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Covid-19: three quarters of international companies consider that France remains attractive for their activities

2020-11-25T22:59:53.658Z


A survey unveiled by Le Figaro shows that the large international groups consider that their French branches have withstood the crisis rather better than in other countries.


It is not a plebiscite, but all the same a certain form of recognition.

In an Ipsos survey that we unveil on the occasion of the States of France, a forum on the attractiveness of France, the managers of foreign companies established in France mostly believe that the country has been rather successful in managing the economic crisis linked to the coronavirus.

These 200 executives questioned, however, fear that the costs and French taxation will hamper the attractiveness of the country in the years to come.

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Unsurprisingly, 73% of executives surveyed believe that the crisis has had a negative impact on their activities.

The corollary is more astonishing, since they are therefore 23% to judge that this one was positive for their company, including 9% very positive.

France is resisting better

With regard to the situation of their subsidiaries in France, 29% of these business leaders consider that they have "withstood the crisis better" than their branches in other countries, against 20% who consider the reverse.

Note that a majority (51%) consider that their subsidiaries in France have "

neither better nor worse

" managed the situation than in other countries.

In detail, 44% of leaders consider that it is the United Kingdom, in the midst of negotiations on trade agreements with the European Union within the framework of Brexit, which has handled this crisis the least well.

Just behind, we find Spain (41%) and Italy (37%).

Conversely, according to business leaders, Germany was the least affected by the crisis (62% say so), followed by far by the Netherlands (47%) and Sweden (38 %).

This health and economic crisis will not be without impact on the attractiveness of France for large international companies.

Thus they are 53% to judge negative this year 2020 for the attractiveness of the Hexagon, against 29% to judge the positive impact.

However, the parent companies of these companies are quite numerous (46%) to consider the management of the crisis by the French State to be positive.

In the short term, if only 1% of the projects of these companies in France have been canceled, they are 34% to have been postponed.

Read also: Attractiveness: France is still gaining ground

The questions then relate to future investments in France planned by these large companies.

Admittedly, they are 77% to judge that France remains attractive for their activities.

But where they were 81% in 2019 to consider investing in France in the coming years, they are now only 54%.

Once again, it is Germany which is considered the most attractive by these companies (they are only 6% of managers to consider France more attractive than Germany), followed by the Netherlands and Switzerland.

Among the least attractive countries, we find Spain, Italy and the United Kingdom.

Too high costs

The main brake on investment in France remains costs, despite the much anticipated cuts in production taxes.

Indeed, they are 82% of the leaders questioned to consider that France is disadvantaged compared to the other countries for this reason.

Conversely, France shines with its technological excellence (cited by 61% of the panel) or respect for the environment (39%), another pillar of the recovery plan announced in early September.

Despite the crisis, the 200 leaders that we interviewed say in majority that France remains an attractive territory,

welcomes Christian Auboyneau, Director of States of France.

The management of the crisis has been honorable, we remain one of the most attractive countries for companies behind Germany. ”

Read also: France's attractiveness essential for employment

Christian Auboyneau adds that from the point of view of these international companies

“technological excellence and training, especially for young engineers, are perceived as excellent in France”

.

Training matters enormously, because when you set up a factory, there is of course the cost of labor, but also the possibility of relying on quality local leaders.

On this point we are among the best in the world ”

, continues the Director of the States of France.

Another important point according to Christian Auboyneau, the environmental criterion, even if it is only rarely mentioned among the priorities of the leaders: “

We are largely in the race in terms of positive environmental impact, we remain very innovative on the subject.

The recovery plan has really confirmed this

(1/3 of the recovery plan is devoted to green recovery, editor's note).

The rest of the plan also reassures the large international groups, in particular on taxation with the reduction in production taxes or on the amounts invested in industry.

"To conclude, according to Christian Auboyneau,"

France is impacted temporarily by this crisis, but not structural.

Our country will very quickly become very attractive from an economic point of view ”

.

Source: lefigaro

All business articles on 2020-11-25

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