The Hauts-de-France region is already well known to Dutch companies.
Hauts-de-France is a nearby region that explicitly focuses on cooperation with the Netherlands. The region is home to 6 million people, making it the third largest region in France.
The region is located in a direct line 55 kilometers from the Netherlands. The capital Lille is only 1.5 hours drive from the Dutch border. 20% of Dutch investments in France go to this region; that is twice as much as to the Paris region. For many Dutch companies, the region has proved to be a springboard for the rest of France.
Hauts-de-France traditionally has a lot of industry, such as textile, energy and steel factories. Recently, the focus has become much broader. The region is at the forefront of the development towards the 'new industry'.
Regional governments want to achieve a '3rd industrial revolution' with the REV3 programme. The aim is to make the region a front runner for a new industry that is economic, digital and sustainable. For the following years, € 2.9 billion is available for these investments, part of which is the EU budget. In recent years there was already a fund of € 2.3 billion.
A clear result of investments is the 'Battery Valley': an area with a few mega factories for the production of batteries for electric vehicles. Huge investments are involved here. For example, € 1.5 billion has been invested in a mega factory in Dunkirk.
- The region is nicknamed 'the granary of France' because it is one of the largest regions in agriculture. Hauts-de-France is therefore also important for agriculture in France.
- Finally, the largest hospital campus in Europe is located in this region.
The Dutch embassy in Paris published an article about the promising food tech, automotive and life sciences & health sectors in Hauts-de-France on its website.
