International competitiveness of the european economy with regard to the EU state aid policy: the case of nanoelectronics. Summary

Abstract

The domestic growth of high-tech industries is seen as central to future economic development in many countries. In this context, companies are often granted high levels of state support (e.g. through subsidies or tax breaks) to promote growth and employment in these promising sectors or fields of technology. In Europe, however, state support opportunities are regulated by EU state aid control. The aim is to reduce state aid from member states in order to promote European integration and free competition within Europe. State aid is only granted by EU member states under certain conditions Subject and objective of the project The impact of EU state aid control on national policy-making in the field of nanoelectronics is being discussed particularly intensively. Nanoelectronics is regarded as an important cross-sectional technology or industry whose components are in demand and used in numerous user industries. In particular, the construction of new production facilities is massively supported by some states, and at the same time production sites are increasingly being established outside Europe. The effects of EU state aid control on the competitiveness of Europe and its member states such as Germany are generally complex and above all indirect. They depend centrally on the development of other factors in the innovation system (e.g. demand, domestic establishment of user industries), the interaction of these factors, the use of complementary policy instruments and the extent of public support in non-European countries. The Innovation Report therefore examines the following research questions: Which factors influence the attractiveness of individual countries as locations for nanoelectronics? How should the current competitiveness in Germany and Europe be assessed? What consequences would a loss of production capacities have for the entire "nanoelectronics innovation system"? To what extent is there a situation in the field of nanoelectronics that justifies state aid? How can a sustainable funding policy be ...