European industrial and competition policy: perspectives, trends and a new approach

Abstract

This article discusses alternative perspectives on competition and industrial policies (IP) in theory and in practice and critically assesses recent European IP in this context. It develops a new framework for IP that emphasises the sustainability of value creation at the firm, meso and national levels, and explores its implications for IP in general and European IP in particular. It views current EU policies as a step in the right direction, but argues that they need to pay more attention to the issue of sustainability, the link between corporate and public governance, and the impact of different power structures and hierarchies of agencies on industrial policies for sustainable value creation. The limitations of self-monitoring and diversity suggest the need for an international competition and regulatory policy organisation, along the lines of the WTO.