From September 30 to October 2, an economic mission will take place in Toulouse, focusing on three strategic sectors: aerospace, agtech, and floating offshore wind. The mission coincides with the official visit of King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima to the Occitanie region on October 1. Registration remains open for a few more days, until July 31 at the latest.
The mission aims to strengthen trade relations and stimulate innovation between France and the Netherlands. Participants will gain access to a broad network of French stakeholders, company visits, and sector-specific programs. The mission is organized by the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO), in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, VNO-NCW, and several industry associations. The mission is led by State Secretary for Foreign Trade Hanneke Boerma, with Focco Vijselaar (VNO-NCW) serving as business mission leader.
Economic year
This mission is a key part of the Dutch-French Economic Year (2025), which aims to encourage bilateral trade, attract additional investment, foster new innovative partnerships, and strengthen existing collaborations between the two countries. In 2022 and 2023, innovation missions to Toulouse focused on sustainable aviation, agtech, and floating offshore wind. Participants in the current mission can build on the business opportunities identified during those earlier visits.
Opportunities in France
The Occitanie region, with Toulouse as its economic and technological hub, is the European leader in aerospace. With major players like Airbus and over 1,000 suppliers in its ecosystem, the region offers strong opportunities for collaboration in cabin systems, composites, maintenance (MRO), and simulators. Through its national ‘France 2030’ investment plan, France is also making significant investments in sustainable agricultural technologies and robotics. Additionally, the region is developing six commercial floating wind farms in the Mediterranean and has invested €140 million in the Port of Port-la-Nouvelle as a logistics hub for renewable energy.
This mission offers Dutch companies and knowledge institutions the opportunity to:
- visit French organizations relevant to their sector
- build high-level contacts and expand their professional network
- gain insight into sector developments, challenges, and policy frameworks in France
- formalize partnerships through contracts, letters of intent, or MoUs, in the presence of the State Secretary
- explore market opportunities and identify potential collaborations
- analyze their market position and sharpen market entry strategies
- showcase their technology, products, and expertise to French stakeholders
- increase visibility within both the French and Dutch innovation networks
- strengthen their position among relevant stakeholders in France
More information and registration
Registration for the aerospace sector is now closed; new registrations for that sector will be placed on a waitlist. Registration for the other sectors remains open until Thursday, July 31. Full details about the program and how to register can be found on the RVO website:
More information and registration
