INFORMATION FOR INVESTORS STRASBOURG REGION A BI-NATIONAL STORY OF SUCCESS

Transcription

1 INFORMATION FOR INVESTORS STRASBOURG REGION A BI-NATIONAL STORY OF SUCCESS

2 FOREWORD COMPETITIVE METROPOLISES FACING GLOBAL CHALLENGES ON LOCAL LEVEL Above all European metropolitan areas are facing globalisation in form of a dynamical growth of the service sector: the so called process of tertiarisation. Whereas industrial production units tend to move from Central Europe to Eastern Europe and Asia, the service sector is regarded as the future driving force in Europe s economy. CHANGING ECONOMY - CHANGING CITIES For the cities this process implies a radical structural change with dramatic consequences in many different fields: new demands concerning location of enterprises, town planning, employment ranges, qualification levels, infrastructure, housing or administrative cooperation with companies and investors. Moreover international acting companies are not bounded to a specific national location in particular. Cities and metropolitan areas around the world are competing with each other. FOCUSING ON EUROPE - THE COMET PROJECT (Competitive Metropolises. Economic Transformation, Labour Market and Competition in European Agglomerations) Realising the COMET-Project, the European Union tries to frame the complex process standing behind globalisation and wants to give an answer what it means to different European metropolitan regions. In order to meet the different demands of its broad audience (research, administration, planning, investors) the COMET-Project and all its results of research are documented in various publications. The degree of structural service diversification in Inner Cities and suburban areas in Amsterdam, Barcelona, Berlin, Brussels, Copenhagen, Strasbourg and Vienna during the last decade were analysed within the project. Finally, an individual combination of so called soft location factors (e.g. quality of life, housing situation, safety or image) and hard location factors (e.g. availability of qualified workforce, infrastructure or real-estate market) is the crucial point in a companys decision to settle down in a certain place. Thus every city has to establish itself as a prime location with many unique sellings points in international competition.

3 STRASBOURG REGION POPULATION AND AREA These maps show the borders of Strasbourg region as a coherent economic unit as it was identified using a scientific delimitation method. Source: Principal Investigators Strasbourg Gabriel Wackermann, Paris-Sorbonne Jörg Wendel, University of Basel Institute of Geography, Urban & Regional Studies; SPOT 1999 (September); Edited with friendly approval by ADEUS Data Provider: R.Schneider-Sliwa, Geographical Institute of Basel Method: N.U.R.E.C. Authors: Wackermann, G., Wendel, J. Date: Code: map Cartography: Stein, D., Hagspiel, E.

4 STRASBOURG - CENTER OF EUROPE Strasbourg, head office of the European Parliament and the Council of Europe, is the seat of many international organizations. The proximity of commercial markets as well as the presence of the university s offer of excellence and scientific research have made it possible to attract the investments of major world groups. Due to its openness to Europeanization and globalisation the Alsace, consisting of the Départements Bas-Rhin and Haut-Rhin, with its higher order urban centres Strasbourg and Mulhouse was able to compete with other regions in France and in the Upper Rhine Valley. Today Strasbourg is no longer merely a fringe agglomeration in the French metropolitan system, but rather ranked top of the second level (first level: Paris, Lyon, Marseille). Strasbourg Region (Cus with Kehl on the German side) has taken on the role of a central agglomeration in Western Europe. Thus the agglomeration now offers central political (e.g. the Council of Europe since 1949 and the European Parliament), financial, economic and other higher order service functions.

5 There are clear distinctions between the percentages of the key-branches in Strasbourg and the other cities. The 16% Predominantly Blue-Collar Business services are a relict of the Industrial age, even if Strasbourg has always been a tertiary city. Industry is still of great importance in Strasbourg due to the fact that industry managed to restructure from bulk Production to High-Technologies. The 15% part of Real Estate Management shows, that Strasbourg is still expanding and that there is a booming real estate market. The high percentage of Organizations (12%) is based on the European and EC-functions of Strasbourg. All other percentages have historic roots. Strasbourg has always been an important cultural city (10%) and university location (R&D 7%). Since the transformation to a service society these functions are steadily expanding. The outcome of this is the positive development of Telecommunications, of Consulting services as well as of membership organizations related to the European Council, the EC, the European Court of Human Rights and all the other institutions settling at Strasbourg, due to the EC functions mentioned above. We see that Strasbourg even though a relatively small metropolitan area displays all metropolitan functions the much larger metropolises harbor.

