" The "blocking statute" of 26 July 1968 (amended on 17 July 1980) prohibits any person, including French companies, subject to international treaties or agreem

" The "blocking statute" of 26 July 1968 (amended on 17 July 1980) prohibits any person, including French companies, subject to international treaties or agreements (in particular the Hague Convention of 18 March 1970) "from requesting, seeking or communicating, in writing, orally or in any other form, documents or information of an economic, commercial, industrial, financial or technical nature with a view to gathering evidence in or in connection with foreign judicial or administrative proceedings." The prohibition, subject to a criminal penalty of six months’ imprisonment and a fine of €18,000, or approximately $20,200 (increased to €90,000, or approximately $100,900 for a legal entity), is designed to protect French companies against Anglo-Saxon discovery mechanism, which allows the litigant (who is sometimes an American competitor) or the US administration to request from the French company the disclosure of documents, including those that may have an economic value for the said company. " If I were a french citizen I'd try to avoid getting a criminal record, a possible prison sentence and a fine. It could destroy my family. The uk should negotiate a better treaty with france to allow these people to testify.