Constraints on Innovation in Europe

Question A:

Current enforcement of competition policy in Europe is not working to promote innovation and growth.

Responses weighted by each expert's confidence

Question B:

European Union bureaucracy and regulations are a substantial constraint on innovation in Europe.

Responses weighted by each expert's confidence

Question C:

The conduct of the dominant US tech companies in European markets (including lobbying and acquisition of start-ups and competitors) is a substantial constraint on innovation in Europe.

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
4
Bio/Vote History
Both innovation and growth are low in Europe. It is difficult to know exactly what the main causes for this are. Competition policy may be part of it.
Antras
Pol Antras
Harvard
Agree
6
Bio/Vote History
Blanchard
Olivier Blanchard
Peterson Institute
Uncertain
6
Bio/Vote History
it may constrain firms and thus limit the GDP growth rate, but it may yield "better" growth.
Blundell
Richard William Blundell
University College London
Agree
5
Bio/Vote History
Botticini
Maristella Botticini
Bocconi
Agree
7
Bio/Vote History
Bénassy-Quéré
Agnès Bénassy-Quéré
Paris School of Economics
Agree
6
Bio/Vote History
Carletti
Elena Carletti
Bocconi
Agree
5
Bio/Vote History
Danthine
Jean-Pierre Danthine
Paris School of Economics
Uncertain
1
Bio/Vote History
De Grauwe
Paul De Grauwe
LSE
Uncertain
5
Bio/Vote History
Eeckhout
Jan Eeckhout
UPF Barcelona
Disagree
8
Bio/Vote History
We don’t know yet, The DMA is too recent. But its intent is to reduce the power of the gatekeepers who stifle innovation. Unless the dominant firms manage to inhibit the DMA’s implementation, it will be better than not having it
Freixas
Xavier Freixas
Barcelona GSE
Strongly Agree
5
Bio/Vote History
Competition policy is a constraint only for European firms, not for Chinese or US ones.
Fuchs-Schündeln
Nicola Fuchs-Schündeln
Goethe-Universität Frankfurt
Uncertain
4
Bio/Vote History
Galí
Jordi Galí
Barcelona GSE
Agree
6
Bio/Vote History
Garicano
Luis Garicano
LSE
Strongly Disagree
7
Bio/Vote History
The work of the Competition DG and Commissioner has been pro-market and pro-innovation. The problem has come from excessive regulation. Stopping within country telecom mergers is good, contrary to all lobbying messages of telcos.
Gorodnichenko
Yuriy Gorodnichenko
Berkeley
Uncertain
1
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
Uncertain
7
Bio/Vote History
Guriev
Sergei Guriev
Sciences Po
Uncertain
5
Bio/Vote History
Honohan
Patrick Honohan
Trinity College Dublin
Uncertain
1
Bio/Vote History
Javorcik
Beata Javorcik
University of Oxford Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Krahnen
Jan Pieter Krahnen
Goethe University Frankfurt
Agree
5
Bio/Vote History
For infrastructure investment, like platforms or basis software, competition is all too often defined at the level of the national or European economy, rather than globally. Which is one factor contributing to the near absence of European providers of basic technologies.
Kőszegi
Botond Kőszegi
Central European University
No Opinion
Bio/Vote History
La Ferrara
Eliana La Ferrara
Harvard Kennedy Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Leuz
Christian Leuz
Chicago Booth
Uncertain
2
Bio/Vote History
Uncertain. There is some evidence (below) that Single Market Programme and EU competition policy have helped productivity growth and innovation. But this evidence predates the dominance of US tech giants.
-see background information here
Mayer
Thierry Mayer
Sciences-Po
Disagree
8
Bio/Vote History
Meghir
Costas Meghir
Yale
Uncertain
8
Bio/Vote History
Pagano
Marco Pagano
Università di Napoli Federico II
Uncertain
1
Bio/Vote History
Pastor
Lubos Pastor
Chicago Booth
Agree
3
Bio/Vote History
Portes
Richard Portes
London Business School
Agree
5
Bio/Vote History
Prendergast
Canice Prendergast
Chicago Booth
Agree
3
Bio/Vote History
Propper
Carol Propper
Imperial College London
No Opinion
Bio/Vote History
Rasul
Imran Rasul
University College London Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Reichlin
Lucrezia Reichlin
London Business School
Agree
5
Bio/Vote History
Reis
Ricardo Reis
London School of Economics
Disagree
7
Bio/Vote History
Repullo
Rafael Repullo
CEMFI
Uncertain
4
Bio/Vote History
Rey
Hélène Rey
London Business School Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Schoar
Antoinette Schoar
MIT
Uncertain
5
Bio/Vote History
Storesletten
Kjetil Storesletten
University of Minnesota
Disagree
3
Bio/Vote History
Sturm
Daniel Sturm
London School of Economics
Disagree
6
Bio/Vote History
Tenreyro
Silvana Tenreyro
LSE
Agree
4
Bio/Vote History
Van der Ploeg
Rick Van der Ploeg
Oxford
Agree
6
Bio/Vote History
Vickers
John Vickers
Oxford
Disagree
7
Bio/Vote History
Voth
Hans-Joachim Voth
University of Zurich
Agree
7
Bio/Vote History
Whelan
Karl Whelan
University College Dublin Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Wyplosz
Charles Wyplosz
The Graduate Institute Geneva
Agree
4
Bio/Vote History

