incentives for inward investments to France

1. January 2014
10 reasons to invest in France
www.investinfrance.org / www.sayouitofrance-innovation.com

2. 1. A global economic power
France:
 The 2nd largest economy in the European Union. (IMF, 2013)
 The world’s 6th largest exporter of goods and 5th largest exporter of services. (WTO, 2012)
 31 French companies among the world’s leading 500.
(Germany: 29, United Kingdom: 26) (Fortune Global 500, 2013)
A diversified, advanced industrial base:
- Europe’s largest aerospace and nuclear industries.
(Eurostat, 2012 ; PwC, 2011)
- Europe’s second largest chemicals industry.
(French Chemicals Industry Federation (UIC), 2013)
- Europe’s third largest agri-food industry.
(French Ministry of Agriculture, 2012)
- Europe’s fourth largest ICT industry.
(Business Wire, 2012)
Top 5 economies in the European Union
GDP 2012 (current prices, US$ billion)
(IMF, “World Economic Outlook” database estimates, May 2013)
3 401
2 609 2 441
2 014
1 352
0
500
1 000
1 500
2 000
2 500
3 000
3 500
4 000
Germany France United
Kingdom
Italy Spain

3. 2. A country open to inward investment
 Europe’s leading recipient of foreign investments in industry. (Ernst & Young, 2013)
 Europe’s leading recipient of job-creating investments from the United States. (Ernst &Young, 2013)
 The 5th leading recipient of FDI in the European Union: US$25 billion of inflows in 2012.
(UNCTAD, 2013)
Key figures
13
The average number of foreign companies
that decided to invest in France
every week in 2012.
39
The number of source countries of foreign
companies that invested in France in 2012.
6,960
The number of job-creating foreign
investments in France in the last 10 years.
(IFA Report, 2012)
 Over 20,000 foreign companies already doing
business in France:
 Employing around 2 million people
 Accounting for 29% of all business
enterprise R&D expenditure in France
 And one-third of all French exports
(INSEE / French Ministry for
Higher Education and Research, 2012)
Foreign companies account for 43.3% of holdings
in the market capitalization of CAC 40 companies.
(Banque de France, 2012)

4. 3. A dynamic market and gateway to Europe, the Middle East
& Africa
France:
- The 2nd largest market in Europe: more than 65 million inhabitants.
- The world’s leading tourist destination: 83 million foreign tourists.
- 2nd highest birth rate in Europe: France is responsible for more than half of
the natural population increase in the European Union.
(Eurostat, 2013; UNWTO 2013)
 France is at the heart of the European Single Market (27 countries),
the world’s leading economic region by GDP with over 500 million consumers.
(Eurostat, 2013; European Commission (AMECO database), 2013)
 France has the 2nd highest household saving rate in
Europe: 15.7% of gross disposable income, compared with
an EU-27 average of 11% in 2011. (Eurostat, 2013)

5. 4. Excellent connections throughout Europe and worldwide
 Two French ports in Europe’s Top 10 by tonnage in 2011:
Marseille (5th) and Le Havre (8th). (Port of Rotterdam Authority, 2012)
 The 2nd largest high-speed rail network in Europe.
(International Union of Railways, 2013)
 Largest road network in Europe (more than 1 million km /
620,000 miles). (Eurostat, 2013)
 Paris Charles-de-Gaulle: ranked 2nd by passenger numbers and 1st for cargo in Europe.
(Airports Council International, 2013)
 Paris-Le Bourget: the leading business airport in Europe. (ADP Paris Airports, 2013)
Broadband penetration rate
higher than the OECD
average
(35.5% in France, versus
33.8% in Germany
and 33.6% in the UK)
(OECD, 2012)
Le Havre awarded “Best Seaport Europe”
in 2013 for the third year running
by “Cargonews Asia” magazine.

6. Cost index
(Base: 100 – United States)
Electricity rates for
manufacturers
2nd half of 2012
Germany: €87 /MWh (exc. VAT)
France: €67 /MWh (exc. VAT)
UK: €115 /MWh (exc. VAT)
Consumption between 500 and 2,000 MWh
(Eurostat, 2013)
Very competitive
electricity rates
*Cost components:
Labor
Facility costs
Transport
Utility costs
(electricity, natural gas,
telecommunications)
Corporate tax
 Average costs per employee (wages, salaries and statutory costs) are
lower in France than in the Netherlands, the United States or
Germany. (KPMG, “Competitive Alternatives”, 2012)
 As a proportion of GDP, carbon dioxide emissions by French industry
are lower than in the United Kingdom, Japan, Germany and the United
States. (IMD, “World Competitiveness Yearbook”, 2012)
5. A cost-effective location
 Business setup and operating costs* are lower in France than in Italy, the United States or
Germany. (KPMG, “Competitive Alternatives”, 2012)
94,5 94,7 95 96,1
97,9
100,1
103,7
109,4
85
90
95
100
105
110
115

7. (Eurostat, 2013)
Human resources in Science and Technology
Proportion of 20- to 29-year-old graduates (2010)
6. A high qualified, highly productive workforce
 High proportion of 25- to 34-year-old tertiary education graduates (43%), greater than the
OECD average (38%). (OECD, “Education at a Glance”, 2012)
 France is ranked 3rd in Europe for hourly labor productivity. (The Conference Board, 2013)
Country
Average number of hours
usually
worked per week by managers
Average number of hours
usually
worked per week by
employees
France 44.6 36.5
United Kingdom 43.6 36.3
Germany 43.1 34.7
European Union
(EU27)
42.8 36.3
Longer working hours than
the European Union average:
(Eurostat, 2013)
24.2%
21.5%
20.1%
18.7% 18.7% 18.3%
17.2% 16.5% 16.5% 15.8%
0
5
10
15
20
25
30

