European Preference

Question A:

In a world in which most economic powers have programmes that give preference to their own strategic resources – for example, the Chinese have ‘Made in China’, and the Americans have ‘Buy American’ – the EU’s strategic independence would be substantially enhanced by establishing some form of European preference in public procurement in selected sectors.

Responses weighted by each expert's confidence

Question B:

A ‘Buy European’ programme of public procurement in selected sectors could be implemented in a way that would deliver greater EU innovation and growth over the next five years than in the absence of such a programme.

Responses weighted by each expert's confidence

Question A Participant Responses

Participant University Vote Confidence Bio/Vote History
Allen
Franklin Allen
Imperial College London
Agree
5
Bio/Vote History
This makes a lot of sense in the defence industry and other related industries. But in many of the remaining industries competition, often foreign competition, is an important driver of minimising costs and improving welfare.
Antras
Pol Antras
Harvard
Uncertain
4
Bio/Vote History
Auriol
Emmanuelle Auriol
Toulouse School of Economics
Disagree
8
Bio/Vote History
Blanchard
Olivier Blanchard
Peterson Institute
Agree
7
Bio/Vote History
as much discussed: the case is strong on paper, dangerous in practice.
Blundell
Richard William Blundell
University College London
Uncertain
4
Bio/Vote History
Botticini
Maristella Botticini
Bocconi
Uncertain
7
Bio/Vote History
Bénassy-Quéré
Agnès Bénassy-Quéré
Paris School of Economics
Strongly Agree
8
Bio/Vote History
Economic efficiency is no longer the only criterion. Europe must build resilience for key inputs. The latter must be defined narrowly, though.
Cagé
Julia Cagé
Sciences Po
Strongly Agree
6
Bio/Vote History
Carletti
Elena Carletti
Bocconi
Agree
5
Bio/Vote History
Danthine
Jean-Pierre Danthine
Paris School of Economics
Agree
4
Bio/Vote History
I tend to agree but with a lot of hesitancy: requires that appropriate content is given to "some form" of European preference
De Grauwe
Paul De Grauwe
LSE
Agree
6
Bio/Vote History
Eeckhout
Jan Eeckhout
UPF Barcelona
Disagree
9
Bio/Vote History
Fatás
Antonio Fatás
INSEAD
Uncertain
5
Bio/Vote History
It very much depends on how the policy is articulated, whether it affects certain key sectors or all.
Fuchs-Schündeln
Nicola Fuchs-Schündeln
Goethe-Universität Frankfurt Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Galí
Jordi Galí
Barcelona GSE
Agree
6
Bio/Vote History
Garicano
Luis Garicano
LSE Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Gorodnichenko
Yuriy Gorodnichenko
Berkeley
Uncertain
3
Bio/Vote History
Griffith
Rachel Griffith
University of Manchester Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Guerrieri
Veronica Guerrieri
Chicago Booth Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Guiso
Luigi Guiso
Einaudi Institute for Economics and Finance Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Guriev
Sergei Guriev
London Business School
Uncertain
5
Bio/Vote History
Honohan
Patrick Honohan
Trinity College Dublin
Agree
5
Bio/Vote History
