France is Europe’s second largest market and Sweden’s ninth largest trading partner worldwide. Currently, more than 600 Swedish companies are established in France and are doing business through their own subsidiaries or via French distributors, agents or partners.
A substantial influx of medium and small-sized companies from Sweden in the last couple of years proves that France attracts both industry giants and start-ups, and many companies in between. The vast majority appear to be optimistic about the future.
According to the results from our 2020 France Business Climate Survey, 71 per cent of new entrants are planning to increase their investments in the market. Some 78 per cent of respondents reported profitability in the past 12 months and 51 per cent confirmed that their investment plans will remain unchanged or increase despite the recession triggered by the pandemic.
Why is France a popular destination? While high corporate taxation and labour market regulations are deemed to be challenging, the market’s sheer size and the fact that it is home to many of Europe’s largest corporations make it attractive. The uncertainty unleashed by Covid-19 has, by all accounts, not deterred the willingness of Swedish companies to bet on France.
Other advantages according to the respondents include the country’s advanced infrastructure and easy access to suppliers. In addition, 78 per cent of respondents believe that environmental aspects of products or services weigh heavily in their customers’ purchasing decisions.
Download the report for a full overview and analysis of the survey results.
About the survey
This Business Climate Survey maps the opportunities and challenges that Swedish companies face in France and was conducted during spring 2020.
The report is divided into four sections:
- Economic outlook
- The market
- Key success factors
- Sustainability performance
