On the 1st June 2011, in the presence of Mrs Emmanuelle D’Achon, Ambassador of France, Ubifrance Dublin and the consulting firm AP Partners ( www.ap-partners.ie ), have organised a Breakfast Seminar hosted by the Ireland France Chamber of Commerce, with a panel of 3 companies sharing their experience in Ireland: Veolia (Luas, water treatment, waste management), Renault (thermic and electric cars), Activis, (SME specialised in web referencing). The aim of the seminar, beyond the usually accepted opposition of the liberal and social approach of doing business, was to discover the mutual benefits of our 2 cultures to make our businesses successful. The event was a big success for the 40 companies that took part and debated around the subject.  

This year, a group of us, 6 motivated French Women, all affiliated to the French Embassy, have decided to run/jog the women Flora Mini Marathon, which takes place on the 6th of June 2011, for The Make-A-Wish Foundation charity. The 6 of us are aiming to finish this 10km run, more or less challenging for some of us, and donate the funds to the charity. (Donations can be done online www.mycharity.ie/event/frenchgirls )   About Make a Wish : This charity was set up for one simple purpose - grant wishes to children between the ages of 3 and 18 with life threatening medical conditions and provide them with once in a lifetime experience, for them and their family. Granting a wish gives a child something to look forward to and fight for through their endless journey of medical treatments and consultations. About The French Girls : Apart from being French, we are all or have been affiliated to the French Embassy. Christel, Florence, Marion and Vimla currently work for the French Trade Commission Ubifrance in Ireland to promote trade between our two countries! Louise, also part of the Embassy, works for the economic sector. As for Nacera, formally on an International Internship Programme (VIE), has recently joined the French company Renault. Wish us luck!

Last night, the French Trade Commission UBIFRANCE , in the presence of Mrs Emmanuelle d’Achon, Ambassador of France in Ireland, welcomed some of its key Irish partners, patrons and directors of the Ireland France Chamber of Commerce, for an after work cocktail to celebrate the opening of its new office in Harcourt Street. The first guests arrived at 5.30 and were accompanied by the French team throughout the evening. The selection of French wines and finger foods, selected carefully by our caterer KC Peaches, made the event delightful. “Our aim is to make the Irish Trade and Industry consider UbiFrance offices in Harcourt Street as a portal for doing business with French companies. To make this happen,  we have 11 trade events and more than 100 B2B meetings organised throughout  2011.” Marc Debels Director UbiFrance in Ireland.  

Looking for a specific French product or supplier? Thinking of sourcing products from France? Firmafrance.com is the Official French exporters B2B directory, powered by Ubifrance and officially endorsed by the French Ministry of Economy, Finance and Industry. Dedicated to foreign companies seeking reliable suppliers and partners in France, it is an ideal way of seizing business opportunities on line. Our database brings together 15 000 leading French exporting companies showcases, as well as breaking news, worldwide events and useful trade links. All services are free of charge. Visit   www.firmafrance.com  

 The French Trade Commission Ubifrance in Dublin was please to invite its Ambassador, H.E. Mrs D’Achon Emmanuelle, as well as members of its economic, cultural and scientific sections, the consulate and chancery, to celebrate the opening of its new office in Harcourt Street on Monday the 4th of April 2011.    Divided under 4 sectors, the French Trade Commission Ubifrance, known as the French agency for international business development, promotes technologies, products, services and skills from France. We offer a comprehensive range of products and services including pavilions and B2B meetings, aiming at accompanying French-based companies in their development on export markets and help them to meet their international counterparts. For more information about our upcoming events of French manufacturers in general please contact us!  

Recently, the international press has written extensively on the financial crisis in Ireland. We can certainly not ignore the difficulties faced by the country, but we must not forget that Ireland has one of the highest GDP per capita in the EU with € 35 000 (30 000 € for France), behind Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Denmark, despite the crisis it suffered between 2008 and 2010. During the Christmas period 2010, Irish households spent an average of € 1,050 while the French households spend only € 630 (Estimates Deloitte). Ireland is a market well suited to SMEs. Thanks to its proximity, it provides access at a low cost, and its human size allows operators to quickly find out who to work with; its economic base comprises of 110,000 companies, 80% of which have fewer than 20 employees. As an EU member, Ireland follows the same rules and regulations as the French market. You will not bear costly standards upgrading here, which is generally a prerequisite when tackling a new market. Ireland is part of the Eurozone, which protects you from currency risk. Nevertheless, it is a real export market, with its local specificities and where knowledge of English is essential. It is also a test market for large companies in a "pro-business" environment. Thus, large pharmaceutical companies producing in Ireland register their new products and quickly get to the market. Moreover this Irish registration does facilitate their introduction to the rest of the EU. Its low-cost airlines, Aer Lingus, Aer Arann and Ryanair flights from Dublin, Cork and Shannon directly serve 18 French cities and more than 30 via London. Add to these 4 daily flights operated by Air France from Paris. It is thus possible to make an inexpensive and quick trip for a day or two from many French regions. The property prices have fallen by nearly 50% over the past 3 years. It is now possible to acquire prime locations for implanting shops and businesses, where it was impossible just a short time ago. Similarly, legislation on commercial leases and market conditions are now more favourable to tenants. The internal market for consumer goods has certainly suffered badly from the crisis but it is currently undergoing reconstruction. Thus, Irish operators to differentiate themselves from their competitors are looking for innovative products not yet available on the market. They are therefore interested in a French offer that stands out from traditional products. Ireland as a whole is a competitive cluster for foreign investment concentrated in the Chemical & Pharmaceutical sector, ICT, Services and Agribusiness. These companies account for more than 80 billion € per year exports, equivalent to 50% of GDP in 2010. These clusters of excellence are major consumers of inputs, services & software developments. Finally, the Irish love France and French people. They know our country from numerous visits and some of them have chosen France for a holiday home. They recognize and appreciate our technology. I’ll let you find an 11th reason that will make your company interested in expanding its exports in Ireland in 2011. The team of the French trade Commission Ubifrance Dublin will welcome you throughout the year, either individually or on the occasion of one of the 12 events organized by Ubifrance in 2011. So, to plagiarize a famous Australian Tourism ad, I would say: “We’ve poured you a beer, we’ve got the kangaroos off the greens, your taxi is waiting, so where the bloody hell are you!”