Movement of the Enterprises of France (MEDEF)

The Movement of the Enterprises of France (MEDEF) is an organisation that unites French business circles. It was founded on Oct. 27, 1998. The organisation comprises about 750,000 members, 90% of whom are small- and medium-sized firms employing under 50 people. The organisation’s primary objective is to protect the interests of entrepreneurs through dialogue with the state and trade unions. 

Laurence Parisot has served as MEDEF’s president since July 5, 2005. She was re-elected to her second five-year term on July 1, 2010.

MEDEF consists of several divisions:

-       MEDEF National (responsible for internal dialogue with the state and political and public organisations);

-       MEDEF International (supports French enterprises abroad, arranges business trips and monitors foreign markets);

-       MEDEF Territorial (has 155 offices in France and French territories, and provides communication with local offices);

-       Professional Network (unites 85 professional federations and trade unions).

MEDEF is France’s largest organisation of the kind and strongly influences the country’s domestic policy. MEDEF has officially declared political neutrality, but local experts frequently call it “a generator of ideas for the right wing”. In the 2012 presidential election, MEDEF officials openly supported Nicolas Sarkozy's economic programme.

At the European level, the MEDEF is a member of BusinessEurope, the former organisation of the Union of Industrial and Employers Confederation of Europe. At the international level, it is a board member of the International Labour Organisation.