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EY European Attractiveness Survey 2023
France continues to maintain its position as the leading European country in attracting foreign investment, with nearly 1,260 projects registered in 2022, marking the fourth consecutive year of this achievement. This remarkable feat sets a historic record and comes as encouraging news just before the sixth edition of the Choose France summit. This exclusive event, scheduled for 15th May, is specifically designed for top executives from major foreign companies and will take place at the prestigious Château de Versailles, following an invitation extended by the President of the French Republic.
France is the most attractive country in Europe in 2022
France maintains its position as the most attractive country in Europe in 2022, according to a survey conducted by EY. Despite the challenging geopolitical, economic, and social environment, France has even extended its lead over its traditional competitors, the UK and Germany.
The survey revealed that France recorded 1,259 announced implementations or expansions in 2022, representing a 3% increase compared to the previous year. This achievement marks the fourth consecutive year that France has topped the European ranking. EY attributes this ongoing success to the continued positive momentum that started in 2017, despite economic challenges stemming from geopolitical crises.
EY's findings indicate that the desire to invest in France remains strong, with 61% of surveyed companies having immediate investment plans in the country for 2023. Decision-makers closely scrutinize France's economic, social, and energy landscape, anticipating potential changes in the short term that could impact future results.
An upturn for all French regions
A positive trend can be observed in all regions of France, with each region benefiting from its attractive status. The Ile-de-France region, with 326 projects in 2022, has secured the top spot in the ranking of the most attractive regions in Europe, surpassing Greater London (299 projects in 2022) for the first time in the history of the EY survey.
After the capital, three other regions have passed the milestone of 100 implementation projects: Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Hauts-de-France and Nouvelle-Aquitaine. In particular, EY highlights that almost half of the projects affect rural areas or medium-sized towns with fewer than 200,000 inhabitants. This underscores the importance of France's attractiveness, which extends to all its territories, including the Ile-de-France and the regions, major metropolitan areas and more remote areas far from major urban centres.
EY concludes that this widespread attractiveness throughout the country represents a significant opportunity for France to showcase its attractiveness in different regions and territories, regardless of their proximity to major urban centres.
DOWNLOAD THE EY European Attractiveness Survey 2023 (in French)
