Contemporaneous with the commercial intelligence department of the Board of Trade, and founded with the corresponding object of promoting French export trade, the Office National du Com merce Exterieur was established by a law of the 4th of March 1898, and carried on jointly by the Ministry of Commerce and the chamber of commerce of Paris, the latter having provided it with an installation at a cost of over 1,200,000 francs.
Since the war the French Government has replaced the Office National by the department of Overseas Trade, which also follows in large measure the lines on which the British depart ment of that name is constructed and works. There are, simi larly, numerous commercial attaches in foreign countries to co-operate with it, and to advise it a committee of foreign trade experts chosen from among exporters in France and French mer chants abroad. The French consular service is also of course charged with the duty of providing such information and general assistance as may be requisite for the promotion of French trade.
A new organ of Government for the perfection of the French economic system was instituted in 1924 in the shape of the Superior Consultative Commerce Committee which includes in its 68 members, besides senators and deputies, representatives of the chambers of commerce and of the more important trade associations. It is appointed as to the great majority of its mem
bers by the Ministry of Commerce. The sphere of activity of this body embraces commerce, industry and economic organiza tion.
In France the series of trade fairs began in Paris with that of 1904; in 1917 it was resumed after some interruption on a larger scale with the support of 36 chambers of commerce, of 14o trade associations and of the French Government. Organized on a business footing to serve French industry it receives financial support from the Paris chamber of commerce. In 1925 this Paris Fair assumed an international aspect since British, Belgian and other foreign exhibits were included.
The annual fairs at Lyons, commencing in 1916, have always been international in scope; in those inaugurated in the same year, at Bordeaux, French colonial products are predominant, but the fair became international in 1926.
The representation of French production at foreign exhibitions is effected under the guidance and supervision of a permanent foreign fairs committee of the French department of Overseas Trade, and much importance is attached by the French Govern ment to such methods of promoting French export trade.