France

Positioned at the heart of the world’s largest market, France offers a favourable economic environment to potential investors. With a high-quality workforce and infrastructure, and costs that are comparable to those of its European competitors, France successfully attracts more than $50bn in FDI.

Thanks to the abundant resources offered by its territory and business community, France ranks among the top host countries in Europe for multinational firms, with more than 8000 foreign firms based there.

Since the beginning of 2003, the French government has been focusing on adopting a series of “attractiveness measures” that are intended to encourage international investors to set up their headquarters, research centres and production units in France. Recently, the country has also targeted misperceptions about the investment environment in France – highlighting, for example, the fact that French workers are the second most productive on an hourly basis worldwide.

Key competitive factors include a technology-driven economy; a skilled and productive workforce; strong infrastructure and transportation system; low-cost electricity; a pro-business environment; and a dynamic financial market.

France ranks second in Europe for the number of workers holding scientific or technical diplomas and it has the second-highest number of workers in Europe engaged in research and development.