21/12/2020 (Agence Europe) – The French Minister of the Economy, Bruno Le Maire, announced, on Friday 18 December, the extension of the provisional measures of reinforced controls on foreign investment until 31 December 2021. The measure was supposed to end on 31 December 2020. The aim is to maintain for another year the threshold for holding shares in a company at 10% (25% in normal circumstances) above which the investment is controlled by the Ministry. Control is not exercised over European investors and only concerns investments in listed companies. The measures also provide for the inclusion of biotechnology in the list of critical technologies covered by the control. This extension is intended, according to the Minister, “to protect strategic enterprises”. (LM)