Objet : Marseille goes south
Importance : Haute

Copyright 2003 PR Newswire Europe Limited
PR Newswire European

June 5, 2003 Thursday

LENGTH: 268 words

HEADLINE: Marseille goes south

BODY:
Southern France is on the move, with the creation of an office in
Marseille
to promote investment in the Mediterranean region.

The Invest in France Agency this week opened a satellite office in
Marseille
to serve as the operational base for ANIMA, an EU-funded project. The
office
was inaugurated on June 2nd 2003 by Clara Gaymard, Ambassador at Large,
Special Representative of France for International Investment and
President
of the Invest in France Agency.

The principle objective of ANIMA, which will last three years, is to
increase Foreign Direct Investment [FDI] in the Mediterranean region as
a
whole. The project also aims to develop a Euro-Mediterranean Investment
Promotion Agency Network, and to better equip the countries of the
southern
Mediterranean in attracting foreign investment, notably through training
and
the transfer of knowledge.

ANIMA is part of a co-operation programme between the European Union and
12
partner states to the south and east of the Mediterranean [Algeria,
Cyprus,
Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Malta, Morocco, Palestinian Authority,
Syria, Tunisia, Turkey].

At the inauguration, Ms Gaymard, announcing that the first ever
Euro-Mediterranean investment conference will be held in Marseille next
year, said, "We are the precursors to a public authority centre for the
Euro-Mediterranean region".

A number of UK companies are present in Marseille, including Compass
Group,
Colt Telecom Group and ICI.

ANIMA website: http://www.animaweb.org/Invest in France

LOAD-DATE: June 6, 2003