Internet drives 25% French growth

THE internet has become a significant sector of the economy, on a par with the traditional lynchpins of transport, energy production and agriculture, according to the associate director of management consultant group McKinsey.

A study carried out by the group, and financed largely by Google, found that the internet was responsible for €60bn of wealth creation in 2009, being 3.2 per cent of France's GDP, rising to €72bn in 2010.

However, it does not take account of the number of jobs or industries destroyed by rise of the net.

While this latest €72bn figure represents 3.7 per cent of GPD, it accounts for 25 per cent of the growth in the economy in the last year, the study claims.

The web is responsible for the creation of 1.15 million jobs, underlining the employment of four per cent of France's workforce – in particular, small to medium-sized businesses.

By 2015, the internet could generate €129bn, being responsible for 5.5 per cent of France’s GDP.

Photo: © Emmanuel Bergère