Estonia and France

23.12.2009

France recognized Estonia on 26 January 1921. The cornerstone of Estonia-France relations is France’s recognition of the Republic of Estonia’s legal standing—they never recognised the Soviet Union’s occupation of Estonia. France re-stated its recognition on 25 August 1991 on the occasion of Estonia’s re-independence. Diplomatic relations were re-established on 30 August, 1991.

Bilateral political relations between Estonia and France are good and traditionally active. Regular and effective dialogue takes place between the two countries.

French Ambassadors to Estonia
1991-1994 Jacques Hunzinger
1994-1998 Jacques Faure
1998-2002 Jean-Jacques Subrenat
2002-2006 Chantal de Ghaisne de Bourmont
2006-2009 Daniel Labrosse

Since October 2009 Frédéric Billet is French Ambassador to Estonia

Estonian Ambassadors to France
1993-1997 Andres Tomasberg
1998-2001 Ruth Lausma-Luik
2002-2006 Andres Talvik

Ambassador Margus Rava has represented Estonia in France since September 2006.

The new Embassy building of the Republic of Estonia in France

On 13 February 2007, Foreign Minister Urmas Paet with the participation of Mrs Catherine Colonna, French Minister for European Affairs, opened the new Estonian Embassy building at 17 rue de la Baume, Paris 75008.

Inter-parliamentary friendship groups

The Estonia-France parliamentary group was re-established in the Riigikogu in the spring of 2007. The Estonia-France friendship group in the French National Assembly is led by Edouard Courtial. The Chairman of the French-Baltic friendship group of the Senate is Denis Badré.

Visits

The most important event in Estonia-France relations in 2008 was certainly President Toomas Hendrik Ilves’s visit to Paris on 7 April. He had official meetings with President Nicolas Sarkozy and Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner and also visited the French National Assembly and Senate. In addition, he had a question-and-answer session with French journalists and think-tankers, research fellows, state officials and representatives of business circles, which was organised by the French Institute of International Relations. During the visit, it was confirmed that Estonia and France share very similar viewpoints regarding Europe, issues facing the European Union and their possible solutions, and the future of the European Union.

Agreements

Trade between the two countries is regulated by agreements with the European Union. The more important agreements signed by the two countries are as follows:

• Agreement on Mutual Understanding, Friendship and Co-operation (came into force 27.04.95);
• Agreement on the Promotion and Protection of Investments (came into force 25.09.95);
• Agreement on Abolishment of Visa Requirements (came into force 01.03.99);
• Agreement on Readmission of Persons (came into force 15.04.99);
• Agreement on the Avoidance of Double Taxation and Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with Respect to Taxes on Income and on Capital (came into force 01.05.01);
• Agreement on the Status and Activities of Cultural Institutes (came into force 01.04.05).
• Agreement on the Exchange of Young Specialists (signed 31.03.2006)
• Memorandum treating a multi-year plan of teaching French to those serving in the public service of the Republic of Estonia (parties to the agreement Belgium, Luxembourg, International Francophone Organization, signed 10.08.2006)

Economic Relations

The economic relations between France and Estonia are developing stably. Estonia is known in France as an IT oriented country with a liberal system of economy.

In 2008 France continued to carry out economic reforms, which were under added pressure from France’s EU Presidency and the global financial crisis. One of the more important events of France’s presidency for Estonia was the opening of the French job market to EU member states.

The introduction of Estonia as a tourist destination has become a tradition in France. Estonia has been represented on a regular basis at both the professional travel fair Top Resa in Deauville in the fall, as well as a tourism fair aimed at the general public in Paris in the spring. In co-operation with EAS, Estonian Air, and the travel guide publisher Petit Futé, the Estonian Embassy organised a breakfast in their building in June 2007 with the goal of introducing Estonia to the representatives of travel agencies and journalists that were present. In October 2007, a joint tourism seminar about Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania was organised with the help of the Latvian and Lithuanian embassies and tourism agencies, as well as EAS and Estonian Air on the Estonian side. This seminar was also aimed at agencies and journalists. In 2008 the Estonian Embassy in Paris was visited by Horizon Travel, Grillon BQ and Mossible, and Estonian entrepreneurs participated in many French trade and industry fairs. Press visits have also become regular events, and as a result many articles introducing Estonia and especially Tallinn as beautiful places to visit have been published.

French entrepreneurs are primarily interested in Estonia’s investment climate and the process of starting a new enterprise, in the sectors of fragrances, building, and IT co-operation. The main obstacle to smooth co-operation is usually a language problem—French entrepreneurs generally do not speak English.

