FRANCE?S COMPETITIVENESS CLUSTERS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 PARIS 001075 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS WHITEHOUSE FOR OSTP HHS FOR INTERNATIONAL AND PAS TO NIH STATE FOR EUR/WE, EB, OES/PCI, STAS STATE PASS NSF AND NASA USDOC FOR ITA AND NIST USEU FOR SMITHAM E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EINV ECON ETRD ECPS EAIR ENRG EIND TNGD TRGY TSPL, PGOV, FR SIPDIS SUBJECT: FRANCE?S COMPETITIVENESS CLUSTERS REF: 06 PARIS 7882 ¶1. (SBU) Summary: The GOF is promoting the establishment of competitiveness clusters ("poles de competitivite" in French),combining the efforts of enterprises, research entities, and higher education institutions to develop technologies into products with practical applications. The GOF hopes to provide jobs and strengthen regional economic vitality in the process. While previous regional development policy focused on redistributing resources to less prosperous regions, France is shifting its emphasis to improving competitiveness, promoting innovation, and fostering public-private partnerships to generate development. The GOF is providing seed money to clusters until their own commercial projects can make them self- sustainable. The GOF has already allocated one third of the earmarked 2005-2007 budget of 1.5 billion euros (USD 2 billion). Competitiveness clusters exist in technologies in which the USG and U.S. private sector have key interests: alternative energy fuels such as biomass and bio-diesel, information and communications technology (ICT),biotechnology, and aerospace (see septel). France has established 66 such clusters. The top ("world class") poles are in the aerospace, agro food sector, ICT manufacturing, transportation, biotechnology, and energy. The OECD initial evaluation of these clusters is positive, while some analysts caution against too much reliance on state-led initiatives. End summary. ¶2. (SBU) Econoff recently spoke with Ministry of Economy, Finance, and Industry (MINEFI) General Directorate for Enterprise Technological Partnership Department Asia and Americas Bureau Head Alain Griot. This cable has information gleaned from that conversation, information provided by APP Toulouse, and public sources. What is a Competitiveness Cluster? ================================== ¶3. (U) In December 2002, France launched a wide-ranging industrial strategy, particularly focused on research and development (R&D) and aimed at increasing its industrial competitiveness in the changing global economy. France?s Interministerial Committee for Planning and Urban Development (French acronym CIADT) agreed to implement the policy and defined a series of measures to promote competitiveness clusters in 2004. Competitiveness clusters aim to create synergies between businesses, higher education hubs, and research units to engage in R&D projects that have international applications. Their aim is to spark growth of industrial activities, provide jobs, and strengthen regional economic vitality. ¶3. (U) In September 2004, the CIADT launched a call for projects that would form the first set of clusters working on technologies and industrial activities in which France is specialized or has potential. Based upon public-private partnerships, eligible proposals may involve businesses, research centers and higher education hubs, financial institutions, regional authorities, France?s central government and Europe. CIAT received 105 applications, and by July 2005, established and provided seed money to 66 clusters. The response to another call for projects in early 2006 (more than 200 applications received) showed the increasing interest of private companies and research entities for this new mechanism. GOF Providing Seed Money ======================== ¶4. (U) The GOF is providing seed money to clusters until their own commercial projects can make them self- sustainable. The GOF has already allocated one third of the earmarked 2005-2007 budget. Over the three year period, the state is allotting 230 million euros (USD 302.5 million) per year directly from various ministries, 170 million euros (USD 223.6 million) per year through several independent agencies such as the Agence nationale de la recherche (National Research Agency),and 100 million euros PARIS 00001075 002 OF 003 (USD 131.5) per year through fiscal exemptions. The 19 cluster R&D projects funded in 2005 received 27.25 percent of their funds through state aid, leaving 72.75 percent of the total to private enterprise. Forty percent of private sector beneficiaries are small and medium enterprises (SMEs). How Clusters Work ================= ¶5. (U) Even though the French government approves and monitors every cluster, each one is run autonomously. It is responsible for its own management, development, and decision-making. A financing committee, comprised of regional as well as central government representatives, and a scientific committee, made up of central government representatives and experts in each cluster?s particular field, oversee and evaluate performance and efficiency. In July of 2008, the government will evaluate the success of the cluster policy. A scoreboard will be published, displaying the number of large companies, SMEs, and jobs that make up each cluster, the number of patent applications, scientific publications, new public and private R&D collaborations, added value for cluster companies, market share, and finally the number of jobs created. Classification of Clusters ========================== ¶6. (U) Three