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Goals and missions
Paris EUROPLACE undertakes four major activities to promote and develop the Paris financial market.
 International Promotion
Each year, Paris EUROPLACE organizes several International Financial Forums that give its members companies, banks, other financial institutions, asset management companies, law and accounting firms the opportunity to present their services and products. These three major forums are held each year in Paris, New York and Tokyo, and bring together investors and leading decision-makers of the financial community (between 600 and 1,500 attendees). Forums are also held in other world regions, including Asia, Europe and the Middle-East. Altogether, Paris EUROPLACE has organized events in over 30 countries since 1993.
Reforms and Action Programs
Based on its strategic action plan issued in 2002, Paris EUROPLACE is implementing 9 action programs:
1) Creating «hubs» in Paris to develop European financial activities,
2) Improving access to financing for growth companies,
3) Strengthening the asset management industry in Paris,
4) Developing electronic financial services in the Paris market,
5) Supporting the ongoing development of Euronext,
6) Setting up research and educational capacities,
7) Improving the tax and regulatory environment,
8) Strengthening financial research in Paris,
9) Expanding the Paris market's communications strategy.
Paris EUROPLACE sets up and runs working groups that explore and address themes of interest to the financial market and its various actors. These groups include professionals issuers, investors and intermediaries for the purpose of making recommendations to the Authorities about the Paris financial market's development.
Major surveys/reports published by Paris EUROPLACE
What measures to take to make the French asset management industry more competitive ? (Gérard de La MARTINIÈRE - 1996)
What prospects for the development of the Paris financial market in the light of introduction of the euro ? (Pierre SIMON - 1997)
What adjustments to regulatory and fiscal texts to open the Paris financial market more fully to firms abroad ? (Working documents)
What do issuers expect from the Paris financial market and what proposals for action ? (Philippe CAMUS - 1998)
What directions for the strategic development of the Paris financial market ? (Paris EUROPLACE/Mc Kinsey & Co Report, 2001)
Paris as a European electronic platform: Action Plan (Paul MENTRÉ, 2002)
What reforms to implement to make the Paris regulatory environment more favorable and compliant to international standards ? (Paris market committee for financial law - Paris EUROPLACE, 2002)
Lobbying in France
Paris EUROPLACE has successfully lobbied the French authorities to obtain a first series of changes in the regulatory and fiscal environment in which the Paris market operates. These include: extension of the special tax regime for company headquarters to financial services groups; elimination of the CIF (special tax on financial institutions); changes in the taxation of UCITS, reduction of taxes on real-estate companies in support of the actions of FSIF (French federation of real-estate companies); suppression of the stock-market tax for non-resident investors, etc. Paris EUROPLACE plays an ongoing role in all discussions of the reforms that the government is considering in order to improve competitiveness.
Lobbying at European Level
Paris EUROPLACE also acts on European issues, and maintains regular contact with the European Commission and the European Parliament. In order to better understand future plans/directives and to include the contributions of the Paris financial market to the process of drawing up European Directives (EC law), a working group has been set up to draw up proposals under the theme «Europe post 2005». In addition, Paris EUROPLACE is working to enhance contacts between the Paris financial market and representatives of the European Commission and European Parliament.
Organization
Paris EUROPLACE was created by the major representative institutions of the Paris financial market: AFECEI (The French Association of Credit Institutions and Investment Firms), Banque de France, Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations (State bank receiving government and savings bank deposits and a major investor), Chambre de Commerce et de l'Industrie de Paris (Paris Chamber of Commerce), Conseil Régional d'Ile de France (the Legislative Council for the Ile-de-France region, in which Paris is located), Euronext Paris, Euroclear (ex-Sicovam), City of Paris.
The membership of the Association today includes more than 150 different entities that operate in the financial field. One of the key characteristics of Paris EUROPLACE is that it brings together a large number of actors in the financial industry, including issuers as well as banks, brokerage houses, asset management firms, professional associations, consulting firms, law firms and accounting firms, etc. Through its close working relationship and contacts with the most senior levels of French/European authorities and businesses, Paris EUROPLACE offers its members networking opportunities with those who influence and make decisions.
The Paris EUROPLACE Board is chaired by Gérard Mestrallet, Chairman of Suez, and made up of representatives of both founders and associated members. The Steering Committee, chaired by Jean-François THEODORE, Chairman of the Managing Board, Euronext NV, CEO, Euronext, provides the executive leadership for the implementation of the Association's actions.
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