From 10-14 September 2006, the embassy and the Estonian Chamber of Commerce and Industry organised a visit to Paris for Estonian business associations and the Tallinn Business Centre, so that they could become acquainted with the experience of competitive clusters in France.

The close co-operation of the Estonian Embassy in Paris with the MEDEF of Paris (entrepreneurs’ union of France) is worth special mentioning. Thanks to the support of the head of the MEDEF of Paris, Remy Robinet Duffo a great many meetings, visits and seminars have become a reality.

As of May 2000, the French-Estonian Business Club (CAFE) functions, gathering French entrepreneurs active in Estonia.

TRADE

* Pre and post 1 May 2004 data are incomparable. After accession to the EU, the import is calculated on the basis of the sending country, earlier this was based on the country of origin.

In 2008, the turnover of trade with France amounted to 336.6 million EUR. The balance of trade was negative for Estonia by 107.4 million EUR. In terms of the turnover, France as Estonia’s trade partner placed 15th (1.7%).

In terms of exports, France was Estonia’s 15th largest trade partner (114.5 mln EUR), in terms of imports 14th largest partner (222 million EUR), with the shares respectively 1.4% and 2.1%. Compared to 2007, exports increased by 6.1 % and imports decreased by 3.8%.

Main export articles in 2008:

• Other industrial products - 24.8%
• Machinery and equipment - 16.8%
• Chemical products - 13.8%
• Paper and paper pulp - 13.8%

Main import articles in 2008:

• Food products; beverages - 25.2%
• Machinery and equipment - 16.5%
• Means of transport - 15.3%
• Chemical products - 12.0%

All economic figures originate from the Statistical Office of Estonia

INVESTMENTS

French direct investments in Estonia as of 31.03.2009 accounted for 166  million EUR (1.5% of foreign investments made in Estonia).

About 21% of investments have been made in wholesale and retail trade, 20% in the real estate sector and 7% in transport, storage and communication and some also in the manufacturing industry.

The biggest companies with the French participation in Estonia are Tallinna Küte AS (steam and hot water supply), Eraküte AS (steam and hot water supply), Levira AS (radio and television transmission services), Protyre OÜ (agricultural trade, catering, hotel industry, tourism, real estate), Pernod Ricard Estonia OÜ (wholesale of alcohol and other beverages), Dalkia Eesti AS (steam and hot water supply, thermal energy).

As of 31.03.2007, Estonia’s direct foreign investments made in France accounted for 12.7 million EUR, which made up 0.3% of direct foreign investments made by Estonia in foreign countries. Nearly 82% of investments have been made in the real estate sector.

Defence Co-operation

In addition to framework agreements and intensive co-operation in NATO and in the area of European Union security and defence policy, Estonia and France signed the bilateral Agreement on Defence Co-operation Between the Ministries of Defence in May 1994. In accordance with this agreement, the main stress is on developing Estonia’s national defence: military build-up, administrative capacity, training of officers and specialists, the drafting of defence legislation, military history, and military sports.

France participates in all the important defence assistance projects such as BALTRON and BALTSEA. France has also appointed a liaison officer to the Baltic Defence College in Tartu.

France also supports language training in the Estonian Defence Forces. In recent years, Estonian military personnel have participated in French courses at the Centre de Formation Interarmée de Rochefort.

In February 2007, the largest defence-related purchase and sale transaction in Estonia’s history was completed. Within the next two years, the MBDA France and SAAB AB consortium will supply the Estonian Ministry of Defence with an integrated air defence system. It is projected that the system will arrive in Estonia by the end of 2009 and the total cost of the acquisition is to be about 64 million euros.

In 2008 many important developments took place in the field of defence co-operation: the directors of the defence policy departments of the Estonian and French foreign ministries met at the Quai d’Orsay in Paris, a defence policy seminar was held in Tallinn, annual bilateral defence policy consultations, and in May Secretary of State for Defence and Veterans Jean-Marie Bockel came to Tallinn for a visit.

Co-operation between ministries of internal affairs

The first contacts between the French and the Estonian Ministries of Internal Affairs were made in 1997. Within a framework of co-operation the police, the Border Guard, the Citizenship and Migration Board and the Rescue Board have had many joint training projects with their French counterparts. Every year Estonian police officers have had the opportunity to study at the French police academy. The Border Guard has good contacts with the maritime gendarmerie and with the frontier police. The Ministry of Internal Affairs has received French technology products from the Group SAGEM, such as a finger print digital search system for the central criminal police and monitors (motion transducers) from Thomson-CSF to be used on Estonia's eastern frontier.

