Advanced technology and the competitiveness of European industry The Institute for Prospective Technological Studies (IPTS), part of the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC), has published a report entitled "Advanced Technology and the Competitiveness of European Industry: The cases of textiles, steel, motor vehicles and aerosp... The Institute for Prospective Technological Studies (IPTS), part of the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC), has published a report entitled "Advanced Technology and the Competitiveness of European Industry: The cases of textiles, steel, motor vehicles and aerospace". The report has been prepared for the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs and Industrial Policy of the European Parliament. The overall aim of the report is to provide the basis for informed debate on the competitiveness of European industry in four sectors: - Textiles: comprising clothing, leather and footwear; - Steel; - Motor vehicles; - Aerospace. It provides a concise overview of each of these sectors, and outlines the specific competitive challenges they face. These include, in the textiles industry for example, the low cost and growing capabilities of Asian manufacturers, and in steel, the low cost of Eastern European production. The report also gives an interpretation of the current implications for the impact of technologies and skills on European competitiveness, and provides a short set of policy proposals. General trends in the emerging competitive position of European industry are also evidenced throughout the report and are drawn out in the conclusion. These include low to moderate growth in demand in EU markets, increasing pressure from low-cost commodity producers in Asia and the increased use of labour-saving technologies.
