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A policy toolkit to increase research and innovation in the European Union

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  • Teichgraeber, Andreas
  • Van Reenen, John

Abstract

What research and innovation (R&I) policies should Europe adopt? The world faces a challenge to rebuild after the pandemic, but also faces the same structural slowdown of productivity growth that occurred in the decades before the COVID crisis. We need to have a plan around innovation policy to address the challenge. We show that Europe is less innovative on many dimensions compared to other advanced regions, such as the US and parts of Asia. We review the econometric evidence on R&I policies and argue that there is good evidence for the efficacy of many of them. A mix of R&D subsidies, reinvigorated competition and a big push on expanding the quantity and quality of human capital is needed. These could be bound together around the need for green innovation in order to achieve the mission to radically reduce carbon emissions.

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  • Teichgraeber, Andreas & Van Reenen, John, 2022. "A policy toolkit to increase research and innovation in the European Union," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 117801, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    • Handle: RePEc:ehl:lserod:117801
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    Cited by:

    1. Antonin Bergeaud & Arthur Guillouzouic & Emeric Henry & Clement Malgouyres, 2022. "From public labs to private firms: magnitude and channels of R&D spillovers," POID Working Papers 041, Centre for Economic Performance, LSE.
    2. Marti, Luisa & Puertas, Rosa, 2023. "Analysis of European competitiveness based on its innovative capacity and digitalization level," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
    3. Clemens Fuest & Daniel Gros & Philipp-Leo Mengel & Giorgio Presidente & Jean Jean Tirole, 2024. "EU Innovation Policy: How to Escape the Middle Technology Trap," EconPol Policy Reports Report, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    innovation; R&D; human capital; Europe;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O31 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Innovation and Invention: Processes and Incentives
    • O32 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Management of Technological Innovation and R&D
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity

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