Europe has rediscovered industrial policy. After years in which the phrase itself seemed to belong to another economic era, governments are once again talking about strategic sectors, supply chains, critical technologies, economic security and the need to compete in a much tougher global environment.
Europe has rediscovered industrial policy. After years in which the phrase itself seemed to belong to another economic era, governments are once again talking about strategic sectors, supply chains, critical technologies, economic security and the need to compete in a much tougher global environment.
Europe retains strong scientific capabilities, yet structural weaknesses continue to limit its ability to turn research into scalable businesses and global technological leadership. The challenge is not new, but the context is. The US and China are intensifying their technological competition, governments are tightening controls on scientific collaboration, and the AI race is raising the stakes of Europe’s innovation gap. The question is no longer simply how much to invest in research and development, but how to ensure those investments translate into economic impact.
Europe retains strong scientific capabilities, yet structural weaknesses continue to limit its ability to turn research into scalable businesses and global technological leadership. The challenge is not new, but the context is. The US and China are intensifying their technological competition, governments are tightening controls on scientific collaboration, and the AI race is raising the stakes of Europe’s innovation gap. The question is no longer simply how much to invest in research and development, but how to ensure those investments translate into economic impact.
