France to permanently lower threshold for scrutiny of foreign investments - Le Maire

PARIS (Reuters) - France will permanently lower the equity threshold for scrutinizing foreign investments from outside the European Union to 10% from 25%, Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said on Thursday.

Le Maire made the remark during a New Year address in which he also said European countries needed to step up their support for domestic businesses, in particular with regards to a massive U.S. spending plan.

"We will plead in favour of better taking into account European interests as the Inflation Reduction Act is being implemented," Le Maire said, adding he would travel to Washington with his German counterpart Robert Habeck in February in pursuit of this goal.

(Reporting by Leigh Thomas Writing by Tassilo Hummel; Editing by Mark Potter)