The France Attractiveness Scoreboard 2011
September 1, 2011 by France Business Action
The France Attractiveness Scoreboard 2011 was presented on July 11th by Emmanuel Berthier, Delegate, Délégation interministérielle à l'aménagement du territoire et à l'attractivité régionale, Vincent Chriqui, General Manager of the Centre d’analyse stratégique (CAS), Eric David, Deputy Director of international corporate financing at the DG Trésor, and David Appia, Chairman and CEO of the Invest in France Agency.
France stands to reap great benefits in terms of jobs, added value and regional economic growth by opening itself to international investments. The financial crisis heightened competition among European nations, which are doing everything in their power to attract businesses, talent and financial backing.
The ordeal made it very clear that the structural elements of attractiveness are crucial appearing at the top of the list are a sound economy, a vibrant marketplace, excellent infrastructures and highly qualified workforce, investment in research and innovation, not to mention efficient public services and a good quality of life.
France can boast about these assets as it remains the third largest recipient in the world of foreign direct investment and the second largest destination in Europe for job-creating foreign investment projects. Fifteen foreign companies chose to invest in France weekly in 2010. Over 20,000 foreign companies have operations in the regions of France while 30,000 French businesses made investments in other countries.
It is against this backdrop that the IFA, CAS, DG Trésor and DATAR have compiled the 2011 France Attractiveness Scoreboard modeled after the 2010 format. This benchmark documents France's position among a group of 12 developed countries.
Comparisons in all nine criteria of attractiveness upholds France's ranking in this sample group.
Notable progress was made in R&D investments and controlling labor costs. Similar to last year, the results were mixed in terms of taxes -- labor saw intense tax pressure but received extremely generous tax treatment for R&D and a nominal tax rate on moderate profits.
Beyond these data and comparisons, the Scoreboard provides outlooks on the dynamics of regional economic development and insight on perceptions among foreign investors on France's assets and attractiveness.
"In terms of attractiveness, DATAR prioritizes the regional aspect of innovation, which is vital to economic development. That is why the policies on innovation clusters, business mini-clusters and very high-speed connectivity are being highlighted above all else," explains Emmanuel Berthier, delegate of the Délégation interministérielle à l'aménagement du territoire et à l'attractivité régionale(DATAR)."This second edition of the Scoreboard provides even more visibility on France's relative position in a global environment that is more open and competitive than before. It shows that the core elements of attractiveness were highly resilient during the financial crisis and the reforms undertaken made the economy more competitive. This trend will be continued with the future investment plan in the five strategic areas to expand the knowledge economy and sustainable growth," notes David Appia, Chairman and CEO of the IFA.
"The France Attractiveness Scoreboard 2011 confirms the key role this country plays in the global economic landscape. In 2010, inward foreign direct investments in France remained steady at a time when they dropped 20% throughout the European Union. The latest edition also bears witness to France's solid positioning in the main attractiveness criteria, a clear reflection of the public policies that were introduced to boost business competitiveness," points out Vincent Chriqui, General Manager of the Centre d’analyse stratégique (CAS).
Invest in France Agency (IFA) promotes and facilitates international investment in France. The IFA network operates worldwide. IFA works in partnership with regional development agencies to offer international investors business opportunities and customized services all over France. For more information, please visit www.investinfrance.org