Nord-Pas de Calais shares a maritime border with Kent in the UK and a land border with Flanders, Belgium. The region has a range of excellent transport links and is home to a population of approximately 4 million. The region combines the “Départements” of Nord and Pas de Calais and is ideally situated in the ‘heart of Europe’ between London, Paris and Brussels.

Nord-Pas de Calais has built on its rich industrial and mining heritage to become a dynamic region for modern business with key strengths in automotive manufacturing and high tech industries.

Nord-Pas de Calais a great place to do business

Photo : Michaël Lachant /Conseil Régional Nord-Pas de Calais Photo : Michaël Lachant /Conseil Régional Nord-Pas de Calais Photo : Emmanuel Watteau /Conseil Régional Nord-Pas de Calais

Photo : Dominique Bokalo/Conseil Régional Nord-Pas de Calais

Key industrial sectors

• Automotive manufacturing

• Logistics

• Healthcare / Life sciences

• Environmental Technologies

• E-commerce

• Customer relations

Key industrial sectors

Automotive manufacturing

Healthcare / Life sciences

Environmental Technologies

E-commerce

Customer relations

The metropolitan area of Lille is the largest urban centre in the region and is at the heart of the richest consumer centre in Europe. With some 100m inhabitants living in a 300km radius of Lille, this area ranks top in Europe for purchasing power.

Nord-Pas de Calais benefi ts from convenient high speed rail connections to Amsterdam, Brussels, Paris, Kent and London, demonstrating the region’s excellent connectivity. Besides physically linking mainland Europe to the UK, the Channel tunnel, near Calais, ensures the region’s status as a European gateway destination.

The region is host to three signifi cant seaports; Dunkerque, Calais and Boulogne-sur-Mer. Dunkerque and Calais are some of France’s major freight ports. Boulogne-sur-Mer acts as a hub for fi sheries and is a centre for seafood and distribution.

Nord- Pas de Calais is a true centre for logistics; the region’s rail network, freight terminals and waterways all contribute to it being an ideal location for the large number of SMEs and multinational companies that have chosen to locate their business in the area.

The region is home to over 1,100 foreign companies and is the third most active French region for export and import activity. Companies such as DHL, UPS, Bonduelle, Columbia and Toyota are currently taking advantage of this favourable business environment.

Nord-Pas de Calais offers a high quality of life with long stretches of sandy beaches providing great leisure opportunities and the rich, historic and cultural traditions of the area continue to this day.

Nord-Pas de Calais is a dynamic business region

Photo : François Lo Presti /Conseil Régional Nord-Pas de Calais

There are museums to explore as well as local festivals and markets. The iconic belfries in the towns and cities are a prolifi c symbol of the region.

Dunkirk

Lille

Calais

Boulogne-sur-Mer NORD

PAS DE CALAIS

A1

A2

A26

A16

A25

A16

Cambrai

Maubeuge

Valenciennes

Douai

Lens

Arras

Béthune

Tourcoing

Roubaix

Ramsgate-Boulogne

To Brussels

To Paris

To Ashford and Ebbsfleet

Dover-Calais

Dover-Dunkirk

Ramsgate

DoverFolkestone

KENT

Motorways

Main Roads

High Speed Rail Service

Gare de Calais- Fréthun

Gare de Lille

ASHFORD BRUSSELS

AMSTERDAM

PARIS

LILLE

LONDON KENT High Speed Rail Service times from Lille to:

Ebbsfleet: 1hr 10mins

Ashford: 1hr

Paris: 1hr

Brussels: 35mins

London: 1hr 30mins

Business Support Services

Key Business Events

With major venues such as the Grand Palais in Lille, Nord-Pas de Calais hosts a large number of international trade events throughout the year.

Business Support Services

• Nord-Pas de Calais Chamber of Commerce / CCI Région Nord de France Provides information and support for companies on trading in the region.

Telephone: + 33 (0) 3.20.63.79.79 Web: www.nordpasdecalais.cci.fr

• Conseil Régional du Nord-Pas de CalaisThe Regional Council is the elected administrative body for the region and on their website you will fi nd further information and contacts for the area.

Website: www.nordpasdecalais.fr

• Nord France InvestIs a publicly funded investment development agency that enables and supports businesses which are looking to locate their business to Northern France.

Telephone: + 33 (0) 359 562 300 Email: nfi nvest@nfi nvest.fr Website: www.nordfranceinvest.fr

Photo : Philippe Frutier /Conseil Régional Nord-Pas de Calais

Photo : Emmanuel Watteau /Conseil Régional Nord-Pas de Calais

Photo : Emmanuel Watteau /Conseil Régional Nord-Pas de Calais

www.2seastrade.eu

About 2 Seas Trade

The 2 Seas Trade (2ST) project is part fi nanced by the EU funded Interreg IVA 2 Seas Programme. 2ST aims to encourage and support SMEs in Kent, East and West Flanders (Belgium), the South West of the Netherlands and Nord-Pas de Calais (France) to trade within these partner regions. The project is being run by the organisations shown below who between them have many years experience in helping companies trade internationally.

Kent

Nord-Pas de Calais

WestFlanders

EastFlanders

The SW of the Netherlands