Strengthening economic relations, Fit for 55, Europe's current energy situation and its impact on EU industry and its competitiveness - these are the main topics of talks between Minister of Economic Development and Technology Piotr Nowak and French ministers of economic ministries during his visit to Paris on Tuesday.

France is currently our 3rd trade partner in terms of Polish export, just after Germany and the Czech Republic. Last year brought a dynamic revival in trade between our countries. After 11 months of 2021, Polish export to France increased by 21 percent. - to nearly 15 billion euro and by the same amount of imports (21 percent) - 8.7 billion euros.    

French companies occupy the 4th place among the largest foreign investors in Poland. The value of French capital invested in our country amounted to 17.2 billion euros in 2020. There are currently over 1,200 entities with French capital operating in Poland. 

Polish entrepreneurs are also present on the French market. In 2020, the Polish company Chemet bought the assets of Altifort GLI SAS and became the leading manufacturer of LPG tanks in the European Union. InPost, in turn, successfully finalised the acquisition of Mondial Relay in 2021.  

Fit for 55's impact on the condition of the Polish economy and its energy transition

During the meeting with the Minister of Economy, Finance and Reconstruction of France, Bruno Le Maire, Piotr Nowak noted that he appreciates that the French Presidency is determined to involve the Competitiveness Council in monitoring the negotiations of the Fit for 55 package.

We must make the voice of the industry ministers heard, so that the principles of technological neutrality, cost-effectiveness, fairness and solidarity are respected.

- emphasised the head of the Ministry of Economic Development and Technology

The Minister emphasised that an important role in the current green transformation is played by the ETS system. Poland has called for its reform in order to stop price manipulation on the ETS market and limit the role of financial institutions in setting its price. 

The issue of the CBAM mechanism and its impact on the competitiveness of the European economy was also raised during the meeting.

In his talks with the French Minister for Industry, Agnès Pannier-Runacher, the head of the Ministry of the Environment stressed the importance of strengthening the potential of European industry within the framework of the IPCEI programme  (Important Projects of Common European Interests), including IPCEI Health. 

We see very great potential for IPCEI as an important instrument for ensuring technological sovereignty in key sectors, including, among others, pharmaceuticals, production and process technologies for APIs, active pharmaceutical substances, antimicrobial resistance and cell therapies

- Minister Nowak said. He informed that Poland has expressed initial interest in joining IPCEI Health. We are currently in dialogue with Polish companies on their potential participation in this initiative. 

Meeting with French investors

We count on the further growth of both French investments in Poland and Polish direct investments in France, as well as on the increase in partnerships between Polish and French companies

- said Minister Nowak during a meeting with French investors in the MEDEF (Mouvement des Entreprises de France, literally: Movement of French Enterprises).

From 2000 to the end of 2021, 94 investments by French companies are still active in Special Economic Zones and the Polish Investment Zone. The declared value of these investments amounted to 5.537 billion PLN. The total number of new jobs declared was 5,399.  

We have taken a number of joint initiatives to strengthen and promote Polish-French economic relations. In November 2021. Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Paris organised the "Polish Business Gala in France" for the third time in a row. Prizes were awarded to companies that achieved the best results in trade exchange: Grupa Azoty (largest Polish exporter to France), Chemet (largest Polish investor on the Fderench market) and Stellantis (largest French investor on the Polish market).

If we want to build a strong Europe, we must treat it as a single market, and the flow of goods, people, services and capital as a common good

 - emphasised the minister during the meeting with French investors. 

He informed that the Polish economy is in the phase of dynamic digital transformation. Over the last few years we have introduced a number of pro-innovation tax breaks aimed at accelerating the digital transformation of Polish companies.