Foreign investment in France: Eastern France confirms very positive results in 2022

On the occasion of the unveiling of the first elements of the 2022 balance sheet of Foreign Investment in France, Eastern France Region announces very positive results and confirms its attractiveness on an international level.

“These figures are the result of a thorough work that the Region has been conducting for several years to confirm the position of Eastern France on the European and global stage. The excellent results for 2022 as well as the recent announcements of the establishment of Infinite LoopTM (Saint-Avold) and Clarins (Troyes) confirm the attractiveness of our territory and the relevance of our economic policy focused on energy and environmental transitions. A large industrial region but also a larger border region of France, Eastern France has been able to rely on its strategic position to rise to the rank of the first Regions in France for hosting FDI” declared Franck Leroy, President of the Eastern France Region.

Strong regional momentum in 2022

• With 150 projects registered over the year, foreign investment in Eastern France continues to grow in the region, with growth of +4. 8% compared to 2021. They accounted for 8. 7% of international investment project flows to France. As Eastern France represents 8. 5% of the French population, the Region follows the same positive trend as at the national level.
• In 2022, 4,779 jobs were created or maintained (compared to 4,210 in 2021) in Eastern France as a result of the establishment, expansion or takeover of or by companies with foreign capital, or 13. 5% more than in 2021.
• With 83 new locations generating more than 1,200 jobs, 59% more than in 2021 and 9. 5% of new locations of foreign origin in France in 2022, the territory confirms its attractiveness this year.
• While Germany leads the way in investments in Eastern France, with almost 18% of the projects listed in 2022, some countries showed strong growth, such as the Netherlands (9. 3%) which is the second largest investor in the region this year, followed by Belgium (8%), Switzerland (8%) and Italy (8%), followed by the United States (6. 6%) and the United Kingdom (6. 6%).

The Bas-Rhin, the Marne, the Moselle and the Haut-Rhin departements are at the top of the ranking, confirming the dynamic at work throughout the country.

Flagship projects for foreign investment in Eastern France in 2022

Many projects contribute to the momentum created by the Region to accelerate the transformation of
the economy of the territory in some key sectors. Among the areas of activity most represented in 2022,
may quote:

• Industry 4. 0 with the setting up of KOSEDAG in Vitry-le-François (51) (Production of solutions security of sensitive sites)
• Health innovation with the setting up of SpacePharma in Illkirch-Graffenstaden in 2022 (67) (creation of miniaturized and remotely controlled laboratories in space for biopharma and biotech applications) or the extension of the Merck site in Molsheim (67)
• the digital field with the setting up of i-Farming in Reims (51) (solutions based on algorithms for facilitate the decision to irrigate crops in real time).

The importance of Foreign Investment in Eastern France

Eastern France has a powerful and efficient industrial fabric, which in itself is a strong factor of attractiveness for new players and projects: more than 2,400 foreign-owned companies employ 160,000 people, one of the largest national concentrations. Enterprises in the German-speaking sphere in particular have made their priority host country, but North Americans, Belgians and Scandinavians are also strongly represented, contributing massively to the R&D effort, investments and exports of the Region.