The Eiffel Tower belongs to the City of Paris, while the maintenance and operations have been the responsibility of the SETE (Société d’Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel) since 2005, considered a public utility under contract for a period of ten years.

The SETE is a mixed economy company of which the City of Paris is the majority shareholder with 59.9%. Dexia Crédit Local, Eiffage, Safidi SA (groupe EDF), Ufipar (groupe LVMH) and Unibail Participations each possess 8% of the other shares and the Office de Tourisme et des Congrès de Paris holds .01%.

The SETE’s mission is to maintain the upkeep of the monument and its installations, to provide quality service and security to its visitors, to continually improve the reception, access and flow of visitors, to evaluate and effectuate renovation needs as well as the modernisation of public areas and facilities, to initiate activities that contribute to the prestige of the monument and to the reputation of Paris as a tourism and culture capital, to thereby enhance the image of the Tower.

More than 500 people bring the Eiffel Tower to life everyday. About one half are employed by the SETE, the others are concessionaries (souvenir boutiques, restaurants, telescope operations, ATMs, behind-the-scene tours…) and other civil services (policemen, firemen, post office, weather…).