Presentation
An agency to support and encourage economic development and regional appeal
The Bourgogne-Franche-Comté Regional Economic Agency was created on 1 October 2017 by the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté Regional Council and contributes to the development of the region’s economy. It assists companies and regions.
Its strategic objectives are:
- To assist in maintaining and developing economic activity and employment in the region,
- To support the economic development policy, implementing it regionally according to needs,
- To develop innovation and the ecological transition,
- To promote the region’s economic appeal.
The Bourgogne-Franche-Comté AER (Regional Economic Agency) provides services aimed at:
- Businesses (all sizes and in all activity sectors)
- Local government areas of the region, i. e. its eight administrative departments
The Agency is present on 2 sites, Besançon and Dijon and 1 regional cluster in the regions (Côte d’Or, Doubs, Haute-Saône, Jura, Nièvre, Saône-et-Loire, Territoire de Belfort and Yonne). It consists of 45 people.
Regional Economic Agency
The SRDEII (Regional Economic Development Plan for Innovation and International Expansion) entrusted the Agency with the following missions:
- To promote the new regional identity and encourage the establishment of new economic activities
- To be the regional coordinator in leading economic development and innovation in the region’s ecosystem
- To contribute to and enhance the development of structured or emerging sectors
- To monitor companies experiencing challenges
- To provide a regional economic engineering service aimed at meeting the needs of EPCIs
- To set up a cluster of developers working in coordination with stakeholders who already have a presence in the regions
These missions are executed in collaboration with the network of the 150 stakeholders in economic development and innovation: consular chambers, local agencies, urban authorities, the State, etc.
Jean-Claude Lagrange is the Chairman of the agency. He held the role of Vice-Chairman with responsibility for economic development, growth and employment for 3 years, before taking on this position during the mandate of Marie-Guite Dufay in 2016, the year which saw the creation of the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté Region. He leads this mission at the same time as fulfilling his role as Regional Adviser for Bourgogne-Franche-Comté Region.
Martine Abrahamse-Pleux is the Managing Director, appointed by the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté Regional Economic Agency.
The AER BFC (Bourgogne-Franche-Comté Regional Economic Agency) is approved as Regional Expansion Committee
“The objective of the expansion committees is to encourage the planning and overall development of a region and the promotion of its local resources, both material and human. In particular, they are responsible for providing local elected officials with measures aimed at encouraging the region’s economic expansion or leading to specific consequences for local economic development.”
The Agency was approved by the order of 26 July 2019: “The Regional Economic Agency of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, a local public company headquartered in Besançon (Doubs), is recognised as the regional committee for the economic expansion of the region.”
This approval indicates State recognition, strengthening the AER BFC in its role as coordinator of the economic development of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, working for businesses and regions.
2022 – The AER BFC year in figures