Energy efficiency and EU industrial competitiveness: energy costs and their impact on manufacturing activity (Competitiveness Report 2014)

Client/Funding Institution

European Commission, DG Enterprise and Industry

Abstract

This study serves as a background report for the annual European Competitiveness Report of the European Commission (DG ENTR). The European Commission is currently in the process of preparing a new energy and climate framework for the period up to 2030. For this purpose, DG ENTR has commissioned a study which should provide a comparative analysis of the impact of changing energy costs on EU industrial competitiveness at country and sectoral level, and vis-á-vis its main external competitors (the United States, Japan, China and Russia), with a view to identifying future trends in production and energy efficiency strategies. While the recent gains in energy efficiency in the EU manufacturing sector have been impressive, the gap in energy prices between the EU and the USA has widened, which might potentially undermine EU industrial competitiveness, particularly in energy-intensive sectors. To a large extent, the study relies on data from the latest version of the World Input-Output Database (WIOD).

Duration

October 2014 - November 2014

wiiw team Leader

Vasily Astrov

wiiw Staff

Alexandra Bykova, Doris Hanzl-Weiss, Sebastian Leitner, Olga Pindyuk, Robert Stehrer, Galina Vasaros

External Publications

http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/policies/industrial-competitiveness/competitiveness-analysis/european-competitiveness-report/index_en.htm

Keywords: industrial competitiveness, energy, energy costs, energy efficiency

Countries covered: China, EU-28, European Union, Japan, Russia, USA

Research Areas: Sectoral studies

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