Jun 01, 2005. /Lesprom Network/. In 2004 French apparent domestic furniture consumption (resulting from production + imports - exports) amounted to Euro 9,612 million, equivalent to a 5% increase on 2003. However, between 1998 and 2004 furniture production in France recorded negative growth of around -2% annually, while furniture consumption increased at an average annual rate of 2.2% indicating that more of the French consumption was provided by imports. Among the 17 European countries (EU 15 + Norway and Switzerland) examined in the CSIL Report "The Furniture Industry in Western Europe" edition 2005, France is the fourth largest furniture consumer, accounting for some 12.7% of total EU furniture demand. Around 74% of French furniture consumption is satisfied from local production. The annual per capita furniture consumption in France is Euro 153, lower than the average for 'Europe 17', which averages Euro 186. In France there are around 25 million households and they spent around Euro 370 on furniture (around 1% of household final consumption expenditure) in 2003. Between 1998 and 2003 the household expenditure on furniture increased at an average rate of 1.6% while total household expenditure increased by 3.7% annually. Forecasts for 2005 and 2006 show an increase in furniture consumption of around 2.2% and 3.1% respectively is likely. Recently released data shows that in 2004, once again, the balance of trade in the furniture sector in France was negative, coming in as the second most negative balance after the United Kingdom in the EU area. In 2004, France's international trade in furniture recorded a slight growth +1.1%), but an even faster growth in imports (+12.8%). Between 1998 and 2004 French furniture exports fell at an average annual rate of 2.3%, while imports increased by 7.4% annually. The main furniture trading partners for France in 2004 were: Spain, Germany, Belgium, the United Kingdom and Switzerland as major countries of destination for furniture exports and Italy, Germany, Belgium, Spain and Poland as major countries as the source of furniture imports.