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The former French minister Arnaud Montebourg is worried about the takeover of the company Segault, a supplier for the French nuclear industry, by an American multinational. In a letter addressed to the Minister of the Economy, he said he was ready to bring Segault back under the French flag.
Based near Paris and indicating that it employs 80 employees, Segault is one of these sensitive French companies. And for good reason, it supplies the fittings for the boiler rooms that equip all French nuclear submarines for Naval Group. However, the parent company of Segault, the Canadian group Velan is preparing to be bought by OPA by an American multinational Flowserve.
For the former socialist deputy, it is out of the question that Segault comes under the control of the Americans, because information concerning French nuclear submarines could be transmitted to a foreign government. “Segault” is one of these sensitive companies in France within the defense industrial and technological base (BITD) “. The company ” equips all our nuclear-powered military buildings, its activities are essential to national defense », et « in addition, it equips all our nuclear power plants “, highlights Arnaud Montebourg.
Sovereignty
This raises the question of national sovereignty. “ We cannot allow information about the technologies used by our nuclear submarines to be potentially transferable to a foreign government. “, he writes, referring to the “ Patriot Act “. This US law allows the US government to request from any US company, without any judicial authorization or the slightest motivation, any information within the framework of unilateral and out of control investigations “, points out the ex-minister.
Arnaud Montebourg demands, from the Minister of the Economy Bruno Lemaire, the prohibition of the sale to the Americans, within the framework of the decree regulating, the foreign investments, in the sectors considered to be strategic. For Arnaud Montebourg, Segault must once again become a French company. As soon as the ban was notified by the government, he said he was ready to acquire it, thanks to an alliance with an investment fund.
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(And with AFP)