Co-operation is also conducted in working out personal identification documents as well as in ascertaining false documents.

Good co-operation takes place in solving applications for legal assistance, as well as in arranging training, for instance training for special units.

Agriculture

The interest of the Estonian agricultural sector towards the French market is growing constantly. Estonian entrepreneurs have more and more been represented at the major agricultural fairs. At the end of October 2006, at the specialty fair SIAL, Estonia was represented by two separate stands in the pavilions of fisheries and agricultural products. The fair SIAL as well as the agricultural fair SIA is regularly visited by the representatives of the Estonian Ministry of Agriculture.

Co-operation in the field of research and technology

On 2 July 2002, a co-operation agreement was signed to launch the French-Estonian Science and Technology Collaboration Programme. The budget of the programme for the years 2004 to 2005 amounts to 20.6 thousand EUR. The research fields of the projects are information and communications technology, biomedicine, forestry, ecology, chemistry, medical sciences, biophysics, mechanics.

The aim of the co-operation project called Georges Frédéric Parrot is to promote and develop high-level co-operation in the field of research and technology between the research institutions of both countries.

The programme created in equal co-financing by the Ministry of Education and Research of the Republic of Estonia and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the French Republic makes it possible to create French-Estonian working groups in the field of research for implementing joint research projects. In the framework of the project, all research labs and study groups belonging to the staff of institutions of higher education, research institutions or research enterprises may submit their projects to the public competitions. All fields of research are involved in the competitions.

Language instruction

France supports French language programmes in Estonia. In addition to the aid rendered to four French lycées, there is close co-operation with two institutions of higher education - the Centre of French Studies at the University of Tartu and the Tallinn University.

The Estonian Foreign Ministry in co-operation with the French Embassy is carrying out an extensive French language study-programme for its officials with a goal of providing a basic knowledge of French to Estonian diplomats.

In August 2006, a memorandum was signed in Tallinn treating a multi-year plan of teaching French to those in the public service of the Republic of Estonia, which provides for the arrangement of the teaching of French to 1,500 Estonian public servants within 3 years.

In co-operation with the Estonian section of the INALCO institute for Eastern languages and cultures, it has become a tradition to celebrate Estonia’s Mother-tongue Day on 14 March at the embassy in Paris. For many years now, INALCO’s students of the Estonian language have been invited to an evening dedicated to Mother-tongue Day on 14 March in the embassy. In addition, each year a Francophonie Day is celebrated in Estonia with many different kinds of events.

Cultural Relations

The Estonian culture in France is presented by the Paris branch office of the Estonian Institute established in 2001 and by the cultural counselor employed at the Embassy as of the beginning of 2007. At the local level, there are numerous friendship societies who participate in the regular arrangement of events introducing Estonia. Good partners in presenting Estonian culture are twin towns: Võru’s twin town Chambrey-les Tours and Saue’s twin town Quincy-Sous-Sénart. Also Estonian honorary consuls in Lille, Lyon, Nancy and Toulouse promote the cultural relations.

Active co-operation partners in conducting Estonian cultural events are the Finnish and Hungarian cultural institutes in Paris.

Estonian musicians are very highly appreciated in France (in the first place Pärt, Tüür, Tulve) and their works have been included in the repertoire of numerous French orchestras and choirs. The ensemble of modern music Aleph has over several seasons introduced works by Estonian young composers (Helena Tulve, Age Hirv and others).

The Parisian renowned orchestras are regularly conducted by Neeme and Paavo Järvi; the ballets of Opéra Garnier are several times a season conducted by Vello Pähn. Beginning from the season 2006/2007, the art counseller of the Orchestre de Bretagne’i is Olari Elts. Estonian professional choirs have performed in France, invited by the Embassy as well as by local musical organizations.

In 2007, the record of Arvo Pärt’s work “Da Pacem” released by Harmonia Mundi won the Grammy Award for Best Choral Performance. One of the two branches of Harmonia Mundi is situated in France.

Over the years, Estonian literature and poetry have been translated into French thanks to the not very numerous devoted translators such as Antoine Chalvin, Jean-Luc Moreau, Jean-Pascal Ollivry and others. In 2004, the Estonian national epic “Kalevipoeg” was published in Antoine Chalvin’s translation. Among others, works by Tônu Ônnepalu, Jaan Krossi, Jaan Kaplinski, Viivi Luige, Arvo Valtoni and Karl Ristikivi have been translated into French. The translations of Estonian literature have merited classy awards. In 1989, "The Czar's Madman" by Jaan Kross was awarded the prize for the best foreign book (Prix du meilleur livre étranger) and in 2003 a collection of poetry by Jaan Kaplinski "Le désir de la poussière" ("The Desire of Dust") was awarded the Prix Max Jacob.

