Numerous opportunities to strengthen economic cooperation between Croatia and France

Possibilities for strengthening cooperation between Croatia and France exist in numerous areas, from the automotive, aviation and military industries, energy, construction and IT industries, to agriculture, tourism and infrastructure projects, it was emphasized on Wednesday at the Croatian-French economic forum organized by the Croatian Chamber of Commerce (CCC).

The French delegation is on a return visit after the official visit of Prime Minister Andrej Plenković to Paris in December last year. At that time, Croatia and France, as it was said, further strengthened relations by signing a series of agreements that define cooperation in several areas, including the economy.

“12 renowned French companies and more than 60 companies from the Croatian side are participating in the forum. We are strengthening ties between companies, encouraging investments and technological cooperation,” emphasized the President of the Croatian Chamber of Commerce Luka Burilović. “In addition to cooperation in road infrastructure,” as he said, “the strategic foundation of Croatian-French relations is increasingly being built on the military and defense industry, an area in which the CCC is extremely engaged.”

“Our Defense Industry Community is growing every day, and our companies are increasingly present in international markets. We are connecting them with key French manufacturers in the defense industry and the digital and cyber sectors,” said Burilović.

The President of the French-Croatian Business Council MEDEF International, Christoph Petit, assessed that Croatia has achieved something extraordinary - in just a few years it has joined the Schengen area, introduced the euro and maintained economic growth almost twice as high as the EU average.

“You have launched the most ambitious defense modernization in your history after gaining independence. Also, by 2030 you should receive almost 30 billion euros in EU funds,” he said, noting that this forum represents an opportunity to move from bilateral statements to bilateral business.

The French Ambassador to Croatia, Fabien Fieschi, stressed that relations between Croatia and France are exceptionally good.

“We share common interests in strengthening the competitiveness and strength of the European economy, which is impossible without strong companies. We must not be naive, we must look at what is happening around us and invest in innovation and strategic partnerships,” he said.

Potential for partnerships in third markets

The Forum highlighted energy, agriculture, tourism, infrastructure projects, IT industry, military industry, construction as opportunities for cooperation between Croatian and French companies. The potential for partnerships in investment works in third markets was emphasized, and Croatian companies expressed great interest in connecting in the IT sector.

“Infobip has a strong market presence in France, a market characterized by high digital maturity and a strategic approach to technology development. As one of the few European alternatives to the world's leading platforms, we are building strong partnerships with French companies and telecom operators and recognize additional space for strengthening cooperation in the field of cloud communications and AI solutions,” said Infobip's Vice President for Research Partnerships Damir Prusac.

An example of a company that achieves successful cooperation is Eccos Engineering, which completed the demanding task of equipping the second tube of the Učka Tunnel with modern electrical and mechanical systems with a focus on cybersecurity of all implemented systems.

“Eccos participated in the implementation of investments by French companies in Croatia, and in the implementation of our projects we also use solutions from the French manufacturer Schneider Electric. For the Bouygues group, we implemented certain systems at Franjo Tuđman Airport, and this successful cooperation opened the door for us to become Bouygues' only partner for the complete equipping of the new and old pipes of the Učka Tunnel,” said Ivan Špoljarić from Eccos Engineering.

According to the data presented, the total trade with France in 2025 amounted to almost 2.1 billion euros. Exports reached 633.4 million euros and increased by 11 percent. Imports were almost 1.4 billion euros. In terms of the amount of investment in Croatia, France is in 12th place.

Source: HRT