Estonia and France

10.06.2010

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.

The first Estonian ambassador (initially bearer) in France was Karl Robert Pusta from 1918/1921 – 1932.

Estonian Ambassadors to France after re-independence:
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

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.

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. Estonian businesses also participate in 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. For example, some French economics journalists visited Estonia in May 2010.

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.

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 2009, the turnover of trade with France amounted to 335.2 million EUR. The balance of trade was negative for Estonia by 36.5 million EUR. In terms of the turnover, France as Estonia’s trade partner placed 11th (2.4%).

In terms of exports, France was Estonia’s 12th largest trade partner (149.3 mln EUR), in terms of imports 9th largest partner (185.9 million EUR), with the shares respectively 2.3% and 2.5%. Compared to 2008, exports increased by 30.5% and imports decreased by 15%.

Main export articles in 2009:

• Mineral products - 34.6%
• Other industrial products - 18.2%
• Machinery and equipment - 9.6%

Main import articles in 2009:

• Arms and ammunition - 12.9%
• Chemical products - 12.6%
• Food products; beverages - 12.5%

All economic figures originate from the Statistical Office of Estonia

INVESTMENTS

French direct investments in Estonia as of 31.12.2009 accounted for 166 million EUR (1.5% of foreign investments made in Estonia).

About 45% of investments have been made in electric energy, gas and water supplies, 26% in the real estate sector, 10.8% in wholesale and retail trade, 20% and some also in the manufacturing industry.

As of 31.12.2009, 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.

On 20 January 2010 the board of Eesti Energia approved an agreement to build a waste-to-energy (WTE) CHP plant, thereby confirming that the necessary investments for creating the plant would be made. The result of the procurement carried out in 2009 was that the French company Constructions Industrielles De La Mediterranee (CNIM) will construct the WTE CHP plant. Eesti Energia chose CNIM to build the new Iru waste-to-energy plant on a “turn-key” basis. The cost of the new electric and heating plant being constructed next to the Iru electric plant is about 1.5 billion kroons, and there are plans to burn up to 220 000 tons per year of the waste generated in Estonia. The agreement between Eesti Energia and CNIM was formally signed on 11 March 2010.

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 and also supports language training in the Estonian Defence Forces. France has also appointed a liaison officer to the Baltic Defence College in Tartu.

In February 2007, the largest defence-related purchase and sale transaction in Estonia’s history was completed. Within the two years, the MBDA France and SAAB AB consortium supplied the Estonian Ministry of Defence with an integrated air defence system. The total cost of the acquisition was about 64 million euros.

Estonia holds various consultations with France on security issues. Security policy consultations led by director of the Foreign Ministry’s international organisations and security policy department Margus Kolga took place in Paris from 15-16 February 2010. Political-military consultations led by the Ministry of Defence last took place in Paris on 21 October 2009. Baltic-French foreign and security policy seminars also take place regularly; the next one (the fifth one to be held) will take place in Paris in September.

France participates in the NATO-organised air policing of the Baltic nations – their first rotation was from April-July 2007 and second rotation was from January-April 2010. During the latter, France also organised the protection of Estonia’s airspace against renegade planes in Tallinn during the informal meeting of NATO foreign ministers from 22-23 April 2010.

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.

Representatives of the Estonian Ministry of Agriculture are regularly present at the SIAL fair (Salon international de l’agroalimentaire, an international agricultural foodstuffs fair; in 2010 it will take place in October in Nord Villepinte in Paris) and the SIA agricultural fair meant for the wider public.

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.

In 1998 the French Embassy and the French Cultural and Language Co-operation Centre began a French-language training programme for state officials. In 1999 this programme was the basis for an agreement signed by the International Organisation of La Francophonie, the French-speaking community of Belgium and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, on the basis of which close to 4 000 Estonian state officials took advantage of the opportunity to learn the French language and culture up to the year 2009. The training programme, which mainly consists of classes, intensive courses and individual study, is continuing with support from French Embassy and is open to all state officials. The goal of the training is to achieve a level of proficiency in most of the participants so that they can hold a business conversation in French, write, and use French as a working language and in general. In co-operation with the International Organisation of La Francophonie, internships for supplementary language practice in France and Belgium have been possible for about five officials each year.

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

Cultural co-operation between the two countries is active. Estonia culture in France is represented by a cultural counsellor that has worked at the embassy since the beginning of 2007; from 2001-2008 a branch of the Estonian Institute also operated in Paris.

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, Toulouse and Bordeaux 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.

On 4-5 February 2009 and on 2-3 June 2010 Paavo Järvi conducted concerts by the Paris Orchestra in Pleyel Hall. During the 2010/2011 season, he will become the orchestra’s principal conductor.

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 Tõnu Õnnepalu, 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.

Many Estonian artists have studied or made their home in France (Maire Männik, who studied at both the Académie de la Grande Chaumière and the École des Beaux-Arts; Rein Tammik, Urmo Raus, Kaia Kiik). Thanks to the intermediation of the cultural counsellor in Paris as well as direct contacts, exhibits of photos and of modern or even early 20th century art have been organised in France at galleries and festivals (Paris, Renne, Lille, Nice, Lyon, Reims, etc.).

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.
During the last few years many important exhibits of French art and architecture have taken place in Estonia, and along with them meetings of artists, critics and curators. Tallinn and the Lyon Light Festival enjoy years-long co-operation. In the architectural field, the closest co-operation takes place with the French within the framework of organising the European architectural competition for young architects Europan.

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. 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.

Introducing Estonian culture in France continued in 2009. The 20th anniversary of the Baltic Way was celebrated in France: on 8 September a high-level colloquium took place in the French Senate, which was accompanied by the opening of a photo exhibit and the showing of the documentary film “The Baltic Way”. On 7 October in the gallery Rivoli 59 the exhibit “Substance 2009” was opened. The exhibit was curated by Kaia Kiik, a member of the board of the active association 59 Rivoli, which formed from an artist squat. Until 25 November the works of Jüri and Terje Ojaver, Tiiu Kirsipuu and Erik Alalooga were on display. On 9 October the first evening of a series entitles “Estonian languages” („Les langues en Estonie”) took place in the Paris Nordic Library in co-operation with representatives of INALCO. Until February 2010 the exhibit “Back in Paris” by photographer Toomas Kalve was on display in the embassy.

Planning for an Estonian cultural festival to be held in Paris and the Paris region in November 2011 is currently underway.