Country Profile: France
Dedicated design policy status
No explicit dedicated design policy. However, Assises du Design (2019) laid important groundwork. It led to the establishment of the Conseil National du Design in 2021, a permanent advisory body tasked with supporting design policy development and providing strategic guidance to national authorities.
Design in other policy agendas
- Innovation Strategy – No explicit references, though France 2030 (broad investment and development plan) includes potential touchpoints for design.
- Industrial / Development Strategy – France 2030 and France Relance programmes include sectoral investments where design could play a role, though mentions are not concrete.
- Circular Economy – Anti-Waste Law includes strong measures for eco-design (repairability index, eco-design plans, bonus/malus incentives, recycled materials, packaging design). [Integrated]
- Architecture / Crafts – Crafts Strategy (2023) mentions design.
- CCI, digital strategies – No strategies or references to design were identified.
Observations
While France lacks a standalone national design policy, the Assises du Design and the creation of the Conseil National du Design (CND) show clear steps toward structured design governance. Strong integration exists in the circular economy agenda through eco-design legislation, and there is some recognition in crafts. However, design’s presence in innovation and industrial strategies remains more implicit than explicit. France appears to be moving towards a more institutionalised approach to design policy, with the CND serving as a platform to coordinate and push for stronger design integration across policy domains.