Europe still attractive region for investors - According to Ernst & Young consultants, the United Kingdom and Germany were still the most investor attractive countries in Europe in 2012. Although it is still in third place, France is beginning to run out of steam. This attractiveness survey is based on the analysis of foreign direct investment flows in Europe and meetings with 212 CEOs between 21 February and 4 March this year in 25 different countries. Ernst & Young explained that 2012 was a difficult year in Europe but that the situation had, however, not impacted negatively on investor confidence on the continent. In 2012, 3,797 investment projects were registered in Europe, -2.8% than in 2011. These projects created 170,434 jobs (+8% compared to 2011). Despite the debt crisis, 37% of company CEOs rate Western Europe as the second most investment destination in the world. Of these, 28% also put the European Union in fourth position, behind Brazil, Russia and India. More specifically, Ernst & Young made the following observations: 1) the United Kingdom has still maintained first position as the most investment attractive country in Europe (18.4% of all investment). Germany is in second place but is continuing to increase its share of this market (16.4%) and the country is now hot on the heels of its British rival; 2) the EU has won new ground as a favourite investor destination, following two disappointing years. Although the number of investment projects fell by 4.8%, the region created +26.1% of jobs, a figure that Ernst &Young underlines as being nothing short of remarkable; 3) Spain, Belgium, Ireland and Finland all increased their number of investment projects in 2012 compared to the previous year. Belgium obtained its best score since 2008; 4) on the other hand, France, the Netherlands, Italy and Switzerland registered relatively few investment projects and little job creation. These four countries accounted for slightly more than 750 projects, i.e. 20% less than in 2012. US companies remain the biggest source of investment in Europe and accounted for 27.5% of projects in 2012. European companies accounted for more than half of total investment (54.3%). Seven European countries, with Germany and the United Kingdom in the lead, are included in the Top 10 of the most active investors in the region. Although manufacturing industry only accounts for 25.6% of investment projects, 59.9% of all jobs created on the continent were in this sector. In 2012, investment projects in manufacturing industry fell by 6.4% but managed to create 4.4% more jobs. Overall, investors still consider Europe as a good continent for investing in manufacturing: 84% of them still intend to invest in the sector over the next 10 years. Services and software sectors remained the leading sectors with foreign investors, with 29% of them intending to invest in these sectors in 2012. The United Kingdom remains the top investor destination (27.5%), followed by far by Germany, then France and Spain. The car sector, however, registered the worst percentage of investment intentions for 20 years.