Françoise Rausch, President of the Franco-British Chamber was delighted to take part in the Franco-British Summit 2025 on 9th and 10th July in London. Several meetings and events were organised alongside the Summit, including an AI panel discussion at Imperial College featuring President Emmanuel Macron and Arthur Mensch, CEO of Mistral AI and a meeting gathering French and British business leaders aroundEric Lombard, Minister for the Economy & Finance and Clara Chappaz, Minister for Artificial intelligence and digital technologies.
Overall, the Summit marked a significant economic reset:
– A major boost in cross‑Channel investment—especially in infrastructure, fintech, and high-tech manufacturing.
– Deeper green trade ties via shipping, aviation, and energy market linkage.
– Pragmatic moves to streamline border and trade flows.
– Strengthened bilateral governance frameworks for global finance, tax, and sustainability.
– Renewed focus on long-range strategic supply chains.
These steps reinforce a strategic pivot toward closer UK‑France economic integration in a post‑Brexit, green, and global outlook.
Amongst other major announcements:
– Defence & Security: Coordinated nuclear deterrents; Storm Shadow missiles; joint industrial/force integration; Ukraine peacekeeping planning.
– Artificial Intelligence: Reinforced commitment post‑AI Summit, focusing on battlefield AI, cyber-defense R&D.
– Mobility & Migration: “One in, one out” returns pilot; e-gate expansions; technical mobility cooperation.
