France, strategic investor in Romania: 12.9 billion euros and over 125,000 jobs

Franco-Romanian economic ties date back over 30 years, during which the Hexagon partners have continuously invested in our country, investments that have contributed to structural transformations in key economic sectors - agriculture, automotive and automotive components, aviation, financial and banking services, shipbuilding, consulting, digital, energy, telecommunications, information technology, construction materials and healthcare -, which have had a positive impact on the creation and development of SMEs, which have resulted in the opening of branches of large French companies in Romania.

France is the third largest investor and fourth largest trading partner of our country, and the following figures testify to this: 12.9 billion euros - French direct investments in Romania at the end of 2024, which generated over 125,000 jobs, and bilateral trade worth 13.2 billion euros. These data recorded at the end of last year represent an increase compared to the end of 2023, when bilateral trade between France and Romania reached 11.6 billion euros, with a trade deficit of the Hexagon in the relationship with our country of 1.2 billion euros, of which over 10% represents a deficit resulting from imports of Romanian agricultural raw materials.

According to data from the French Treasury, the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, CCIFER, Team France Export and the annual statistics of the French Embassy in our country, bilateral trade between France and Romania is dominated by intra-industrial trade, but also by intra-group trade. France imports from our country transport equipment (over 40% of imports), machinery, appliances and equipment (22%), agri-food products (8.2%), textiles and footwear (7%), rubber, plastics and mineral products (7%). According to Trading Economics - which cites the UN Comtrade database -, at the end of 2024, Romania's exports to France represented 6.4% (i.e. $6.34 billion) of the total exports made by our country last year, which amounted to $100.37 billion.

In contrast, the exports of companies from the Hexagon to Romania are more diversified: machinery, appliances and equipment (over 28% of total exports); transport equipment (17%); chemical products, perfumes and cosmetics (13%); metal and metal products (9.7%); agri-food products (9%); pharmaceutical products (7%).

Practically, the French presence in our country is predominant in production and distribution. In the automotive market, the manufacturer Renault-Dacia has almost 18,000 direct employees, around which several large-scale suppliers are present, including Forvia (7,400 employees), Michelin (4,700 employees), Valeo (1,500 employees), Hutchinson (900 employees) and Akwel (500 employees). Also in industry, the Saint-Gobain, Airbus, Thales and Air Liquide groups play an important role in their markets. In the energy sector, the Engie group is the largest gas distributor in the country, with almost 2 million residential customers, while the Orange group is one of the main mobile operators in Romania. The subsidiary in our country of the Carrefour group is the third largest retailer and maintained a positive momentum in 2024, while the Auchan and Leroy-Merlin groups are also influential players in their respective markets. In the banking sector, BRD (Societe Generale group) is in the top 5 of commercial banks in Romania in terms of assets held, and Groupama is one of the strong companies in the Romanian insurance sector, especially in the car insurance segment.

Beyond the numbers, the presence of French partners in our country is important, a presence that transforms, connects cultures and inspires communities. And an important role in this regard is played by the France-Romania Chamber of Commerce and Industry, where the economic partnership, cultural partnership and permanent dialogue between businesspeople from the Hexagon and Romanians represent the foundations of permanent innovation in the 16 industrial sectors in which the over 4,150 French companies operating in our country carry out their business.