MACRON LE FOLL ROYAL TO IMPLEMENT A COMMON PROGRAM OF FUTURE FOOD INVESTMENT

USPA NEWS - February 25, 2015 Ségolène Royal, Minister for Ecology, Sustainable Development and Energy, Stéphane Le Foll, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Forestry, Emmanuel Macron, Economy Minister, Industry & Digital, Louis Schweitzer, General Commissioner for investment and Nicolas Dufourq, CEO of BPifrance

The three ministers announce the launch of a new share of future investment program for the competitiveness of companies in the sector agribusiness: the call to thematic project "Functional Food and custom."
The food French is a dynamic sector with € 178 billion of turnover (2012), 26Md € added value, with € 31.4 billion in sales for export for food industries (2009) and a part of € 67 billion, or 18% of EU production (2009).
Agriculture and food industries are an asset for France and make it one of the major producers and food exporters in the world.The food industry contributes significantly to the health of the French economy and ranks first in the European Union with a fifth of the sector's value added.

FRANCE SHOULD TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ITS EUROPEAN LEADER POSITION IN FOOD INDUSTRY------------- France ranked the 1st European agricultural producer as the fourth largest exporter of agricultural and food products, should take the most of it, in this competitive advantage to be confirmed, in terms of added value to boost the growth benefits for the French economy. Food companies realize just over 12% of the value of French industry ““ 2008 with 412,500 employees. (Source franceagroalimentaire.com). True to their traditions, “Terroir“ and quality, the French food companies want to reflect a more modern and innovative in key factors of dynamism and competitiveness. Thus the three ministers decided to agree to reassert this position of France in the Food industry. The agreement is to boost the competitiveness of the investments of French Food industry sector in the context of the law of "Growth and Competitiveness." This area is directly related to ecology, which explains the involvement of Ségolène Royal ministry. The triad provides thereby creating jobs in these common sectors on this ambitious project rely on financial allocations are supported by the BPI (Public Investment Bank). It is estimated from 5000 to 7000 the number of unfilled jobs for manufacturing and distribution. For instance, a set of recommendations were made, such as the co-design of systems agricultural equipment and agro-ecological transition, supporting the development of agricultural robotics and innovation and improving the attractiveness of trades and trainings.-------------------------------------------------------- Led by the General Commission for investment, future investment program in particular allows France to strengthen the competitiveness of the industry by innovating and developing new processes, services and products. The action "Industrial Future Plans" (Piave) is primarily aimed at projects that are in the process of the 34 plans of the New Industrial France. It will allow the most promising industrial project activity and employment prospects for French industrial sectors, as well as projects that work directly for the ecological and energy transition, to find support for their development. (See article http://www.newsrama.uspa24.com/bericht-2527/34-plans-of-industrial-conquest-in-france.html) The call for projects "Functional Food and customized" aims to support the implementation of the roadmap of the industrial plan "Innovative products for safe, healthy and sustainable", approved June 4, 2014 by the Ministers in charge of agribusiness and industry- Mr Stephane Le Foll- including the development of ambitious projects in the field of functional food and tailor (products adapted to specific diets, high protein foods, probiotics, etc.).------------------------------------------------------------------- With € 20 million, this device will support research and development (R & D) and innovation for the development of new products, processes and services with a high innovation content. It also aims to support projects of material investments in industrial manufacturing and marketing of food products with high added value and strong growth potential.---------------------- The call for proposals is open until June 9, 2015. In compliance with the Community rules on State aid, the Future Investment Program will take place in the form of grants and repayable advances. . For more information see www.economie.gouv.fr, www.developpement-durable.gouv.fr, agriculture.gouv.fr, www.bpifrance.fr