cluster subcategories exist: world class, internationally-oriented, and regional. These clusters are classified based on their international visibility, foreign participation, and potential for profitable international applications. The "world class" clusters span the aerospace, biotechnology, communication, ICT, and transportation sectors. Among the 66 clusters, 16 have a global orientation. Competitiveness clusters, however, are not only intended for emerging technologies but also for more conventional fields as well as more mature sectors (such as automotive and aviation industries and health). U.S. Interest and Involvement ============================= ¶7. (U) Competitiveness clusters exist in technologies in which the USG and U.S. private sector has key interests: alternative energy fuels such as biomass and bio-diesel, information and communications technology (ICT),and biotechnology. The secure communications cluster in Sophia Antipolis boasts participation from Cisco, Hewlett-Packard, Honeywell, Intel, and Oracle. Telecommunications equipment manufacturers such as Motorola and Qualcomm have also made significant investments. Xerox participates in the Image, multimedia and digital life (IMVN) cluster of the Ile de France region, which conducts research on knowledge management and engineering, image and sound, video games, digital access to cultural heritage and digital life, and in the microtechnologies, nanotechnologies and software cluster (Minalogic) in Grenoble, which aims to develop new- generation miniaturized chips and embedded software. ¶8. (U) Energy is the focus of several clusters. Dijon and Pont-Saint-Esprit are focusing on nuclear technology, such as how to recycle nuclear waste. Grenoble is developing renewable energy technology, such as biomass, solar cells, and wind energy. The cluster has announced 115 projects and has initiated work on 53, which have been financed at 54 million euros (USD 70 million.) The cluster includes 105 actors including 27 industrial groups and 31 small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). The cluster cooperates with firms in Japan, the United States, Germany, and China, but has plans to increase international collaboration. Cadarache is also developing technologies that do not emit carbon dioxide, including hydraulic, nuclear, wind and solar power. Perpignan is trying to apply these technologies to architecture to develop low energy consumption buildings. OECD and KPMG Studies of the Competitiveness Clusters ============================================= ======== PARIS 00001075 003 OF 003 ¶9. (U) The territorial review of France published by the OECD in April 2006 provides the first international appraisal of the French competitiveness clusters measure. The OECD generally welcomes the new regional policy but has detected a number of potential threats. The OECD warned that institutional actors should be transparent and well coordinated. At present a multitude of actors with ill- defined roles, including the central government, the regions, and other public administrations, creates the potential for confusion. The OECD cites that there is a risk of inefficiency as funds are spread over a large number of clusters. Furthermore, the governance structures of clusters should provide for an appropriate involvement of SMEs. Universities should better promote their research results and increase their autonomy in order to be on par with enterprises when cooperating in clusters. ¶10. (U) A December 2006 KPMG study noted that the clusters needed a more strategic vision regarding the international marketability of their projects, improved cooperation among the various participants, and improved knowledge of potential markets. According to KPMG, clusters that focused on projects with international applications had more visibility and more interest, although too many of the clusters lacked such an international dimension. The success of projects originating from the clusters would depend on knowledge of the potential markets, including their size. The addition of business schools, absent in all the clusters, would help add such expertise. ¶11. (U) The KPMG study showed that participants in the clusters thought they had not developed as many concrete applications (FOR FUNDING R&D? CLARIFY) as they expected. Development of practical applications was also hampered by the reluctance of participating firms to share innovations with other firms participating in the same clusters. On the upside, most involved in the clusters anticipated that they would maintain the same level of participation over the next five years. Nonetheless, KPMG predicted that several clusters would likely fail over the next several years, and about fifteen had serious problems. ¶12. (SBU) Comment: The French focus on building public- private partnerships and breaking down the barriers that prevent the commercialization of research appears well- founded. As indicated above, the clusters program presents opportunities for U.S. firms, including potential funding for R&D conducted in France. What is less clear is whether the kick-start provided by the program will be sufficient to foster development of the kind of informal entrepreneurial networks (in regions where they do not already exist) that are common to truly effective clusters. ¶13. (U) Main Reference Website: For more information on clusters in English or French, including locating specific clusters and industries and finding financial support, visit: www.competitivite.gouv.fr. STAPLETON