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The global position of the EU in complex technologies

Author

Listed:
  • Di Girolamo, Valentina
  • Mitra, Alessio
  • Ravet, Julien
  • Peiffer-Smadja, Océane
  • Balland, Pierre-Alexandre

Abstract

This paper studies the relationship between knowledge complexity and countries' technological dependency, with a focus on the EU's position vis-à-vis other major economies. Using patent data, we calculate the knowledge complexity index at technological level for a set of countries over the period 1990-2020 to assess the EU's technological capabilities. Our findings show that the EU's overall position has progressively worsened vis-à-vis the US, China, Japan, and South Korea over the last three decades, that the EU's technological base is more diversified than that of other major economies, but is disproportionally more specialised in less complex technologies than its counterparts. Finally, the EU is particularly dependent on just a few countries in most complex technologies.

Suggested Citation

  • Di Girolamo, Valentina & Mitra, Alessio & Ravet, Julien & Peiffer-Smadja, Océane & Balland, Pierre-Alexandre, 2023. "The global position of the EU in complex technologies," EconStor Preprints 283907, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:esprep:283907
    DOI: 10.2777/454786
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    2. Pierre-Alexandre Balland & Ron Boschma, 2021. "Complementary interregional linkages and Smart Specialisation: an empirical study on European regions," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 55(6), pages 1059-1070, June.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Complex technologies; Technological dependencies; Strategic autonomy; Relatedness;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O11 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Macroeconomic Analyses of Economic Development
    • O33 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Technological Change: Choices and Consequences; Diffusion Processes

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