---
title: Rugby and business event - 22nd October
description: Strengthening economic and business links can also happen on the pitch. Take part in a UK business delegation visit to Northern France on 21 & 22 October 2022.
---

![créa rugby bannière landing ok](https://hub.nordfranceinvest.com/hs-fs/hubfs/cr%C3%A9a%20rugby%20banni%C3%A8re%20landing%20ok.png?width=3325&height=1420&name=cr%C3%A9a%20rugby%20banni%C3%A8re%20landing%20ok.png "créa rugby bannière landing ok")

INVITATION

We are pleased to invite you to a **Rugby & Business event in Armentières** (near Lille, North of France), organised by the Hauts-de-France Region, within its partnership with **‘France 2023’**, official organisers of next year’s Rugby World Cup, and with the support of the **British Embassy in Paris** and multiple other partners.

**Because we believe that strengthening business relations also happens on the pitch, join us on Saturday 22nd October and take part in a UK business delegation visit to Northern France**. It will combine Franco-British business networking and experts’ insight into cross-Channel trade challenges (tax representation, customs issues, dealing with controls, market access etc.), in addition to attending a great Franco-British Rugby event.

**For companies travelling with organisers’ buses from Kent: travel, accommodation and food are all paid for**. **But the event is also open to all other companies in the UK.** Business representatives will have to pay for their return trip to Armentières, but once there, accommodation and food costs will be covered.

REGISTER NOW

OVERALL PLANNING

| **Timing** | **Place** | **Action** |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Friday, 21st October** |  |  |
| In the afternoon | Watford-Lille | Bus trip to Lille for the delegation |
| 19:00 | Hauts-de-France Regional Council | Informal networking cocktail with UK companies, and Representatives of the Hauts-de-France Regional Council and Regional businesses |
| **Saturday, 22nd October** |  |  |
| 8:30-9:00AM | Conference centre | Welcome coffee |
| 9:00-9:20AM | Conference centre | Keynote speech "Cross-Channel trade in times of energy crisis", by Xavier Bourat, Hauts-de-France Regional Director, Total Energies |
| 9:30-10:30AM | Conference centre | **Session 1: dealing with the new cross-Channel trade barriers** - Tax representation: Michael Boulanger (CEO of RM Boulanger - Customs obligations: Michelle Pisano (Unsworth, Sales assistant to Sales Director) and speakers from Bansard International/Seiko - Port Boulogne-Calais: the local infrastructure and processes around controls (customs and Sanitary and Phystosanitary controls), Anthony Pétillon (Strategy & Development, SEPD) - Q&A |
| 10:30-10:45AM | Conference centre | Coffee break |
| 10:45-12:00AM | Conference centre | **Session 2 – Cross-Channel trade opportunities** - Franco-British Chamber of Commerce (Catherine Le Yaouanc, General Manager) and British Chamber of Commerce and Industry Lille (Nik Haidar, Board Member) - UK Department for International Trade - Getlink/Eurotunnel: John Keefe (Director of Public Affairs) - Business France - Nord France Invest (Artus Galiay, Director UK/Ireland) and CCI International Hauts-de-France - Opportunity: 1-minute pitches from a variety of French and British companies - Q&A |
| 12:00 - 13:30 | Conference centre | Networking lunch for all companies |
| 13:30 - 16:30 | Rugby Stadium  | Delegates are invited to go the Armentières stadium across the road to attend the Watford vs Armentières rugby game |
| 16:30 - 21:00 | Rugby Stadium | Social event for those who wish to stay longer (for others, bus departs at 5pm to return to Watford in the evening) |

 

PARTNERS

![logo wall rugby VDEF sans stade](https://hub.nordfranceinvest.com/hubfs/logo%20wall%20rugby%20VDEF%20sans%20stade.png "logo wall rugby VDEF sans stade")

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