Bilateral Chambers of Commerce launch UK-France Business Forum alongside Her Majesty’s Ambassador to France
Her Majesty’s Ambassador to France inaugurates UK-France Business Forum (“Forum”) alongside bilateral Chambers of Commerce on 6 July 2022.
The bilateral Chambers of Commerce – the French Chamber of Commerce in Great Britain (FCCGB) and the Franco-British Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) – launched the new UK-France Business Forum in Paris today (Wednesday 06 July) hosted by the British Ambassador to France.
The Forum is built on a joint commitment made by the bilateral chambers to bring their respective members together to strengthen business relationships and increase the potential for more business opportunities. It formally recognises the strength of the economic relationship between the UK and France and aims to enhance business-to-business dialogue and foster commercial opportunities on both sides of the Channel. It will focus on unlocking trade and investment to, boosting job creation and supporting economic growth in all parts of the UK and France.
Alongside business leaders from major French and UK companies, today’s delegation included representation by the French Embassy in London, as well as Géraldine Filippi from Business France, Sean McGuire from the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) and Geoffroy Roux de Bézieux from the Mouvement des Entreprises de France (MEDEF).
Agathe Demarais, Global Forecasting Director at The Economist Business Intelligence Unit, provided an overview of UK-France bilateral trade and future opportunities for collaboration.
Discussion themes of the Forum focused on technology and innovation, clean and sustainable economic growth and how to tackle supply chain challenges on both sides of the channel.
Her Majesty’s Ambassador to France, Dame Menna Rawlings, said:
I am delighted to formally launch UK-France Business Forum today. The Forum will provide a framework for business-to-business dialogue in areas where the UK and France can work together on shared commercial opportunities.
The launch of the Forum today underlines the importance of commercial collaboration as we embrace the opportunities of the future together.
Her Majesty’s Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, Helen Whately MP said:
We’re working with one of our closest and longest-standing partners to strengthen the relationships between UK and French businesses. This Forum will not only help to drive forward trade and investment, but in turn lead to more jobs, higher wages and better living standards on both sides of the Channel.
President of the Franco-British Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI), Thierry Drilhon said:
The Franco-British Chamber has been a strong advocate of good business relationships between France and the UK since its foundation in Paris in 1873. Since then, we have seen periods of great economic expansion and moments of turmoil. Yet, trade cooperation between both countries has always remained strong, culminating in 2019 - a record year for economic exchanges before the global pandemic. Today, we are operating under a new paradigm, and the strength of our bilateral economic relationship is pivotal for tomorrow. It’s through initiatives such as the new UK-France Business Forum launching today that we can achieve this.
President of the French Chamber of Commerce in Great Britain, Fabienne Viala said:
The French Chamber has promoted the strength and positive impact of French and British business relations for over 140 years. Events in recent years have at times challenged that relationship, but it remains important and enduring. Through the UK-France Business Forum, we can provide a platform for French and British businesses to talk, explore new business partnerships and opportunities and work together to tackle the biggest shared business challenges such as climate change, acquiring talent and global supply chain disruptions.
The UK-France Business Forum will meet on a bi-annual basis, alternating between Paris and London. The Business Forum, with a purely commercial remit, will complement other bilateral fora that exist to promote Franco-British relations.