Investment rises in France in 2013. According to the latest attractiveness barometer survey drawn up by EY Consultants, after two years of falling investment, 2013 saw a rise in foreign investment in France in 2013. Last year, France attracted 514 new projects and foreign site extensions, a 9% increase on 2012. This investment helped create 14,122 new jobs, up 34% on the previous year. Nonetheless, the number of jobs created is still 4,000 below the average recorded between 2004 and 2008. France is also lagging behind when it comes to setting up research and development centres, head offices and other company start-ups with strong added value. It is in fifth place in the European league tables, according to the number of head offices opened and is behind Ireland and the Netherlands, mainly due to tax reasons. Finally, despite the increase in the number of projects, France is still in third place in terms of the number of projects set up in Europe and is trailing behind the United Kingdom (799 projets) and Germany (701 projets). The barometer survey also indicates that the BRIC countries ( Brazil, Russia, India and China) are not really succumbing to France's charms either. Out of 313 projects set up or capacity extensions by these countries in Europe, 107 went to Germany and 87 to the United Kingdom. France is lagging far behind, with 19 projects generating just 436 jobs last year out of the 16,000 created by BRIC countries in Europe. (IL)