France’s attractiveness is deteriorating (Barometer)

According to the annual barometer of France’s foreign trade consultants (CCE), France’s attractiveness is deteriorating slightly due to concerns about energy supply.

With an average score of 62.7/100 in 2023, France’s Territory Attractiveness Index (IAT) is down 1.2 points from last year, according to an annual barometer recently conducted by CCE Network in partnership with Eurogroup Consulting.

This decline is explained above all by concerns about energy supply and cost, notes Barometer.

Neutralizing the “impact of the energy crisis”, France’s score would be 64.2/100, the CCEs underlined, who surveyed 1,800 businessmen and women in 152 countries.

France’s score, which grouped respondents’ answers across a dozen criteria (such as taxation, labor costs, quality of life and infrastructure), ranks third behind Germany and the Netherlands.

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France, for its “cultural environment” (92/100, +1.3 points), “quality of its infrastructure” (86.5/100, -0.8) and its “quality of life” (87.8/100, +0.8), “work flexibility and social environment” (28.3/100, -1.5), “administrative and regulatory burdens” (26 .7/100, -0.3) and “taxation” (27.4/100, + 0.2).

Energy Supply and Energy Cost recorded a historical decline (-17.9) to 53.7/100.

According to the majority of respondents, France needs to work on its tax policy to improve its attractiveness. More than 80% of respondents believe that reducing production taxes is a good move, but it is “simplifying procedures for setting up businesses that raises high expectations this year” with almost 85% of favorable opinions.

Only 43% of respondents believe that unemployment insurance and pension reforms will have a positive impact on France’s attractiveness.

Every year, the CCEs, a network of 4,500 business leaders and international experts, publish the IAT to measure the attractiveness of France and regions. They carry out comparative studies of some of France’s assets (tourism, business tourism, exhibitions, etc.) and provide evidence of the country of operation on the expected activities of foreign investment.

With MAP