Why is H&M France a member of CCSF?

The Thule brand was created in Sweden in 1942. Under the motto "Bring your life," Thule offers a wide range of premium products for active people, enabling them to carry what matters most to them — safely, easily, and in style. The products are sold in more than 138 countries.

Thule is a global market leader in a number of product categories, including roof racks, roof boxes and bike racks for cars, camera bags as well as multisport- and bicycle trailers. They are also growing rapidly in product categories like sports- and duffel bags, luggage and strollers.

In January this year, Thule opened a store in central Paris.

• Micky de Jonge, Architecte Pôle développement, AME
• Amanda Messa, Student, Inalco
• Stephen Lindgren, Sales Executive, Payhawk
• Nadya Bouaouich, Coordinatrice, Escape Technologies
• Isabella Gottzandt, Responsable Service PMO, Ericsson France

May 9th 14:00 (CET) - Webinar

Europe Fika – Celebrating International Europe Day

13th of May 08h30 Workshop - Cultural Differences at Work

Exploring cultural differences in the workplace between France and Sweden

This event takes place in Stockholm.

A workshop led by Laurence Romani, professor of management at Stockholm School of Economics. She has researched cultural differences in the workplace and leadership for many years and has edited several volumes on the topic.

There will be a brief introduction on cultural differences, highlighting implicit assumptions about working together.

This will be followed by a roundtable discussion where participants can share their views on perceived differences in a Swedish-French work environment.

We’ll conclude with practical strategies to turn these differences into synergies for a more harmonious and productive workplace.

This event is fully booked, waitlist available.

Dialogues on diversity, inclusion and wellbeing with a global business lens

Yves Nys, Global Well-Being, Diversity & Inclusion SKF Group, will take the lead on the topic followed by your interactions and discussions.

Reserved for Premium Members

Team Sweden in France is happy to invite you to a presentation of the Business Climate Survey France 2025. The report and ensuing discussions will provide insights about the economic outlook, key facts about the market and Swedish company performances in France.

Opening by H.E. Håkan Åkesson, Ambassador of Sweden to France. Introduction by Gîta Paterson, President, Swedish Chamber of Commerce in France. Presentation of results by Annika Stål, Trade and Investment Commissioner & Country Manager France, Business Sweden. The presentations will be followed by a panel with company leaders.
 

The presentation is followed by a panel discussion with representatives from Swedish companies in France:

- Jean-Baptiste Corona, Regional General Manager South Europe North Africa & Country Manager Epiroc France

- Camille Pertusot, Head of Country Unit, Saab France

- Florence Simonet, Managing Director, Vattenfall Eolien

The panel will be moderated by Katarina Lööf, Managing Director, Swedish Chamber of Commerce in France.

After the discussion, we warmly invite you to stay for a networking cocktail.

At CCSF.

In the presence of H.E. Håkan Åkesson, Ambassador of Sweden to France. Guests of honour Pascal Cagni, Chairman of the Board, Business France and France Ambassador for International Investments and H.E. Thierry Carlier, new Ambassador of France to Sweden, former Deputy General Manager DGA.

At the Embassy of Sweden.

The event is organised by CCSF in close collaboration with Team Sweden and Team France. The day features a high-level conference - French-Swedish Business Summit, French-Swedish Tech & Innovation Exhibition, and the Networking Evening - Soirée Franco-Suédoise with the Prix d'Excellence Award Ceremony. The event will take placce on December 1st at Pavillion Vendôme, former "Banque de Suède et de Paris".

More information about partnership possibilities and tickets will be available soon.

Caroline Vicini has been appointed by the Swedish government as the new ambassador to Paris.

Caroline Vicini is currently serving as ambassador in Nairobi. She has previously served as ambassador in Kabul. She has also worked at the embassies in Washington, Rome, Paris, and Algiers, and has been Deputy Head of the EU Delegation in Washington. Among other roles, she has served as Chief of Protocol at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.

Caroline Vicini will take up her new post in the fall of 2025.

Photo: Linkedin

IKEA France once again wins the award for the French People's Favorite Brand in the furniture and decoration category of the EY- Ranking.

This distinction celebrates IKEA's vision of improving everyday life for the many, as well as the brand’s relevance: affordable, accessible, and sustainable.

Fagerhult acquires the Trato TLV group

Swedish investments driving industrial growth in France in 2024

In 2024, Swedish companies are strengthening their presence in France, mainly through industrial, green and innovation-driven investment projects. From sustainable production to cutting-edge R&D, these investments support France's reindustrialization and environmental goals, making the French-Swedish partnership a model for smart and long-term growth.

