A summit to choose France, this Monday in Versailles

Was it the financial audit firm EY's Barometer of France's attractiveness that lit the fuse? The study unveiled Thursday shows that France, despite being the most attractive country in Europe for the sixth consecutive year, is seeing a decline in the number of foreign investments. This comes at a bad time, as the 8th edition of Choose France kicks off on Monday.

President Emmanuel Macron transformed himself into a sales representative and provided pre-sales service, convening the regional daily press to reiterate the ambitions of this event, which will take place under the gilded palace of Versailles. Specifically, to present and explain to major international companies the reforms being implemented to promote French economic activity. And, by extension, to underscore the importance of international investment in supporting growth, innovation, and employment.

Competitiveness

"Choose France is the envy of others," stressed the head of state, who "will answer investors' questions without filtering" and who also recalled the 109 billion euros promised at the beginning of the year during the Summit for Action on Artificial Intelligence.

During this 8th Choose France, around fifty implementation projects – 70% of which are dedicated to the regions – are expected to be announced. All for a total of €20 billion. This will be in addition to the 175 projects raised during previous editions, for a total investment of €47 billion. "Only eleven projects have been abandoned since the start of the program," the Head of State stated.

However, the EY Barometer highlighted the issue of European competitiveness. The solution advocated by Emmanuel Macron is based on three pillars: "Accelerate simplifications, deepen the single market, and have a more aggressive energy policy to avoid falling behind the United States. Above all, we must better protect our domestic market; this is what poses a problem for us in the face of more aggressive Asian competitors. We must not allow a competitive gap to develop, linked to different rules between Europe and non-Europeans."

The President, who will meet with numerous investors and players in artificial intelligence, promises major announcements on Monday, particularly in the circular economy.