely by CES Unveiled in Paris on October 22. Follow the latest announcements on social, at @CES on Instagram and Twitter, and on Facebook.com/CES. For more information, visit CTA.tech/events.
French Lawmakers Target Hate Speech Online
Lawmakers in Paris approved a measure in July to require both social networks and search engines to remove hate speech within 24 hours of a confirmed violation. The provision is part of a broader bill on internet regulation and focuses on videos or messages inciting terrorism, hate, or violent, racial or religious abuse.
France Moves Forward with “Digital Tax”
French President Emmanuel Macron recently signed a law to impose a 3% tax on the revenue of technology giants, including Facebook and Amazon. The law focuses on digital transactions and will affect companies with at least 750 euros in global revenue and French revenue of 25 million euros. It will be retroactive to January. President Trump has threatened retaliatory tariffs on French wine. The U.S. Trade Representative office has argued that the law amounts to de facto discrimination against U.S. companies.
Event to Showcase Women-Led Startups
In early October, the Women Startup Challenge Europe HealthTech, will give women-led startups that focus on health care, a platform to showcase their innovations. The event, scheduled for October 7 in Paris, is backed by the Johnson & Johnson incubator, JLABS, and cohosted by the Office of the Mayor of Paris. Prizes for the event include a $50,000 equity-free cash grant and mentoring opportunities.
Air France Introduces RFID Bag Tracking
Air carrier Air France plans to introduce radio frequency identification (RFID)-based bag tracking at Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris in 2020 to improve efficiency and provide passengers with more information about their luggage’s location. The system will rely on special tags, equipped with RFID chips that will be attached to to some eight million pieces of baggage handled by the airline each year.
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