Companies at the Paris Air Show: managing compliance risks to safeguard your strategic markets

Written By Cecilia Pechmeze

Every two years, the Paris Air Show at Le Bourget stands out as a major event for companies within the defence industrial and technological base (BITD). A global showcase of French and European expertise, Le Bourget is also, for defence manufacturers, a sensitive exhibition space subject to specific compliance risks that too few actors truly anticipate.

At a time when requirements regarding export control, anti-corruption compliance, and international sanctions enforcement are intensifying, participation in Le Bourget demands a level of rigor equivalent to that required for a strategic contract.

1. A unique exhibition, strict constraints

The Paris Air Show gathers:

  • Civil and military manufacturers from over 40 countries;

  • Official civil and military delegations representing more than 100 states;

  • Thousands of professional visitors, some from states subject to sanctions or export restrictions.

In this dense and open environment, every booth, every demonstration, and every distributed document can become a potential vector of illicit information transfer or regulatory violation.

Exhibiting companies from the BITD must therefore pay particular attention to:

  • Ensuring that all business relationships and hospitality towards foreign representatives strictly comply with anti-corruption obligations, in particular those under the Sapin II Law and international standards;

  • Guaranteeing that any equipment presentation complies with national defence secrecy protection obligations;

  • Strictly observing the regimes applicable to the export of dual-use goods and military equipment (EU Regulation 2021/821 and Articles L.2335-2 et seq. of the French Defence Code);

  • Avoiding any uncontrolled interactions with nationals or entities listed under international sanctions.

2. Specific risks at Le Bourget for defence manufacturers

2.1. Potential breaches related to hospitality

Social events organised around the Show, if not strictly controlled, can expose companies to corruption risks. Gifts, invitations, or advantages offered to foreign public officials must remain of strictly moderate value and be validated by compliance teams, in accordance with the Sapin II Law.

2.2. Unauthorised disclosure of sensitive information

The line between commercial communication and disclosure of sensitive information can be thin at an event like Le Bourget. An interactive demonstration, an insufficiently filtered brochure, or an informal exchange may reveal strategic data: radar performances, material specifications, sensitive industrial processes. Such communications, when concerning controlled goods or technologies, may constitute intangible transfers requiring prior authorisation.

2.3. Inappropriate contact with nationals from sanctioned countries

The variety of delegations present exposes exhibitors to the risk of interacting with entities subject to sanctions or restrictions. Some shell companies or informal delegations may hide their true affiliations. Engaging in technical exchanges or providing documentation without rigorous identification can result in serious violations of French or European sanctions regimes.

2.4. Information gathering and economic interference risks

Finally, the presence at Le Bourget of foreign actors pursuing economic intelligence objectives requires constant vigilance. Every informal conversation, every unmonitored technical demonstration, represents a potential opportunity for capturing strategic information.

The French Defence Intelligence and Security Directorate (DRSD) regularly reminds companies that trade shows are prime targets for sensitive information collection. It is strongly recommended to refer to the DRSD's memo on securing participation in trade shows, available on defense.gouv.fr.

3. How to ensure compliance at Le Bourget

3.1. Before the show

  • Map out products and communications: every element to be disclosed must be validated by legal and compliance teams.

  • Train sales, marketing, and technical teams on specific risks (sanctions, sensitive goods, corruption).

  • Set clear procedures for identifying interlocutors before any in-depth presentation.

3.2. During the show

  • Limit access to technical information to identified visitors, preferably after validation of a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) if necessary.

  • Refuse advanced demonstrations to persons not previously cleared or from restricted states.

  • Strictly control gifts and invitations to official delegations according to a pre-approved internal policy.

3.3. After the show

  • Maintain a register of significant visitors met at the booth.

  • Assess any compliance incidents that may have occurred during the event.

  • Inform competent authorities if necessary, should any concerns arise from certain interactions.

4. A reputational and market access challenge

Beyond immediate legal risks, failure to comply with regulations at Le Bourget can:

  • Significantly damage the company's reputation with French and foreign authorities;

  • Weaken the future ability to obtain export licences;

  • Create vulnerabilities to influence operations or economic destabilisation campaigns.

In an environment where French technological sovereignty is under close scrutiny, commercial success at Le Bourget must be matched by excellence in compliance.

5. Conclusion

Participation in the Paris Air Show is a unique strategic opportunity for BITD companies. However, this opportunity is sustainable only if supported by constant vigilance.
In an era of strengthened export controls, anti-corruption compliance, and economic interference threats, mastering compliance at Le Bourget is no longer just a precaution, it is an operational imperative.

Cecilia Pechmeze
Next

Why compliance must now embrace political and geopolitical risk