I never thought it would come to this. But it has.
Javorcik
Beata Javorcik
University of Oxford
Uncertain
3
Bio/Vote History
Krahnen
Jan Pieter Krahnen
Goethe University Frankfurt
Agree
6
Bio/Vote History
For strategic independence, it is desired to rely on sourcing in specific areas, like defense, but also communication services, as well as financial infrastructure, that cannot be instrumentalized in a strategic way by non-European decision makers
Kőszegi
Botond Kőszegi
Central European University Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
La Ferrara
Eliana La Ferrara
Harvard Kennedy Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Leuz
Christian Leuz
Chicago Booth
Agree
3
Bio/Vote History
In principle, I see the strategic independence argument in a few critical areas but there is always the concern that this preference will be misused for protectionism or exploited by industry to obtain quasi subsidies. How to implement this well is the key question.
Manova
Kalina Manova
University College London
Agree
8
Bio/Vote History
Mayer
Thierry Mayer
Sciences-Po
Agree
8
Bio/Vote History
I am not sure of the "substantially" in the question, but I can see a point in raising strategic independence through this European preference on public procurement, if those strategic goods are associated with static and/or dynamic returns to scale
Meghir
Costas Meghir
Yale
Uncertain
9
Bio/Vote History
Pagano
Marco Pagano
Università di Napoli Federico II
Uncertain
1
Bio/Vote History
Papaioannou
Elias Papaioannou
London Business School
Strongly Agree
7
Bio/Vote History
Pastor
Lubos Pastor
Chicago Booth Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Portes
Richard Portes
London Business School
Strongly Agree
8
Bio/Vote History
Prendergast
Canice Prendergast
Chicago Booth
Uncertain
6
Bio/Vote History
Propper
Carol Propper
Imperial College London
Agree
5
Bio/Vote History
Rasul
Imran Rasul
University College London
Disagree
4
Bio/Vote History
Reichlin
Lucrezia Reichlin
London Business School
Agree
6
Bio/Vote History
Reis
Ricardo Reis
London School of Economics
Uncertain
8
Bio/Vote History
In an idealized work with a "benevolent social planner", agree. But with lobbying and capture by powerful industries, then uncertain. I would have to see the details of how it is done.
Repullo
Rafael Repullo
CEMFI
Agree
4
Bio/Vote History
Schoar
Antoinette Schoar
MIT Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Storesletten
Kjetil Storesletten
University of Minnesota
Disagree
6
Bio/Vote History
Strömberg
Per Strömberg
Stockholm School of Economics
Uncertain
3
Bio/Vote History
Sturm
Daniel Sturm
London School of Economics
Agree
3
Bio/Vote History
Tenreyro
Silvana Tenreyro
LSE Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Van der Ploeg
Rick Van der Ploeg
Oxford
Strongly Agree
7
Bio/Vote History
Vickers
John Vickers
Oxford
Disagree
5
Bio/Vote History
Inefficient procurement is costly. Resilience of supply is part of efficiency in some sectors but "European preference" is poorly targeted on that.
Voth
Hans-Joachim Voth
University of Zurich
Uncertain
6
Bio/Vote History
Wyplosz
Charles Wyplosz
The Graduate Institute Geneva
Uncertain
5
Bio/Vote History

