France is a case in point, as you can see on the right-hand side. In the ECB survey on access to finance which I referred to earlier, firms were also asked which factors they consider as the greatest impediments to their business.
Clearly, many SMEs consider regulation as the most pressing problem in France, and noticeably more share that view here in the Paris Basin than in many other euro area regions. For this reason, reforming economies, reducing red tape and improving the business environment can help to promote stronger and more sustainable growth in all regions of the euro area.