Against the backdrop of a worldwide downturn in foreign direct investment flows, Invest in France Agency (IFA) and French regional development agencies recorded 639 job-creating foreign investment projects in 2009, an increase on the figure in 2007 (624), and nearly as many as in 2008 (641). The results for 2009 are the fourth-best in the last 15 years. Christine Lagarde, the French Minister for the Economy, Industry and Employment and Michel Mercier, the Minister for Rural and Regional Development, presented on Tuesday the 2009 Report on job-creating foreign investment in France, accompanied by David Appia, chairman and CEO of IFA. These investments will enable 29,889 jobs to be created or maintained (versus 31,932 jobs in 2008), which is broadly in line with the annual average since 2000 (30,400). Sixty eight percent of all projects originated from European companies in 2009, versus 65 percent in 2008. North-American companies were responsible for 19 percent of job-creating foreign investment decisions in 2009, versus 22 percent in 2008. Asian companies accounted for 10 percent of projects in 2009, versus 11 percent in 2008. Four countries brought in 50 percent of all new investment projects. Germany, with 113 projects, became the leading job-creating foreign investor in France. The US, which lost its traditional position as France's leading investor, accounted for 106 investment projects in 2009. Italian companies showed renewed interest in the French market with 56 projects, double the number of projects recorded in 2007. The UK saw its France-bound investments drop from 53 in 2008 to 39 projects in 2009. With 421 projects recorded, the manufacturing sector accounted for 66 percent of foreign investment projects in France in 2009. This vitality is primarily attributable to sectors with a high degree of technology and added value, as well as to a significant increase in projects in the energy sector (73 projects in 2009, versus 36 in 2007). __
