Competitiveness Report of the European Commission

Since 1998 WIFO coordinates studies commissioned by the European Commission analysing the competitiveness of the European Union and its member countries in the context of a major framework contract. The Directorate General for Growth (previously DG Enterprise and Industry) of the European Commission has published an annual European Competitiveness Report between 1998 and 2014. In 2015 this publication has been discontinued and from 2015 onwards has been replaced by the European Internal Market and Competitiveness Report reflecting the merger of the Directorate General for the Internal Market and the Directorate General for Enterprise and Industry. In the context of this framework contract WIFO and its partner institutes have produced background studies for these EC publications which have been and will be the major tangible output of this project.

The results of these studies next to the European Internal Market and Competitiveness Report form also other landmark publications of the European Commission such as the EU Industrial Structure Report or the Member State Competitiveness Report. They also provide crucial intelligence to the Council and the wider public about the state of competitiveness of industries in the EU economy. In addition, the findings are used to measure progress towards the Europe 2020 Strategy and the effects of structural reforms in EU member countries.

The research is carried out by a WIFO- led consortium of 20 specialised research institutes from 14 European countries. The current framework contract is in force for the years 2015 till 2018.

Published up to now

Studies on structural reforms in the EU member countries 2013-2018

Single Market and Competitiveness Report 2017/2018
Single Market and Competitiveness Report 2016/2017

Partners

AIT – Austrian Institute of Technology https://www.ait.ac.at/
BSI – The British Standards Institution https://www.bsigroup.com/de-AT/
CIREM – Center for International Research and Economic Modelling http://www.cepii.fr/cirem/en/presentation/cirem.htm
EBN – European Business and Innovation Center Network https://ebn.eu/
ECORYS – http://www.ecorys.com/
ESRI – Economic and Social Research Institute http://www.esri.ie/
KOF – Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich https://www.kof.ethz.ch/
ETLA – Research Institute of the Finnish Economy https://www.etla.fi/en/
FEEM – Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei https://www.feem.it/en/
IDEA – Idea Consult http://www.ideaconsult.be/
ifW – Kiel Institut für Weltwirtschaft https://www.ifw-kiel.de/
ivie – Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Economicas http://www.ivie.es/es_ES/
IWE – Institute of World Economics http://www.krtk.mta.hu/english/, http://www.vki.hu/eindex.shtml?setlang=english
NIESR – National Institute of Economic and Social Research https://www.niesr.ac.uk/
SPI – Sociedade Portuguesa de Inovação http://www.spi.pt/
CWS – Center für Wirtschaftspolitische Studien https://www.cws.uni-hannover.de/center.html
SGH – World Economy Research Institute https://ssl-kolegia.sgh.waw.pl/en/KGS/structure/IGS-KGS/Pages/default.aspx
VTT – Technical Research Center of Finland http://www.vttresearch.com/
wiiw – Wiener Institut für internationale Wirtschaftsvergleiche https://wiiw.ac.at/
ZEW – Zentrum für Europäische Wirtschaftsforschung http://www.zew.de/
 

Details

WIFO, ECORYS
Study on the financing models for public services in the EU and their impact on competition
Commissioned by: European Commission
Study by: Austrian Institute of Economic Research – ECORYS Holding BV
In order to ensure that certain "public services" are guaranteed and available for the public, EU member countries can impose specific obligations on public or private service providers. The objective of this study is to assess how public services are financed and when those arrangements may create competition problems. The two key tasks are: 1. identifying the provided public services and developing a typology of used financing models, and 2. identifiying (potential) competition and efficiency problems for the selected sectors and countries and subsequent mapping to the financing models. This study focuses on the service provision in three sectors (waste, hospitals, broadband technology) within seven countries and is based on publically available information. The identification and description of the provided public services and their financing models (first key task) is primarily based on the assessment of the actual public intervention. Beside the financial mechanisms, attention is also paid to regulation and public ownership. With regard to the second key task, the main focus is on the (risk of) overcompensation and cross-subsidisation. This is in line with the general (state aid) principle that public service providers should not "profit" from the fact that they carry out this service.
Keywords:TP_Europa_Wettbewerb
Research group:Industrial, Innovation and International Economics
Language:English

Related issues

Completed research studies
Commissioned by: European Commission
Study by: Austrian Institute of Economic Research – ECORYS Holding BV
Closed: 2016
In order to ensure that certain "public services" are guaranteed and available for the public, EU member countries can impose specific obligations on public or private service providers. The objective of this study is to assess how public services are financed and when those arrangements may create competition problems. The two key tasks are: 1. identifying the provided public services and developing a typology of used financing models, and 2. identifiying (potential) competition and efficiency problems for the selected sectors and countries and subsequent mapping to the financing models. This study focuses on the service provision in three sectors (waste, hospitals, broadband technology) within seven countries and is based on publically available information. The identification and description of the provided public services and their financing models (first key task) is primarily based on the assessment of the actual public intervention. Beside the financial mechanisms, attention is also paid to regulation and public ownership. With regard to the second key task, the main focus is on the (risk of) overcompensation and cross-subsidisation. This is in line with the general (state aid) principle that public service providers should not "profit" from the fact that they carry out this service.
Completed research studies
Commissioned by: World Economic Forum
Study by: Austrian Institute of Economic Research
Closed: 2015
As the Austrian partner organisation for the World Economic Forum's Global Competitiveness Report, WIFO undertakes a survey among leading business managers.
Contact

Assoc. Prof. Michael Peneder

Research groups: Industrial, Innovation and International Economics