EY recently published the European Attractiveness Survey 2026, which tracks foreign investment decisions across Europe and measures how international business leaders perceive France. France maintained its position as the leading European destination for foreign investment for the seventh consecutive year, with 852 projects recorded in 2025. This number placed it ahead of the United Kingdom, which recorded 730 projects, and Germany, which recorded 548 projects.
Projects hosted in France generated nearly 28,000 jobs in 2025. While this represented a 4 percent decline, the drop remained well below the European average of 25 percent. France also reinforced its standing as a preferred destination for foreign industrial investment, attracting 354 industrial investments in 2025. These industrial investments accounted for 42 percent of the projects identified and enabled France to remain number one in Europe for manufacturing investment. Despite the decline in volume within a more challenging economic environment, foreign investment continues to support industrial activity and productive employment, with a net positive balance of 1,376 industrial jobs.
The survey also highlighted several strategic strengths of France’s attractiveness. France made progress in attracting headquarters, with a 17 percent increase in one year, and was ranked second in Europe in this category. The country remains a major hub for technology and sovereignty activities. France is the leading European hub for attracting foreign investment in artificial intelligence, with a 26 percent increase in projects in one year. The software and IT services, defense, and low-carbon energy sectors are among the drivers of this renewed attractiveness.
France confirmed that its economic attractiveness extends across the country rather than being concentrated in a few major cities. With four regions in the top 15 most attractive regions in Europe, the nation demonstrated that foreign investment is spread widely throughout the country. Ile de France, the Paris region, remained the leading French region with 233 projects. Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes stood out with a level of job creation close to that of the capital region, while Grand Est and Hauts de France both confirmed their attractiveness.
A perception survey associated with the main survey confirmed that France remains the European country considered most attractive by international executives. Thirty-eight percent of executives surveyed cited France as the most attractive option, ahead of Germany and the United Kingdom, which each received 31 percent. France’s main strengths remain the size of its market, its capacity for innovation, the quality of its infrastructure, the availability of low-carbon energy, and the quality of its workforce.
In the short term, 57 percent of the executives surveyed stated they are considering investing in France in 2026. This level reflects continued high confidence. France’s attractiveness remains real, but it must continue to be supported by decisive action to strengthen competitiveness, fast-track decision-making, secure the regulatory environment, and prepare for the next investment cycle focused on innovation, critical infrastructure, the ecological transition, and talent.
Nicolas Forissier, Minister Delegate for Foreign Trade and France’s Economic Attractiveness, noted that for the seventh year in a row, France has confirmed its position as the leading European destination for foreign investment. Against a backdrop of geopolitical tensions and greater investor caution, this result sends a clear message that France attracts, innovates, and continues to impress. This performance has not arisen by pure chance; it is based on strategic choices made over many years, which have sustainably strengthened the country’s economic attractiveness and changed France’s image on the international stage.
Pascal Cagni, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Business France, stated that France has remained at the top of European attractiveness rankings since 2019. In a complex and uncertain geopolitical environment, this performance reflects the strength of fundamentals, including the depth of the market, quality of infrastructure, and excellence of talent. It also stems from nearly ten years of pro-business reforms promoting innovation and reindustrialization. However, this leadership must now be boosted. Attractiveness is never a given; it is built over time through consistent public action, the competitiveness of the environment, and the collective ability to transform key strengths into sustainable projects that create value and jobs across the entire country.
Louis Margueritte, Chief Executive Officer of Business France, noted that the results of the EY 2026 Survey show that France continues to attract high-value-added projects in strategic sectors, such as industry, artificial intelligence, decision-making centers, defense, and low-carbon energy. This momentum reflects the joint commitment of the government, Business France, and local authorities to support investors as closely as possible to their needs. In a more selective environment, the responsibility is clear to convert this confidence into tangible investments that create jobs, sovereignty, and sustainable growth.
