French companies will play an important role in Hungary’s economic growth in 2013, said Péter Szijjártó, State Secretary for Foreign Affairs and External Economic Relations following his talks held in Paris.

The State Secretary said bilateral economic relations are prosperous and there is at least one “French success story” in every sector of the Hungarian economy. He held talks, among others, with Minister of Industrial Renewal Arnaud Montebourg and Minister for Foreign Trade Nicole Bricq in addition to meeting representatives of major French companies with have significant investments in Hungary.

France is Hungary’s fourth largest trade partner and foreign investor: some four hundred French firms are operating in Hungary, employing a total of 70 000 people. As French companies will greatly contribute to Hungary’s economic growth in 2013, Péter Szijjártó announced that the Hungarian Government is negotiating with regard to signing strategic partnership agreements with Dalkia Energia, which is constructing a biomass plant in Pécs, Southern Hungary, Michelin, which is planning to expand its production capacity and Sanofi, which is one of the most successful pharmaceutical companies in Hungary.

He also highlighted that the Hungarian and French governments have a lot in common in terms of their economic policies. As examples, he mentioned job protection and the expansion of industrial production as two ways they have chosen to tackle the economic crisis as well as supporting small and medium-sized enterprises and gaining position in Eastern markets.

(Prime Minister’s Office)