This book, first published in 1983, is primarily concerned with the economic policies of the European Economic Community and the European Coal and Steel Community. It explains in detail how the common market was established and how it was maintained. Free competition cannot be created merely by removing customs duties and quotas: it is also necessary to attack the many non-tariff barriers which would otherwise impede free movement. Moreover, the Community sought to develop an industrial policy, notably in relation to the ECSC, to provide a stance towards declining industries suffering from Developing World competition.

As global corporate rivalry intensifies there is rising concern about the state of industries that have to compete with foreign firms often suspected of being aided by their governments with the aim to dominate world markets. In the European Community, in particular, many industrialists believe that the completion of the single market will make them even more vulnerable to foreign competition. The essays compiled in this book re-examine the arguments for industrial policy. They go beyond the sterile and doctrinaire debate on whether the government should intervene in the economy. Rather, they ask what kind of industrial policy should national governments and the European Community pursue in the light of the increasing openness of their economies, expanding global corporate alliances and faster technological obsolescence. These essays have a distinct policy orientation. They review the latest theoretical developments in order to identify the relevant policy parameters and draw conclusions on what the aim and instruments of industrial policy should be.

First published in 1996. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

The book examines whether EU competition policy is applied fairly and consistently to EU and non-EU firms despite persistent political pressure from member states for a relaxation of the rules and deals with the dilemma of regional organisations in the global political economy. Focussing on the EU’s desire to achieve balance between the promotion of market competition and the enhancement of international competitiveness, the book explores the validity of its attempts successfully to ensure a ‘stringent competition policy’ which is nationality-blind and comparatively strict. Finally, it shows that the competition-competitiveness dilemma remains unresolved because the EU’s capability to set global regulatory standards is constrained by competition and the need to engage in multilateral forums, such as the WTO and the International Competition Network. This book will be of key interest to scholars and students of European Union studies, EU competition law and policy, EU external action and more broadly to global governance, international political economy and international relations.

The main objective of this book has been to carry out research into the definition of industrial policy and its goals; to evaluate previously-introduced policies and instruments; and to identify the future challenges for and features of a modern EU industrial policy. A modern industrial policy is seen as a non-traditional policy towards the industrial sector, based not necessarily on only the elimination of market failures (within the sectoral and/or horizontal approaches), but rather on the expanding the scope of industrial economic activities within the framework of both the pre- and post-fabrication stages. The book targets three market segments: academics; policy and decision-makers at the EU, national and regional level, as well as business practitioners. It includes a wide-ranging analysis of different spheres of industrial policies conducted within the European Union, making it of interest to an international audience. Each chapter also offers detailed and valuable comments, as well as conclusions that can be generally applied, ensuring the book’s universality. The book presents the results of a research project conducted in the Collegium of World Economy at the Warsaw School of Economics.

This incisive book provides key interdisciplinary perspectives on the current challenges faced by EU policymakers in framing and implementing a coherent European industrial policy, employing specific case studies from the digital, automotive, steel and defence industries as well as concrete examples of EU policies.

The years since the global financial crisis have seen something of a renaissance in the manufacturing industry. The United States has launched its Advanced Manufacturing Partnership, and China owes much of its spectacular economic boom in the last decades to its being the 'world's factory'. Is there room for the EU in this landscape? This timely new book explores Europe’s role in this evolving environment. It argues that on the one hand, in terms of sheer numbers, the role of the manufacturing industry in the EU is on a par with other major global economies. However, the book also states that Europe falls short of its global competitors (the USA in particular) in terms of its involvement in the most innovative manufacturing sectors. The volume therefore argues that this creates the opportunity for a new European industrial policy. Exploring the development of current EU policy, the book puts forward suggestions as to how the EU can improve in terms of the competitiveness of its technology policy. Placing the EU’s position in the context of the industrial structures of the USA, Japan and the BRICs, the book blends theoretical models and practical examples in order to offer a the state of the art look at the current and future direction of Europe’s industrial policy. This book will be of relevance to all those with an interest in European economics, industrial economics, public policy, European politics and European studies.

Leading international economists examine the relationship between competitiveness and community objectives, the co-existence of diversity, subsidiarity and EU industrial policy and the consequences of further European integration.

Bringing together renowned scholars in the field with younger researchers, this interdisciplinary study of the history of post-war industrial policy in Europe investigates transfers across borders and locates industrial policy in the context of the Cold War from a global perspective.

The onset of the global crisis has emphasised the persistence of substantial differences in development and social progress within the euro area. The specific case of countries located in the southern periphery region has come to the centre stage, due to the harsh economic conditions that all these countries have experienced in the recent past. In the aftermath of the American subprime credit bubble, these countries’ high indebtedness raised doubts as to their ability to sustain public finances, with the financial crisis developing and gaining momentum due to the fragilities presented in the economy. To varying degrees of severity, all of these economies have since been forced to introduce strong fiscal tightening programmes in order to achieve fiscal consolidation, which have translated into recession and rising unemployment. This book undertakes a comprehensive analysis of the causes of the crisis in southern European countries, showing that the ‘Achilles heel’ of these economies is rooted in the dismal evolution of productivity and in a specialisation pattern excessively based on the so-called ‘traditional’, low, and low-medium tech industries, which yield low margins, declining export shares and, ultimately, withering international competitiveness. Such evidence suggests that the southern European periphery industrial growth model has reached its limits, demanding a multidimensional policy approach capable of overcoming the magnitude and complexity of the present crisis. Without denying the need to adjust public and private balance sheets, it is argued that finding a sustainable path out of the present problems requires addressing the challenges of productivity growth and competitiveness in the long term.