Question B Participant Responses

Participant University Vote Confidence Bio/Vote History
Allen
Franklin Allen
Imperial College London
Agree
4
Bio/Vote History
Chinese success in displacing US and European companies in the Electric Vehicle, Solar cell, and Wind turbine industries suggests this is an important policy. The space industry is another area where Europe risks being displaced.
Antras
Pol Antras
Harvard
Uncertain
3
Bio/Vote History
Auriol
Emmanuelle Auriol
Toulouse School of Economics
Disagree
7
Bio/Vote History
Blanchard
Olivier Blanchard
Peterson Institute
Agree
7
Bio/Vote History
with the same caveat.
Blundell
Richard William Blundell
University College London
Agree
4
Bio/Vote History
Botticini
Maristella Botticini
Bocconi
Uncertain
7
Bio/Vote History
Bénassy-Quéré
Agnès Bénassy-Quéré
Paris School of Economics
Agree
6
Bio/Vote History
Provided there is enough intra-European competition.
Cagé
Julia Cagé
Sciences Po
Agree
6
Bio/Vote History
Carletti
Elena Carletti
Bocconi
Agree
4
Bio/Vote History
Danthine
Jean-Pierre Danthine
Paris School of Economics
Agree
5
Bio/Vote History
De Grauwe
Paul De Grauwe
LSE
Uncertain
5
Bio/Vote History
Eeckhout
Jan Eeckhout
UPF Barcelona
Disagree
9
Bio/Vote History
Fatás
Antonio Fatás
INSEAD
Agree
3
Bio/Vote History
Fuchs-Schündeln
Nicola Fuchs-Schündeln
Goethe-Universität Frankfurt Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Galí
Jordi Galí
Barcelona GSE
Agree
6
Bio/Vote History
Garicano
Luis Garicano
LSE Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Gorodnichenko
Yuriy Gorodnichenko
Berkeley
Uncertain
3
Bio/Vote History
Griffith
Rachel Griffith
University of Manchester Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Guerrieri
Veronica Guerrieri
Chicago Booth Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Guiso
Luigi Guiso
Einaudi Institute for Economics and Finance Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Guriev
Sergei Guriev
London Business School
Uncertain
5
Bio/Vote History
Honohan
Patrick Honohan
Trinity College Dublin
Uncertain
1
Bio/Vote History
Javorcik
Beata Javorcik
University of Oxford
Uncertain
3
Bio/Vote History
Krahnen
Jan Pieter Krahnen
Goethe University Frankfurt
Agree
6
Bio/Vote History
A procurement preference could help to establish a local European industry in areas in which these industries are absent today, like defense and financial infrastructure.
Kőszegi
Botond Kőszegi
Central European University Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
La Ferrara
Eliana La Ferrara
Harvard Kennedy Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Leuz
Christian Leuz
Chicago Booth
Uncertain
3
Bio/Vote History
This is the key question and the answer is uncertain. For innovation and growth (which is different from strategic independence) it might be better to support critical sectors, like defense, with public R&D spending and open-award procurement programs. See evidence below.
-see background information here
Manova
Kalina Manova
University College London
Strongly Agree
8
Bio/Vote History
Mayer
Thierry Mayer
Sciences-Po
Agree
5
Bio/Vote History
Meghir
Costas Meghir
Yale
Disagree
9
Bio/Vote History
Pagano
Marco Pagano
Università di Napoli Federico II
Uncertain
1
Bio/Vote History
Papaioannou
Elias Papaioannou
London Business School
Agree
7
Bio/Vote History
Pastor
Lubos Pastor
Chicago Booth Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Portes
Richard Portes
London Business School
Strongly Agree
8
Bio/Vote History
Prendergast
Canice Prendergast
Chicago Booth
Disagree
3
Bio/Vote History
Propper
Carol Propper
Imperial College London
Uncertain
4
Bio/Vote History
Rasul
Imran Rasul
University College London
Disagree
5
Bio/Vote History
Reichlin
Lucrezia Reichlin
London Business School
Agree
6
Bio/Vote History
Reis
Ricardo Reis
London School of Economics
Agree
8
Bio/Vote History
Key word is "could" so I agree. Whether it "would" is much more uncertain.
Repullo
Rafael Repullo
CEMFI
Agree
4
Bio/Vote History
But the devil is in the details...
Schoar
Antoinette Schoar
MIT Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Storesletten
Kjetil Storesletten
University of Minnesota
Disagree
6
Bio/Vote History
Whereas industrial policy in principle could be used to Europe's advantage, it is in practice difficult to get the policy right. Most likely, protectionist policies would end up hurting innovation and growth in Europe
Strömberg
Per Strömberg
Stockholm School of Economics
Uncertain
3
Bio/Vote History
Sturm
Daniel Sturm
London School of Economics
Uncertain
3
Bio/Vote History
Tenreyro
Silvana Tenreyro
LSE Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Van der Ploeg
Rick Van der Ploeg
Oxford
Agree
7
Bio/Vote History
Vickers
John Vickers
Oxford
Disagree
5
Bio/Vote History
Voth
Hans-Joachim Voth
University of Zurich
Strongly Disagree
7
Bio/Vote History
Wyplosz
Charles Wyplosz
The Graduate Institute Geneva
Uncertain
5
Bio/Vote History