Cooperatives and Business Transmissions: Key Drivers of Regional Economic Renewal in France

As France faces a significant wave of business transfers over the next decade, cooperative models are being highlighted as strategic and sustainable solutions to ensure regional economic vitality. Carole Delga, President of the Regions of France, underscored the importance of recognizing cooperative business takeovers as a standard pathway during the official closure of the International Year of Cooperatives. With over 500,000 businesses expected to change hands, cooperatives offer a collective, secure, and locally rooted framework that supports sustainable job creation and adds local economic value, especially amid geopolitical instability and supply chain challenges.

Delga pointed out that French regions mobilize approximately €1.2 billion annually to support the social and solidarity economy (ESS), much of which directly benefits cooperatives. However, she noted that regional resources are limited compared to European counterparts like the German Länder, calling for improved coordination between the State and Regions to strengthen cooperative support policies. Her remarks reaffirmed the Regions' commitment to promoting cooperatives as cornerstone models for territorial economies.

In parallel, Charente-Maritime is confronting a pressing business transmission challenge, driven by the retirement of many company leaders. With scarce public data on business transfers at the departmental level, networks like CRA have tracked small business transitions for over 15 years, aiming to prevent closures and job losses. Nationally, about 51,000 business transmissions occurred in 2023, with forecasts pointing to 55,000 in 2024, a 10% increase.

A dedicated conference set for March 11 in La Rochelle will address multiple facets of business transmission including financing, continuity, and local economic anchoring. This event aims to bring together stakeholders from various fields to tackle the silent yet decisive issue of business handovers that impact the economic future of regions like Charente-Maritime.

Together, these developments highlight how strategic cooperative models and effective management of business transmissions are critical for sustaining and renewing local economies across France, ensuring jobs and economic sovereignty in an uncertain global context.