The Second Round of “Team France Invest” Meetings: International priorities renewed with the regions

Business France, represented by its Chief Executive Officer, Christophe Lecourtier, today hosted the second “Team France Invest” Meetings, in the presence of Christophe Béchu, Minister for the Ecological Transition and Regional Cohesion; Roland Lescure, Minister Delegate reporting to the Minister for the Economy, Finance and Industrial and Digital Sovereignty, with responsibility for Industry; Olivier Becht, Minister Delegate with responsibility for Foreign Trade, Economic Attractiveness and French Nationals Abroad; Bruno Bonnell, General Secretary for Investment; and several regional presidents.

“Team France Invest is a formidable team supporting the economic attractiveness of France. It was built on a very strong link between key national and local attractiveness players in France. I want us to recognize the major role that our communities play in the attractiveness of our country: there is no attractiveness without regions. It is their local and cultural specificities, as well as their geographical strengths, which attract any businesses company that chooses to set up there.”

Olivier Becht, Minister Delegate with responsibility for Foreign Trade, Economic Attractiveness and French Nationals Abroad

“Team France Invest is the French attractiveness team, which brings together all the public partners responsible for promoting the French brand and France to foreign investors. The results are convincing, with a record number of investment projects in 2021. We mustn’t rest on our laurels: we’ll continue to improve our overall competitiveness, invest massively in breakthrough innovations with the “France 2030” plan, and respond to daily issues, such as the search for land, more recruitment in industry and fast-tracking the opening of industrial sites.” 

Roland Lescure, Minister Delegate with responsibility for Industry

“I’d like to highlight the importance of the work carried out by Team France Invest for the development of French regions, both in general and in priority regions. After the successes of the first year, it’s important to re‑affirm the desire to consolidate the achievements and strengthen co‑operation between stakeholders. To act effectively in such a context, we must act together: with the regions, with intermunicipalities, with businesses companies, with different operators, such as the National Agency for Regional Cohesion (ANCT) and Business France, and with regional development agencies. By raising the profile of regions, and by making public action more transparent, the work carried out by Team France Invest lays the foundations for a virtuous cycle of investments.” 

Christophe Béchu, Minister for the Ecological Transition and Regional Cohesion

Foreign businesses companies employ more than two million people in France and produce just over one‑third of French exports. In 2021, 1,607 investment projects were identified, projects which led to 45,008 jobs being created or maintained. The level reached is historic, with France having never been as attractive as it was in 2021. On average, 31 investment decisions were recorded per week last year in France. These investment projects serve our entire country, with 45% of them carried out in municipalities with fewer than 20,000 inhabitants.

“Foreign businesses companies operating in France contribute 13% to employment, 20% to revenues in our economy, and account for more than one‑third of French exports. Going international, which is at the heart of Business France’s strategy, is also at the heart of the strategy for the regions. We can all be proud of the work accomplished every day to maintain our top spot in Europe.” 

 Christophe Lecourtier, Chief Executive Officer at Business France

During these TFI National Meetings, Business France and the regions decided to strengthen their partnership for the 2023–2028 period, structured around three main axes:

• Promoting the attractiveness of France and the strength of the regions

In particular in the “France 2030” priority sectors, which will be the subject of a written argument and a collective approach built between Business France and the regional development agencies.

• Better prospecting of foreign investors

Each year, through its 75 offices abroad, Business France distributes 1,900 investment projects to regional development agencies. In 2023, to attract more high‑impact projects, more than 170 targeted international missions will be organized by Business France for the regions in sectors of the future, such as marine energies, artificial intelligence, healthy and sustainable food, and even hydrogen. The maps attached to this document detail the new priorities of the 2023 program for Business France and the regions, by French region, and by each prospecting zone around the world.

• Fast-tracking and supporting projects

​​​​​​​Giving priority to investors’ expectations on “the attractiveness of everyday life” (land, skills, etc.)

In July 2022, Business France and the Banque des Territoires launched a new digital tool to meet the land needs of investors, called “Dataviz Ready-To-Use Sites”. This cartographic module, with free access, offers detailed information on the industrial land available for turnkey sites and the associated services, both on site (utilities, buildings, etc.) and nearby (large facilities, research institutes, etc.). Cumulative filters facilitate the search and thereby suggest locations that meet the needs of the investment project. The platform has had 9,500 visits since its launch on July 11, 2022, including 2,000 on the English version (since September, attendance has reached an average of 100 clicks per day).

Faced with a shortage of land, the regions and their agencies were able to demonstrate their new strategy in this area, such as the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region, with the “Sud Ready‑To‑Use” call for expressions of interest launched recently, and the “Activity Zones of the Future” approach in the Grand Est region.

The priority given to the simplification of procedures was put into practice with the “set up contract” pilot operation carried out in the Hauts de France region. This contract, offered by the state and the region to foreign investors, is based on a reciprocal commitment: the public authorities undertake to make the completion of formalities easier, and to facilitate financial support and recruitment, while the businesses provides its own guarantees (jobs created or maintained, training opportunities, enforcement of patents, etc.).