Is nationalization a trap or a tool of industrial policy?
By Jean-Luc Gaffard The closure of the Florange blast furnaces in the Moselle region by ArcelorMittal and the French government’s hunt for a buyer led […]
Industry
The dilemma of competitiveness
By Jean-Luc Gaffard The competitiveness of a country is a complex subject. Some people rebel against the very concept on the grounds that it can’t […]
Should households pay for a competitiveness shock?
By Henri Sterdyniak France is suffering from an industrial problem. Its current account balance went from a surplus of 2.6% of GDP in 1997 to […]
France: will the war of the 3% take place?
By Eric Heyer This text summarizes the OFCE’s October 2012 forecasts for the French economy. The French economy is expected to see average annual growth […]
The Insolent health of the luxury sector: a false paradox
By Jean-Luc Gaffard The luxury industry has been spared the spreading crisis, which in the media’s eyes seems to be posing a paradox. This situation […]
How France can improve its trade balance*
By Eric Heyer Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault has made a commitment to restoring France’s balance of trade, excluding energy, by the end of his five-year […]
Competitiveness and industrial demand: The difficulties facing the French-German couple
Jean-Luc Gaffard The obsession with competitiveness has returned to centre stage with the election campaign. This reflects the reality that French companies are indeed suffering […]
The citizen must be the foundation of any industrial policy — even a free market one
By Sarah Guillou The purpose of industrial policy is to direct productive specialization towards sectors that are deemed strategic for well-being or economic growth. This […]
“Buy French”: From the slogan to the reality
By Jean-Luc Gaffard, Sarah Guillou, Lionel Nesta The current election campaign is lending weight to simplistic proposals like the slogan “buy French”, which evokes the […]