Question B Participant Responses

Participant University Vote Confidence Bio/Vote History
Allen
Franklin Allen
Imperial College London
Disagree
4
Bio/Vote History
There is wide variation across the EU in terms of innovation and growth so it seems unlikely that EU bureaucracy and legislation play much of a role.
Antras
Pol Antras
Harvard
Uncertain
4
Bio/Vote History
Blanchard
Olivier Blanchard
Peterson Institute
Uncertain
5
Bio/Vote History
similar answer. The surely constrain firms, but, in large part, for the better. (They may be too heavy, even accepting the goal)
Blundell
Richard William Blundell
University College London
Uncertain
5
Bio/Vote History
Botticini
Maristella Botticini
Bocconi
Agree
8
Bio/Vote History
Bénassy-Quéré
Agnès Bénassy-Quéré
Paris School of Economics
Agree
8
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 that in the domains that I know best the Brussels administration is excessively bureaucratic with centralizing tendencies. The subsidiarity principle is often forgotten.
De Grauwe
Paul De Grauwe
LSE
Agree
6
Bio/Vote History
Eeckhout
Jan Eeckhout
UPF Barcelona
Agree
5
Bio/Vote History
Some regulation is indeed problematic (though not all), I count state aid and tax exemptions under that header
Freixas
Xavier Freixas
Barcelona GSE
Strongly Agree
5
Bio/Vote History
Fuchs-Schündeln
Nicola Fuchs-Schündeln
Goethe-Universität Frankfurt
Strongly Agree
6
Bio/Vote History
Galí
Jordi Galí
Barcelona GSE
Agree
6
Bio/Vote History
Garicano
Luis Garicano
LSE
Strongly Agree
9
Bio/Vote History
GDPR has been shown (see URL) to be reducing dynamism in several dimensions. The excessive fragmentation of the single market and double and triple regulatory layers (see e.g. banking) certainly reduce economies of scale and productivity.
-see background information here
Gorodnichenko
Yuriy Gorodnichenko
Berkeley
Strongly Agree
5
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
Strongly Agree
9
Bio/Vote History
Guriev
Sergei Guriev
Sciences Po
Agree
8
Bio/Vote History
Honohan
Patrick Honohan
Trinity College Dublin
Agree
1
Bio/Vote History
Javorcik
Beata Javorcik
University of Oxford Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Krahnen
Jan Pieter Krahnen
Goethe University Frankfurt
Disagree
6
Bio/Vote History
It is typically not the European regulation per-se that causes implementation costs, but rather the parallel existence of national regulation and implementation rules that causes anger, costs - eventually constraining investment and innovation.
Kőszegi
Botond Kőszegi
Central European University
No Opinion
Bio/Vote History
La Ferrara
Eliana La Ferrara
Harvard Kennedy Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Leuz
Christian Leuz
Chicago Booth
Agree
7
Bio/Vote History
There is definitely evidence to support this statement. The EU needs reforms to reduce bureaucracy and improve regulations. However, the costs re innovation also have to be traded off against the potential benefits of the regulations. Looking at innovation is not enough.
-see background information here
-see background information here
Mayer
Thierry Mayer
Sciences-Po
Disagree
8
Bio/Vote History
Meghir
Costas Meghir
Yale
Agree
9
Bio/Vote History
Pagano
Marco Pagano
Università di Napoli Federico II
Uncertain
1
Bio/Vote History
Pastor
Lubos Pastor
Chicago Booth
Agree
6
Bio/Vote History
Portes
Richard Portes
London Business School
Agree
7
Bio/Vote History
Prendergast
Canice Prendergast
Chicago Booth
Uncertain
4
Bio/Vote History
Propper
Carol Propper
Imperial College London
No Opinion
Bio/Vote History
Rasul
Imran Rasul
University College London Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Reichlin
Lucrezia Reichlin
London Business School
Uncertain
5
Bio/Vote History
Reis
Ricardo Reis
London School of Economics
Strongly Agree
7
Bio/Vote History
Repullo
Rafael Repullo
CEMFI
Uncertain
4
Bio/Vote History
Member states' bureaucracy and regulations are probably more important.
Rey
Hélène Rey
London Business School Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Schoar
Antoinette Schoar
MIT
Agree
6
Bio/Vote History
Storesletten
Kjetil Storesletten
University of Minnesota
Uncertain
3
Bio/Vote History
Sturm
Daniel Sturm
London School of Economics
Uncertain
6
Bio/Vote History
Tenreyro
Silvana Tenreyro
LSE
Uncertain
1
Bio/Vote History
Van der Ploeg
Rick Van der Ploeg
Oxford
Agree
7
Bio/Vote History
Vickers
John Vickers
Oxford
Agree
4
Bio/Vote History
Voth
Hans-Joachim Voth
University of Zurich
Strongly Agree
9
Bio/Vote History
just look at where new AI products are launched, etc.
Whelan
Karl Whelan
University College Dublin Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Wyplosz
Charles Wyplosz
The Graduate Institute Geneva
Strongly Agree
6
Bio/Vote History