To read the article and learn more, click here

Following last month’s presentation of the Omnibus I package on corporate sustainability reporting and due diligence, work on the proposals has advanced rapidly. On 26 March, Member States unanimously endorsed the Commission’s so-called “stop-the-clock” proposal, which delays the application of the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) by one year and the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) by two. Notably, the CSRD delay applies only to companies not yet complying with the requirements. By moving swiftly to adopt the proposal, the Council aims to give businesses legal certainty while further amendments to these core legislations are introduced under the “substantive” proposal, also part of the Omnibus I package.

On 3 April, the European Parliament (EP) similarly approved the “stop-the-clock” proposal with a strong majority. By supporting a two-year delay for the EU’s sustainability reporting framework (CSRD) and a one-year delay for the EU’s due diligence rules (CSDDD) (both currently under review within Omnibus I) the EP has paved the way for this postponement to become law on 16 April. As a result, certain companies that would have been subject to these obligations by 2026 can now plan for two additional years of preparation and compliance.
 

CSRD:

· Wave 1 - First report published in 2025 (unchanged): Undertakings and groups already subject to NFRD

· Wave 2 - First report published in 2028 (previously 2026): All other large EU undertakings and groups

· Wave 3 - First report published in 2029 (previously 2027): SMEs (excluding micro-undertakings)

· Wave 4 - First report published in 2029 (unchanged): Third-country undertakings in scope

CS3D:

· 26 July 2027 (previously 26 July 2026): Deadline for transposition

· Wave 1 (5,000 employees, EUR 1.5 billion turnover): postponed from 26 July 2027 to 26 July 2028.

· Wave 2 (3,000 employees, EUR 900 million turnover): 26 July 2028 (unchanged).

· Wave 3 (1,000 employees, EUR 450 million turnover): 26 July 2029 (unchanged).

Next Steps

The deadline for Member States transposition is set on 31 December 2025.

On April 9, the European Commission unveiled its AI Continent Action Plan, an ambitious roadmap to position Europe as a global leader in artificial intelligence. Building on President von der Leyen’s commitments from the AI Action Summit in Paris, the plan seeks to transform Europe’s established industries, strong research base, and vibrant startup ecosystem into a powerhouse of AI innovation. It addresses several urgent challenges facing the EU, including insufficient computing infrastructure, limited access to high-quality data, slow AI adoption in key sectors, and a growing talent gap. At its core are the creation of AI Factories and Gigafactories to bolster supercomputing capabilities, the development of Data Labs to curate large, high-quality datasets, and the launch of an Apply AI Strategy to boost industrial AI use. These efforts are complemented by talent-focused initiatives such as the AI Skills Academy, as well as legislative and regulatory measures designed to simplify compliance and encourage private-sector investment in sustainable data center capacity.

Through public consultations open until 4 June on the Cloud and AI Development Act, the Apply AI Strategy, and the forthcoming Data Union Strategy, the Commission is actively seeking input from industry, academia, and civil society to refine these measures. By integrating the latest research, addressing real-world challenges, and facilitating open dialogue, the AI Continent Action Plan aims not only to advance Europe’s tech sovereignty but also to ensure that AI is developed and deployed in a manner consistent with the Union’s values. Taken together, these actions pave the way for a future where Europe’s AI ecosystem competes on a global scale, driving both economic growth and societal benefits across the continent.

Next Steps

Public consultations close on 4 June 2025.

On 1 April, the Commission unveiled plans for a major overhaul of its cohesion policy, one of the EU's largest funding programmes, as part of the mid-term review of the initiative. Originally aimed to reduce structural inequalities between regions across the EU, the proposed revision suggests enabling the redirection of billions of cohesion funds towards the EU’s strategic priorities. Concretely, the Commission is proposing to expand the scope of its policy to also encompass tackling the green transition, strengthening Europe’s defence industry and responding to regional needs like affordable housing and water resilience. In that sense, the Commission invites Member States to readjust their cohesion-allocated funds under the 2021–2027 cohesion budget, worth €392 billion.

The revision aims to align cohesion policy more closely with the EU’s evolving geopolitical and economic priorities, notably competitiveness, decarbonisation, and defence. The Commission proposes allowing Member States to reprogramme part of their cohesion funds to support strategic investments in areas such as energy interconnectors, defence-related infrastructure, innovation in critical technologies, and the resilience of border regions, particularly those impacted by Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. It also seeks to double support for affordable housing, enhance water management in the face of droughts and desertification, and facilitate clean mobility infrastructure. In addition to streamlined funding procedures, projects aligned with these priorities will benefit from up to 100% EU co-financing and increased prefinancing incentives, underlining the Commission’s effort to modernise cohesion policy without undermining its core mission of reducing regional disparities. The amendments of the cohesion policy legislations, proposed in the context of the 2025 mid-term review, will be discussed by the European Parliament and the Council. The Commission's objective is to conclude the reprogramming exercise of the mid-term review with Member States and regions in 2025, so that the new programmes can start being implemented in early 2026.

Next Steps

The amendments will be discussed by the European Parliament to start implementation in early 2026.