Press release

7 Jun 2021 London, GB

Foreign investment into Europe set to rebound in 2021, following 2020 downswing

LONDON, 7 JUNE 2021. While the turbulence and uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in foreign direct investment (FDI) in Europe to fall by 13% in 2020, 40% of respondents plan to establish or expand operations in Europe in the next 12 months, compared with 27% at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the annual EY Europe Attractiveness Survey.

Press contact
Alasdair Gee

EY Global Media Relations and Social Media Assistant Director – Talent, Diversity & Inclusion and Corporate Responsibility

Global media relations and social media leader for Talent, D&I and CR. Keen runner, swimmer and occasional cyclist.

  • Forty percent of businesses plan to expand operations in Europe in 2021, compared with 27% at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic
  • France, the UK and Germany are almost level for the first time as Europe’s most attractive investment destinations 
  • Investors agree on four critical ingredients for attractiveness: skills, sustainability, government stimulus and tax simplification

While the turbulence and uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in foreign direct investment (FDI) in Europe falling by 13% in 2020, 40% of respondents plan to establish or expand operations in Europe in the next 12 months, compared with 27% at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the annual EY Europe Attractiveness Survey.

The EY Europe Attractiveness Survey is based on qualitative research conducted in March and April 2021 with 550 international decision-makers – from companies across a range of industries and headquartered around the globe, from small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to multinationals – and quantitative analysis of FDI projects announced in Europe in 2020. The survey finds that for the first time, France, the UK and Germany are virtually tied as Europe’s most attractive investment destinations, attracting 985, 975 and 930 projects respectively, owing to investment in Germany falling less precipitously than in France and the UK, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Critical ingredients for investors

Four key factors emerge from the survey as critical when investors decide where to invest:

  1. Skills: The new role of technology triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic – in customer experience, more automated production lines and back offices, and “phygital” (physical and digital) work environments – means revamping Europe’s digital skills base is imperative. Eighty-two percent of respondents say the availability of a workforce with technology skills and 75% say countries with a 5G rollout plan are important factors in their choice of location.
  2. Sustainability: Environmental sustainability will influence investors’ location decisions with 90% of respondents saying it is important to their investment strategy and 85% already consider Europe a “green leader”.
  3. Stimulus: Foreign investors noted that national and European recovery plans are aimed at the long-term and deep-rooted transformation of economies and societies. Businesses also expect governments to provide short-term economic stimulus and help restart the European economy.
  4. Simplification: Tax stability, transparency and harmonization are crucial as those doing business in Europe face a perfect storm of agreed changes and upcoming challenges. For example, standardized corporate tax rates will impact location strategies for investors as well as new digital business and environmental regulation and tax, which are to be defined. 

Julie Teigland, EY EMEIA Area Managing Partner, says:

“Business leaders around the globe are being propelled toward a paradigm shift, expedited by the COVID-19 pandemic. Success is beginning to be defined differently. The corporate world is entering the era of purpose-led growth, growth that is sustainable and delivers value that will benefit all stakeholders. FDI is one of the most impactful drivers of positive change in countries and for societies.

“Most of our respondents agree on the elements that will inform their future investments: skills, sustainability, stimulus and simplification. The fact that business leaders are making investment decisions with shared objectives is heartening and shows discussions shifting towards purposeful growth. More than ever, businesses are considering broader society, including the environment, in their strategies and are building trust among stakeholders as a result. It is this shift in focus that will enable Europe to thrive over the longer term.”

Path to recovery and industry analysis

The survey finds that there are several short- and long-term risks to Europe’s attractiveness. In the short-term the vaccine-driven economic recovery could falter if new COVID-19 strains emerge that require a return to social distancing. In the long-term, businesses are concerned about protectionism and uncertainty about tariff and trade policies that represent a greater threat to Europe’s attractiveness than they did in 2020. Further, the US’ vast economic stimulus program may attract some FDI away from Europe. At the same time, the impact of the EU’s Recovery and Resilience Facility – closely aligned with the European Commission’s priorities of green and digital transitions that will make EUR672.5b in loans and grants available to help member states to recover – is yet to be seen. However, respondents want governments to simultaneously outline a clear, immediate path for the sustained safe reopening of public life and businesses as well as provide longer-term support for the recovery of European economies.

Supply chain disruption, restrictions on movement, national lockdowns and uncertain demand caused manufacturing FDI to decline 22% since 2019. A spike in logistics investment by online retailers more than compensated for a significant decline in industrial logistics. Inclinations toward major supply chain reorganization that were present when the COVID-19 pandemic first hit have evaporated: just 20% of businesses feel they have to re-shore or nearshore operations in the short term, compared with 83% last year. FDI in life sciences increased by 62% and was the only major sector that experienced an increase in foreign investment as businesses rapidly moved to meet surging demand for COVID-19 vaccines, treatments and personal protective equipment.                          

Teigland says:

“Our survey shows that European countries must cater to businesses’ changing priorities, propelled by the COVID-19 pandemic. The size and scope of the EU’s COVID-19 stimulus package, the Recovery and Resilience Facility, targets the technology transition and the green resolution that aligns with potential investors’ considerations for the region. Business leaders tell us that digital infrastructure and skills and a robust sustainability agenda that takes into account the positive environmental impact of new projects are critical in determining where they invest. And the projects are out there, for example, the EY organization has identified 1,000 shovel-ready green projects that could create three million jobs, almost a quarter of the number lost due to the pandemic.”

 

-ends-

About EY

EY exists to build a better working world, helping to create long-term value for clients, people and society and build trust in the capital markets.

Enabled by data and technology, diverse EY teams in over 150 countries provide trust through assurance and help clients grow, transform and operate.

Working across assurance, consulting, law, strategy, tax and transactions, EY teams ask better questions to find new answers for the complex issues facing our world today.

EY refers to the global organization, and may refer to one or more, of the member firms of Ernst & Young Global Limited, each of which is a separate legal entity. Ernst & Young Global Limited, a UK company limited by guarantee, does not provide services to clients. Information about how EY collects and uses personal data and a description of the rights individuals have under data protection legislation are available via ey.com/privacy. EY member firms do not practice law where prohibited by local laws. For more information about our organization, please visit ey.com.

This news release has been issued by EYGM Limited, a member of the global EY organization that also does not provide any services to clients.

About the survey

EY attractiveness surveys analyses the attractiveness of a particular region or country as an investment destination. The surveys are designed to help businesses make investment decisions and governments remove barriers to growth. A two-step methodology analyses both the reality and perception of FDI in the country or region.

The evaluation of the reality of FDI in Europe is based on the EY European Investment Monitor (EIM), the proprietary EY database, produced in collaboration with OCO. The field research was conducted by EuroMoney in March and April 2021, based on a representative panel of 550 international decision-makers. ey.com/attractiveness