A General Assembly of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) Nice Côte d’Azur was held on Monday at 3 PM. On the agenda were the welcome of the new prefect of the Alpes-Maritimes, an analysis of the department’s economic situation, exchanges with business leaders, projects, and challenges.
His name is Christophe Mirmand and henceforth he will be the Prefect of the Alpes-Maritimes. This is his third position as a prefect, having served in Haute-Loire and then in Savoie before joining our department, which he endows with an “undeniable dynamic.”
The economic crisis, an unfortunate but unavoidable topic, is quickly addressed. The Prefect confides in the analysis of the State, since he is the interlocutor for it, and asserts that the economic situation of the Alpes-Maritimes is “not bad.” He adds that the department benefits from an “atypical development that guarantees a favorable evolution,” while at the national level, indicators remain very worrying. These statements are illustrated by: the decrease in credit applications from companies, tax revenues that have never been higher, and a VAT increase of +2% over one year. Nevertheless, he is keen to issue a warning, first regarding a near-stagnation of the overall turnover of the Azurean companies and secondly in view of a slowdown in building activity (poor public orders, future staff reductions).
When looking more closely, the analysis by territory over a year shows a contrasted evolution: Cannes and Antibes are deteriorating unlike Grasse. On the tourism side, the report is mixed and is explained by the “difficulties encountered by foreign visitors who have not come as regularly as usual.”
The pressing issue of unemployment is also raised. An increase of 10.4% in unemployed people makes the Alpes-Maritimes the worst performer in the P.A.C.A region.
After the problems, it is time for solutions, the prefect recalls the measures chosen by the government for economic recovery at the national level. Three objectives: ensure the competitiveness of companies, control public spending and allow fairness and social dialogue.
On the side of essential challenges for the department, the LGV P.A.C.A project is mentioned, which will allow the competitiveness of the territory in the continuation of sustainable urban planning policy and the difficulty for companies in finding premises to establish or develop.
To work on these issues and provide concrete answers, Christophe Mirmand declares himself “sensitive to the economic development of the consular assembly and department’s projects” before adding that he is already “open” and “available.” According to Bernard Kleynhoff, president of the CCI Nice Côte d’Azur, “a collective mobilization of the General Assembly members” is essential to enter into “action.”