8.  The competitiveness and employment tax credit (CICE) will reduce labor costs by 4% in 2013, and
by 6% from 2014, amounting to €20 billion in savings for companies. This tax credit is calculated in
proportion to the company’s gross payroll costs, excluding all salaries greater than 2.5 times the national
minimum wage (SMIC).
 France’s research tax credit remains the most attractive R&D tax incentive program in Europe:
- Tax break of 30% of annual expenses, up to €100 million, and 5% above this
threshold.
- This rate is doubled for R&D carried out with public-sector bodies and is
quadrupled for R&D undertaken by junior final-year doctoral and post-doctoral
research personnel in their first two years of employment.
- Extension of eligibility to include innovation expenses incurred by SMEs
starting in 2013.
- The research tax credit will remain unchanged for five years, giving companies
to provide businesses with visibility and legal security.
France is ranked very favorably by effective* corporate tax rates:
- in 1st place for R&D operations, ahead of the United Kingdom (5th) and Germany (11th).
- in 6th place for manufacturing operations, ahead of Germany (10th) and Italy (13th).
* rate which takes into account the tax bases in different countries
(KPMG, “Competitive Alternatives”, 2012)
More than 2,000 foreign
companies among the
beneficiaries of the
research tax credit
between 2008 and 2010.
(French Ministry for Higher
Education and Research, 2012)
7. Tax measures to foster competitiveness

9.  France is the 3rd leading recipient in Europe of foreign R&D
investments. (Ernst & Young, 2013)
26 research and higher education hubs (PRES) enabling
universities, Grandes Écoles and research bodies to share
resources and launch joint initiatives. (French Ministry for Higher Education
and Research, 2012)
11 Fields Medals awarded to French mathematicians, out of a
total of 52 since 1936. (International Mathematical Union, 2013)
 France has 9.1 researchers per 1,000 employees, ahead of
Belgium (8.6), the United Kingdom (8.3), Germany (7.9) and
Spain (7.0). (OECD, “Main Science and Technology Indicators”, 2013)
France is world’s 5th
leading host country of
foreign students.
(OECD, 2012)
Foreign R&D
investments:
More than 200 foreign
investments in R&D
since 2007, and
45 projects in 2012.
(IFA 2012 Report)
8. A country prioritizing R&D and innovation
 France is ranked 2nd in Europe and 6th in the world for the number of international patents filed.
(WIPO / INPI, June 2012)
 71 innovation clusters stimulating R&D through public-private partnerships.
 608 foreign companies have become members.
(French Ministry for the Economy and Finance – DGCIS directorate, 2012)

10. 9. Investment at the heart of growth
 Continuing “National Investment Program” (state support to finance projects of excellence): €2.2 billion
were reallocated at the start of 2013 towards the government’s priorities. Five areas were chosen: support for
innovation and specialist sectors; development and distribution of generic technologies; training; energy transition;
and the development of the living economy and healthcare.
 In early July 2013, the Prime Minister announced a new phase of the “National Investment Program” worth
€12 billion over the next ten years.
 The new “Grand Paris” project:
 The new “Grand Paris” project announced in March 2013 is designed to promote economically sustainable,
solidarity-based, job-creating development in the Paris region. The emphasis will be placed on research,
innovation and industrial development across an area that currently boasts 80,000 researchers, seven
innovation clusters and 850 research laboratories.
 A €32 billion program to modernize and expand existing transport networks: RER high-speed metro, metro,
light rail.
Breakdown of investments under
the new phase of the “National
Investment Program” (€ billion)
(French Prime Minister’s Office, July 9, 2013)
“Grand Paris Express” - a whole new metro system:
- €25 billion in investments for the « Grand Paris Express » network
- 125 miles of new automatic metro lines and 72 new stations
- improved service to key economic hubs and airports

11.  France is the leading tourist destination in the world by visitor numbers (ahead of the
United States and China). (UNWTO, 2012)
 France is ranked joint second in Europe for quality of life. (International Living Magazine, 2011)
Paris: A world-class city
- The leading regional economy in Europe, with a GDP of
€600 billion. (Paris Region Economic Development Agency, 2012)
- The leading city in the world for quality of life.
(PwC, “Cities of Opportunity”, 2012)
- Most popular location in Europe for “Fortune Global 500”
company headquarters in 2012.
- The 2nd leading city economy by “economic clout” in the
world. (PwC, “Cities of Opportunity”, 2012)
- The 2nd most innovative and creative city in the world.
(Global Innovation Agency, “Innovation Cities Top 100 Index”, 2012-2013)
- The 2nd most popular venue in the world for conferences.
(International Congress and Convention Association, 2011)
- The 2nd largest center in the world for asset
management. (Paris Europlace, 2012)
10. Renowned quality of life
Country
Rank
(Overall score)
Malta 1
France =2
Belgium =2
Germany =3
Austria =3
(International Living Magazine, 2011)
Top 5 countries in Europe
for quality of life
Nine criteria considered by International Living:
Cost of living (15%); culture & leisure activities (10%);
economy (15%); environment (10%);
freedom (10%); health (10%); infrastructure (10%);
security and risks (10%); climate (10%).