Bourgogne-Franche-Comté consolidates its economic attractiveness in an unstable global context – Press release

In 2023, Burgundy-Franche-Comté solidified its position in hosting foreign direct investment (FDI) projects. For the second consecutive year, it continued its progression, a trend that has been several years in the making, with 160 foreign investment projects welcomed in 2023.

Burgundy-Franche-Comté consolidates its results in terms of attractiveness: numerous foreign direct investment projects

In 2023, Burgundy-Franche-Comté attracted 160 FDI projects, up from 133 in 2022. This progress resulted in the creation or maintenance of 3,059 jobs in 2023, a figure stable compared to the previous year.

Germany and the United States, leading providers of FDI projects in Burgundy-Franche-Comté

Burgundy-Franche-Comté hosts a majority of FDI projects from Europe: 122 projects (76% of the projects) compared to 38 projects from outside Europe (24%). Germany ranks first in the number of FDI projects, with 27 projects, or 17%, closely followed by the United States (20 projects, 13%) and the Netherlands (15 projects, 9%), closely followed by Italy, the United Kingdom, and Belgium. Together, they account for 65% of FDI projects.

The United States and Switzerland create jobs in Burgundy-Franche-Comté

The ranking changes when considering the number of jobs created or maintained by these projects: the United States (895 jobs; 29%), Switzerland (471; 15%), the Netherlands (269; 9%), the United Kingdom (266; 9%) and Italy (259; 8%). Together, they represent 70% of the jobs created or maintained by FDI.

Extension and creation projects serving the industry

Of the 160 FDI projects, more than half are extension projects of existing sites and one in three is a new installation. A new category of investment not accounted for in previous years also emerged: the sustainability of decarbonization (13 projects, 8%). More than half of the projects are in the production domain, related to the region’s historical industrial nature, accounting for 1,505 jobs. The most represented sectors are trade and distribution (25 projects), mechanical machines and equipment (15 projects), and automobile manufacturers and suppliers (14 projects).

“The dynamic regional ecosystem is a major lever of attractiveness for foreign investors. The Regional Economic Agency of Burgundy-Franche-Comté (AER BFC) stands alongside companies and local communities to support their development in our territory. We work, alongside the Region, with all our partners, to integrate companies into schemes favorable to their growth,” recalls Jean-Claude Lagrange, President of AER BFC.

Marie-Guite DUFAY, President of the Burgundy-Franche-Comté Region, celebrates the growing appeal of Burgundy-Franche-Comté

“Burgundy-Franche-Comté is a territory with many assets. Thus, the region’s recognized industrial DNA with 30% of executives working in this sector (compared to 17% for the national average) and 23% of regional industrial jobs excluding temporary work (national average of 15.8), accessibility with 14 TGV stations, 9 highways, Dijon 1 hour 35 minutes from Paris, Besançon 2 hours 08 minutes, regional and international airports (Basel-Mulhouse, Geneva)…, and the industry-education-research continuum carried by competitive clusters, among others, explain this good ranking in hosting FDI projects. The Region and its Regional Economic Agency (AER BFC) are hard at work to promote these assets and offer companies quality support,” concludes Marie-Guite Dufay, President of the Burgundy-Franche-Comté Region.