An EU-wide industrial policy could drive the rise of new sustainable growth. Four policy proposals from the ISIGrowth’s Civic Action Network for building a new industrial policy
Europe’s growth after the Second World War was supported by an extensive industrial policy.
Then, starting in the early 1980s, the economic policy debate in Europe started being dominated by neoliberal views that argue that industrial policies are inefficient and inappropriate.
As a result Europe’s policy has since focused on global liberalisation of trade and financial flows, a deep liberalisation of its domestic markets, including public procurement, and monetary integration with the creation of the euro. The space for industrial policy at the national level has been drastically reduced and no integrated industrial policy has emerged at the European level.
The weakening of industrial activities – especially in the periphery of the EU – has drastically reduced job opportunities, resulting in major losses of employment and income, a return of poverty, problems of social and territorial cohesion.
Trade unions, political forces and civil society groups have developed several proposals for action on industrial policy. An EU-wide industrial policy could drive the rise of new environmentally sustainable, knowledge intensive, high skill and high wage economic activities.
Policy proposals have been summarized in the report ‘’How can Europe change’’, released within the ISIGrowth project. This Policy Brief is the result of the consultation carried out by Lunaria with the Civic Action Network, the network of the civil society organizations created within the ISIGrowth’s project.