The European Competitiveness Report, published annually since 1997, gives a quantitative assessment of the competitive performance of EU industries. It contributes to evidence-based policy-making by looking at knowledge gaps in industrial policy. Therefore it supports microeconomic decision-making at EU and national levels.
The Report uses empirical research to examine EU competitiveness, working across the whole economy as well as in selected sectors. It also assesses the impact of structural reforms on EU competitiveness, and the need for further reforms.
The 2014 edition focuses on the growth of firms, in particular on certain growth-enhancing measures and framework conditions affecting EU firms. These include the availability of different forms of funding – especially important if small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are to expand – as well as the importance of having an efficient and modern public administration in place. Other chapters examine how innovation and its impact on the growth of firms vary over the business cycle, and the extent to which SMEs are active outside their home markets; the forms of their international presence; the impact and drivers of SME internationalisation, and what can be done to increase their presence abroad.
This year's edition also contains a chapter on energy costs and energy efficiency, including an assessment of the importance of energy costs in relation to other costs, across manufacturing in general as well as for energy-intensive industries.
An Executive Summary is in French, German (see downloads) and Italian available.
