France is on course to achieve economic growth of 1.9 per cent during 2007, only a shade below the 2 per cent predicted by the government, François Fillon, prime minister, told Les Echos, the FT's French partner paper.

However, "for 2008, the uncertainties are greater," the prime minister said, citing the weak dollar, the price of oil and the impact of the subprime crisis on US growth.