Press Release: Without a strong industrial base, Europe’s economy cannot prosper

The European Commission on 25 September 2013 published two reports on industrial Competitiveness: the first on the European Union Member States’ industrial competitiveness and the second on the competitiveness of European industry.

In the reports, the European Commission highlights that Member States made progress in improving the business environment, exports and sustainability. However, many problems still remain. The convergence between industrially most competitive countries and the moderate performers is at a standstill. Moreover, the cost of energy is increasing in almost all Member States, contributing to the de-industrialisation of Europe. Big roadblocks are also access to finance and a drop in investment in almost all Member States.

• Primary Source

European Commission: RAPID: Memo, MEMO/13/815: Competitiveness report 2013: no growth and jobs without industry http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_MEMO-13-815_en.pdf

European Commission: RAPID: Memo, MEMO/13/816: Industrial competitiveness of EU member states: some progress made, but many challenges still lay ahead http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_MEMO-13-816_en.pdf

European Commission: RAPID: Speech, SPEECH/13/745: Presentation of the reports on industrial competitiveness http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_SPEECH-13-745_en.pdf

European Commission: DG Enterprise and Industry: Industrial Competitiveness: Annual monitoring report: Member States' Competitiveness Performance and Implementation of EU Idustrial Policy report (October 2013) http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/policies/industrial-competitiveness/monitoring-member-states/files/ms-compet-report-2013_en.pdf

EurActiv, 25.09.13: EU seeks to tackle industrial decline, high energy costs http://www.euractiv.com/eu-elections-2014/eu-industry-lags-amid-high-energ-news-530695

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