INVESTORS IN MSK

France: the Czech Republic’s

Most Important Trading Partner

Without a Common Border

The French-Czech Chamber of Commerce is a member of an international network of

126 French Chambers of Commerce in ninety-six countries and has been an independent,

self-financing organisation for twenty-five years. It represents a business community of more

than 280 member companies in the Czech Republic which employ over 78,000 people and

have a turnover of over 16bn CZK.

Mr. Macko, could you please briefly

introduce the activities of the French-Czech Chamber of Commerce?

Is it involved in any specific projects

in the Moravian-Silesian Region?

The chamber focuses on several

key areas which include supporting

members’ businesses and creating new

business opportunities, informing and

raising the profile of members both

within the community and externally,

and

bringing

together

company

representatives through professional

clubs and other networking opportunities.

One of the chamber’s key roles is

supporting the entry of French companies

into the Czech market, whether through

investment, acquisition or the export of

goods and services.

These activities are carried out under

the ‘LeBooster’ brand and include market

studies and analysis, benchmarking,

recruitment, branch establishment and

accounting and tax administration.

The chamber helps an average of sixty

companies a year.

Currently, dozens of companies operate

in the Moravian-Silesian Region, such

as Veolia in the energy sector; battery

manufacturer Saft; Manutan, which

produces equipment for industrial

companies; and FEVE, which specialises in

industrial metallurgy.

In which areas are the trade relations

between the Czech Republic and France

most developed and intense? And

what sectors are the most promising

in the near future?

France is our largest trading partner

among countries with which the Czech

Republic does not share a border.

Mutual

trade

mainly

concerns

automobiles, electrical and electronic

equipment and, in the case of French

exports, mainly pharmaceutical and

chemical products. For the Czech

Republic, France is the fourth largest

customer and in recent years the sixth

largest supplier. For France, however,

the Czech Republic is only twentieth on

France’s consumer list and thirteenth on

the supplier list.

In terms of investment, excluding countries

with attractive tax regimes, France remains

the third largest investor, with a FDI volume

of €10.6bn in 2019, according to the Czech

National Bank. Prospective and growing

sectors of Czech-French trade are defence,

energy, IT, video games and everything

related to Industry 4.0.

Mr Macko, thank you for the interview.

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