The article analyzes why France had a trade surplus in the 1990s. It looks at factors like demand and competitiveness to explain the balance between imports and exports. The study shows that France's trade balance improved over the years, with surpluses in both manufacturing and non-energy trade. The data suggests that the country's service balance also had consistent surpluses during the 1990s. Overall, France's external trade performance was strong during this period, with a significant increase in trade surpluses.