France: Is the problem competition from emerging countries or competition within Europe?

There is often talk about the problems that the opening-up of trade with emerging countries allegedly have created in France and the need to reshore production from emerging countries. But has France suffered from competition from emerging countries or from other European Union countries? If France’s problem is linked to the opening-up of trade with emerging countries, we can discuss whether this opening-up was appropriate and the need for reshoring; but if it is linked to trade with Europe, the only solution is to improve France’s competitiveness against other European countries. To answer this question, we look at: The structure of French trade; France’s possible competitiveness problems with respect to other European countries. We see that France’s external deficit is with Europe and not with emerging countries, and that France has a disadvantage in terms of both cost competitiveness and non-cost competitiveness (product sophistication, skills).