Question C Participant Responses

Participant University Vote Confidence Bio/Vote History
Allen
Franklin Allen
Imperial College London
Uncertain
4
Bio/Vote History
I don't think these activities help but the lack of major tech competitors in Europe is nothing that's particularly new. Lack of venture capital, entrepreneurial mindsets and so on seem more important.
Antras
Pol Antras
Harvard
Agree
5
Bio/Vote History
Blanchard
Olivier Blanchard
Peterson Institute
Uncertain
4
Bio/Vote History
not clear why the "in Europe" part.
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
7
Bio/Vote History
Carletti
Elena Carletti
Bocconi
No Opinion
Bio/Vote History
Danthine
Jean-Pierre Danthine
Paris School of Economics
Agree
4
Bio/Vote History
De Grauwe
Paul De Grauwe
LSE
Agree
6
Bio/Vote History
Eeckhout
Jan Eeckhout
UPF Barcelona
Agree
9
Bio/Vote History
Freixas
Xavier Freixas
Barcelona GSE
Uncertain
1
Bio/Vote History
Fuchs-Schündeln
Nicola Fuchs-Schündeln
Goethe-Universität Frankfurt
Uncertain
3
Bio/Vote History
Galí
Jordi Galí
Barcelona GSE
Agree
6
Bio/Vote History
Garicano
Luis Garicano
LSE
Disagree
6
Bio/Vote History
Gorodnichenko
Yuriy Gorodnichenko
Berkeley
Uncertain
1
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
Disagree
6
Bio/Vote History
Guriev
Sergei Guriev
Sciences Po
Disagree
7
Bio/Vote History
Honohan
Patrick Honohan
Trinity College Dublin
Uncertain
1
Bio/Vote History
Javorcik
Beata Javorcik
University of Oxford Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Krahnen
Jan Pieter Krahnen
Goethe University Frankfurt
Uncertain
5
Bio/Vote History
A lack of cooperation among European firms (developing software jointly, for example), often for alleged anti-trust reasons, or the fear thereof, hampers Innovation, resulting in no, or failed, infrastructure investment.
Kőszegi
Botond Kőszegi
Central European University
Strongly Agree
10
Bio/Vote History
La Ferrara
Eliana La Ferrara
Harvard Kennedy Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Leuz
Christian Leuz
Chicago Booth
Uncertain
2
Bio/Vote History
There are good arguments and evidence that large dominant players can stifle innovation and engage in killer acquisitions. But uncertain as I don't know enough about the specific conduct of US tech firms.
Mayer
Thierry Mayer
Sciences-Po
Disagree
8
Bio/Vote History
Meghir
Costas Meghir
Yale
Uncertain
8
Bio/Vote History
Pagano
Marco Pagano
Università di Napoli Federico II
Uncertain
1
Bio/Vote History
Pastor
Lubos Pastor
Chicago Booth
Uncertain
3
Bio/Vote History
Portes
Richard Portes
London Business School
Agree
5
Bio/Vote History
Prendergast
Canice Prendergast
Chicago Booth
Agree
6
Bio/Vote History
Propper
Carol Propper
Imperial College London
Agree
1
Bio/Vote History
Rasul
Imran Rasul
University College London Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Reichlin
Lucrezia Reichlin
London Business School
Agree
4
Bio/Vote History
Reis
Ricardo Reis
London School of Economics
Agree
4
Bio/Vote History
Repullo
Rafael Repullo
CEMFI
Uncertain
4
Bio/Vote History
Rey
Hélène Rey
London Business School Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Schoar
Antoinette Schoar
MIT
Agree
8
Bio/Vote History
Storesletten
Kjetil Storesletten
University of Minnesota
Uncertain
3
Bio/Vote History
Sturm
Daniel Sturm
London School of Economics
Agree
6
Bio/Vote History
Tenreyro
Silvana Tenreyro
LSE
Uncertain
1
Bio/Vote History
Van der Ploeg
Rick Van der Ploeg
Oxford
Uncertain
6
Bio/Vote History
Vickers
John Vickers
Oxford
Uncertain
4
Bio/Vote History
Voth
Hans-Joachim Voth
University of Zurich
Uncertain
5
Bio/Vote History
Whelan
Karl Whelan
University College Dublin Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Wyplosz
Charles Wyplosz
The Graduate Institute Geneva
Uncertain
3
Bio/Vote History