Hendaye (France) (AFP)
One billion euros will be devoted to the relocation of industrial activities in France as part of the recovery plan that will be presented on August 25 in the Council of Ministers, Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire said Thursday.
"We are going to put, from this point of view, one billion euros in the recovery plan to finance calls for projects for companies that would like to relocate," said the minister, in charge of recovery, during a visit to customs officers in Hendaye (Pyrénées-Atlantiques).
He specified that it could be a new chain or production line and that it could concern "any industrial company which would like to relocate its activity in France".
"Relocating does not mean bringing back low value-added productions to France," he however qualified, while industries have often relocated to save money.
"Relocating means producing in France products that are essential to our independence, for example I am thinking of drugs, active ingredients in drugs or developing new value chains in which we have all the skills and knowledge. -doing to succeed, "explained Mr. Le Maire.
He gave as an example the electric car for which batteries will be produced in France, as well as traction chains.
"There have been so many relocations in the automotive industry for years which have been an economic mistake and a political mistake," he denounced.
The recovery plan of 100 billion euros must include a component of 40 billion dedicated to industry, including 20 billion reduction spread over two years in production taxes, which weigh on the competitiveness of French industrial products.
Bruno Le Maire also indicated in an interview with the daily Sud-Ouest published on Thursday that three billion euros would be devoted to supporting the financing of companies within the framework of this plan.
© 2020 AFP