The Chamber
The 3rd UK-France Business Forum: Driving a Resilient, Prosperous, and Sustainable Future
The 3rd edition of the UK-France Business Forum, the French Chamber’s business-led initiative fostering Franco-British business relations, took place in Paris on 11th and 12th July 2023. The gathering was hosted by the British Ambassador in Paris and chaired by the Presidents of the French Chamber in Great Britain and the Franco-British Chamber.
A congregation of 28 influential business leaders from both the UK and France were in attendance, along with representatives from the French Embassy in the UK, the British Embassy in Paris, the MEDEF, and the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC). They were joined by Frank Petitgas, Business and Investment Advisor to Prime Minister Sunak, who expressed his support for the Forum’s endeavours.
The meeting provided an opportunity to reflect on the Forum’s inaugural year. In the run-up to the UK-France Summit on 10 March 2023, the Forum shared recommendations with President Macron and Prime Minister Sunak, focusing on the strategic areas of clean growth, technology and innovation, and mobility. The commitment of both governments to consider these recommendations was seen as a testament to the importance of business-to-business dialogue, and a major step forward in fostering bilateral relations.
In recognition of the success of the past meetings and with an eye towards fostering stronger business partnerships, the Forum has outlined an agenda for its future meetings. The 4th edition of the Forum is scheduled to be held in London in early 2024, hosted by the French Ambassador.
The Forum will continue working on key areas of focus and commitment including mobility, decarbonised energy and clean growth, and technology and AI.
- Mobility: The Forum emphasised the importance of working closely with the joint ministerial Technical Working Group and proposed the creation of a vehicle to contribute to the bilateral mobility dialogue.
- Energy and clean growth: Forum members proposed the establishment of a hydrogen taskforce to enhance cross-Channel collaboration. The members also advocated for the improvement of grid infrastructure to allow new energy players to enter the market and aid the transition to Net Zero.
- Technology and AI: The Forum recommended increased collaboration between France and the UK, particularly in the lead up to the Autumn AI Summit. The members proposed collaborating with the private sector to elaborate and introduce regulatory frameworks that balance innovation with necessary protections against the risks of AI.
The Forum concluded with a strong commitment to fostering a sustainable, resilient, and prosperous future through business-oriented initiatives and increased B2B engagement. The continuation of these discussions and the implementation of meaningful changes will be the focus in the months ahead, leading up to the next meeting in London.
The insights and suggestions drawn from the Forum embody the shared knowledge and expertise of the Franco-British business community. These proposals were conveyed to British Ambassador to France, Dame Menna Rawlings, and French Ambassador to the UK, Mme Helene Duchene, through a comprehensive letter that encapsulated the crucial recommendations of the Forum.
READ THE FORUM'S LETTER TO THE AMBASSADOR