6 Employment in Business Services POWERFUL SERVICE SECTOR The most interesting areas for the service enterprises are definitely the (south-) western districts of Strasbourg and the (south-) western municipalities of the outskirts as well as the city centre where the EC functions and EC related functions are concentrated. There are no significant patterns of movement to note but there is a concentration of certain businesses (e.g. Biotech at Illkirch). At the German part of the agglomeration the districts with a maximum proximity to Strasbourg (e.g. a planned business-park at the south-west of Kehl with immediate vicinity to Illkirch) are to mention as the most interesting settlement areas. Specialized and spatial concentrated facilities for service enterprises (e.g. technology parks, science institutions, office parks) are very important for economic development of the agglomeration Strasbourg/Kehl and the whole region but also for the continuity and new formation of service enterprises. The acceptance and image of technology parks at the agglomeration is really good. There is a great initial impact of the university and other R&Dfacilities to observe. It is to mention, that the University Louis-Pasteur is ranked as second to the Sorbonne/Paris. SOURCE: COMET databases AUTHOR: M.Paal & A.Pöckl CARTOGRAPHY: C. Enichlmair Data Provider: INSEE - R.Schneider-Sliwa, Geographical Institute of Basel

7 Employment in Service Sector There is a positive economic development of service enterprises for the next ten years expected. The economic advancement of the greater Strasbourg area and the whole upper Rhine valley will proceed. The development at the French part of the agglomeration will push the already initiated developments at the Ortenau county. Most likely this development will take place at the extending suburban area. On the German part of the agglomeration this development will take place amongst other at the former borderline districts between Strasbourg and Kehl. Thus the growing together of the agglomeration will continue in particular at the redevelopment district (conversion of former barracks and the areas of the binational horticultural show 2004). The main branches will be: applied informatics, telematics, biotech and biochemistry, all kinds of applied and basic research, insurance business, legal consulting on an international level and everything with a relation to the EC. SOURCE: COMET databases AUTHOR: M.Paal & A.Pöckl CARTOGRAPHY: C. Enichlmair Data Provider: INSEE - R.Schneider-Sliwa, Geographical Institute of Basel

8 PARC D INNOVATION D ILLKIRCH Strasbourg Parc d Innovation d Illkirch is one of the largest techno poles in France. France has a particular national policy regarding techno poles, since Pierre Laffitte started the first in 1969 (Sophia Antipolis near Nice). France is keen on its international position in research and high-tech business. Here, a techno pole is not just a more advanced industrial park but rather an ensemble of innovative and interweaved clusters of university research and high-tech companies. The economic focus of the techno-park is on biotech research and industries, genetics and space technology. Twenty years after the establishment of the park 69 enterprises and institutions employ employees. The very selective and measured policy of companies location built a high recognized quality; in return its evolution is slower and the park is not yet completed. Most of the small and medium sized enterprises are privately invested; on the other hand all large institutes are public-financed. There is a European Space agency, closely related to the International Space University (connected with MIT). Since 1996, the biotech industry is connected with the German parts of the Upper Rhine Region. In this framework, the Bio Valley Project is promoting the upper Rhine region as the most advanced international region, 40% of all worldwide pharmaceutical enterprises are represented in this region. The Bio valley project is subsidised by European Community (INTERREG 2 and 3).

9 STAFFING TRENDS In comparison with the other European metropolises Strasbourg shows similar mean percentages of staff decrease (-29%) but below average mean percentages of staff increase. This is evidence that Strasbourg is growing and in the process of modernization but this process is going on slowly and well structured. Strasbourg s development policy is and was very careful and appropriate to circumstances. The spatial distinctions relate to all previous implementations. At zone 1 actually no fluctuations and economic movements can be observed. Main gravity points of economic development are zones 2 and 3. All branches are prospering more or less, the employment balance is always positive. Culture and organizations seem to be affected by an intensive structural change.

10 IMPRESSUM COMET (EVK4-CT ) - An EU-project in the 5th Framework Programme under the Key Action City of Tomorrow and Cultural Heritage, co-ordinated by the Institute for Urban and Regional Research of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Postgasse 7/4/2, A-1010 Vienna. Supported by the Austrian Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Culture. Diagrams by: Marie Bachmann, Free University Berlin Photos by: J. Dorkel, G. Engel, B. Henry, E. Laemmel, D. Lutz Design: Peter Johannes Görgl