Thanks to the co-operation with the Estonian National Library, the collection of Estonian literature in the Nordic library of Paris is being complemented from year to year, comprising 200,000 works on the topic of the Nordic countries and Estonia at present.

Estonian cinematography is represented at the annual Rouen Nordic Film Festival and at the Clermond-Ferrand short film festival. At the Cannes Film Festival of 2007, for the first time also the Estonian full length feature film “Magnus” by Kadri Kõusaar was shown.

Estonian art, photo and design have been represented at numerous festivals in France. Estonian designers regularly participate at design fairs in France.

In April 2007, at the Jesuit Chapel of the City of Eu in Normandy, Rein Tammik’s exhibition entitled „Tammik : retrospective-perspective” celebrating the 60th anniversary of the artist living in France as of 1992 took place. At the City Theatre of Eu, a concert was given by pianist Mihkel Poll. In addition to works by Ludwig van Beethoven and Franz List also works of Estonian composers Arvo Pärt and Eduard Tubin were performed.

The French culture in Estonia is presented by the French Cultural Centre, which also fulfils the function of an information centre and which in close co-operation with the Estonian partners arranges events introducing French culture.

There was French literature room in the library from 1996-2008. The international organisation for introducing and promoting French language and culture, Alliance Française, has a branch in Estonia.

In recent years, about a hundred works by French writers and philosophers have been translated (B. Pascal, J.-J. Rousseau, A. Guide, S. de Beauvoir, J. Giono, J. Genet, G. Bachlard, A. Makïne, M. Yourcenar and others).

In 2008, the year of the 90th anniversary of the Republic of Estonia, the schedule for events introducing Estonia in France was exceptionally busy. Altogether there were different kinds of events organised in ten cities across France, of which the biggest were the festival Vivre l’Estonie in Lille, the festival Rendez-vous avec l’Estonie in Toulouse, the biggest exhibition of contemporary Estonian art ever, “Plaisirs de l’imagination”, in Château de Tours, and Reet Aus and Ville Hyvönen’s installation-fashion show Re:Use at the Lyon light festival. The total number of people who attended these events is estimated to be in the thousands. Many Estonian collectives and lecturers introducing Estonia (including French lecturers) performed.

The series of anniversary events began on 21 February 2008 with a conference on France-Estonia relations at the Europe House in Paris. Among other events was a concert by the French Radio orchestra, conducted by Neeme Järvi, dedicated to Estonia’s anniversary in the famous Pleyel Hall in Paris. The ETV Children’s Choir performed music by Urmas Sisask, Veljo Tormis, Gustav Ernesaks and Arvo Pärt at the St. Louis des Invalides Church. A concert by the Lyon National Orchestra conducted by Anu Tali in honour of the Independence Day of the Republic of Estonia was heard in the Maurice Ravel auditorium in Lyon. An event was held to celebrate the publishing of a book on Estonian history at the Nordic Library in Paris, within the framework of which one could hear the author of the work, historian Jean-Pierre Minaudier, give a presentation on Estonian history and identity. The exhibit of contemporary Estonian art “Plaisirs de l’imagination” was opened in the Château de Tours.

The book exhibit “Estonian literature in French translation”, compiled by the Estonian Embassy, was shown in the Médiathèque François Mitterrand library in Tours, the Nordic Library in Paris and the Les Champs Libres in Rennes. In association with the exhibit, two literature-themed conferences took place in Paris in April—the premier translator and researcher of Estonian literature Antoine Chavin gave a presentation in the Nordic Library in Paris and the Estonian language teacher and Finno-Ugric language specialist Eva Toulouze gave a presentation in the Médiathèque François Mitterand library in Tours entitled “Traditional culture in Estonian literature: Its being and transformations”.

Introducing Estonian culture in France continued in 2009. On 4-5 February Paavo Järvi conducted concerts by the Paris Orchestra in Pleyel Hall. The programme was Cantus in Memoriam Benjamin Britten (Arvo Pärt), Sinfonia da requiem, op.20 (Benjamin Britten), and Messe en Ut mineur, K 427 (Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart). On 12 February conductor Vello Pähna had a get-together for opera lovers in the Estonian Embassy. Photographer Toomas Kalve’s exhibit “Back in Paris” will be up in the embassy until February of 2010.