Brittany, France

Brittany is France’s westernmost region. Its position has long made it a hub of continental trade with the British Isles and the New World. Agriculture and maritime activities (the fishing and cargo fleets and the navy) have long dominated life in Brittany. This explains why Bretons are both proud of their origins and also spread all over Europe and the world. The region is also very attractive and its population continues to grow (the number of inhabitants increased by almost 100 000 between 2010 and 2015).

Examples of projects and initiatives supported by the EU

Brittany is France’s second largest producer of agricultural goods and the most important region for fishing. These two sectors are at the heart of the EU’s remit and are covered by the Common Agricultural Policy and the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), respectively. Every year, the EU contributes more than EUR 500 million in aid to Breton agriculture. The fisheries sector is allocated a budget and measures are funded by the CFP which regulates fisheries relations with non-EU Member States and allows the 5 000 Breton fishermen to fish virtually everywhere in European waters.

Brittany, which has a coastline over 2 000 kilometres in length, aims to become a leader in marine energies and is determined to establish an industrial sector in this area. Europe supports this approach by financing projects in Brest and near Erdeven, but also by investing in research. The Commission believes that blue energy could, over time, meet a large share of Europe's energy needs.

For a long time, Brittany has been at the forefront of information and communication technologies. Today, the region is a leader in innovative fibre optics thanks to EU backing. In addition, the European Research Council has supported 14 researchers from Rennes for their cutting-edge work over the last ten years.