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French minister orders custom checks on US company tyres in spat

News of tightening of checks on Titan tyres comes after row last month in which the US firms's CEO Maurice Taylor mocked France's work ethics.

La rédaction de Mediapart

This article is freely available.

A French minister on Wednesday said he had asked custom officers to tighten checks on Titan tyres after the US company's CEO last month mocked France's work ethics, reports France 24.

"We have asked customs to enforce French law, in particular when it comes to tyres produced in conditions that sometimes does not respect environmental and technical norms," Industrial Renewal Minister Arnaud Montebourg said.

"The message has been passed on. This is what I call law enforcement," Montebourg said.

Last month, Titan chief Maurice Taylor rejected Paris's invitation to invest in a loss-making Goodyear tyre plant, citing French business conditions, especially its wages and work ethics.

In his rebuff letter, Taylor said "the French workforce gets paid high wages but only works three hours" a day.

Read more of this report from France 24.