France's foreign trade minister said on Monday he was "deeply shocked" after the US embassy in Paris warned a number of French companies against using diversity programmes, a target of Donald Trump's.
According to the economy ministry, "a few dozen" French companies doing or looking to do business with the United States have received letters that included a questionnaire asking firms to certify that they "do not practice programmes to promote diversity, equity and inclusion" or DEI.
Designed to provide opportunities for people of colour, women and other historically excluded groups, DEI programmes have drawn the wrath of US President Trump and his followers, who say they are discriminatory and incompatible with meritocracy.
"We inform you that Executive Order 14173, Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-based Opportunities, signed by President Trump, applies to all suppliers and service providers of the U.S. Government, regardless of their nationality and the country in which they operate," reads the letter, according to a copy that French newspaper Le Figaro published on its website.
"We would be grateful if you could complete and sign the document in English within five days and return it to us by email. If you do not agree to sign this document, we would appreciate if you could provide detailed reasons, which we will forward to our legal services," the letter added, with reference to the certification seen by Reuters.
An embassy spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
"We are going to have a discussion with the United States embassy in France about this because we need to understand what the real intention behind this letter is," minister Laurent Saint-Martin told broadcaster RTL.
French Economy Minister Eric Lombard's office has said Trump views of DEI "are not ours".
Saint-Martin struck a similar note on Monday, saying such letters were tantamount to asking companies "to renounce the inclusion policies" that are in line with French or European law -- "particularly on equality between women and men in the fight against discrimination and racism, and the promotion of diversity to help people with disabilities."
"All of this is progress that corresponds first and foremost to our French values," he said.
"We are proud of this and we do not want to compromise on this," Saint-Martin said, adding the request was "a further step in American extra-territoriality, this time in the field of values."
On Sunday, Patrick Martin, head of French employers' federation Medef, said renouncing the rules of inclusion in French companies was "out of the question".
