Hoe investeren voor groei?
Een helder compleet overzicht per land binnen de Unie vindt u hier. Zo wordt over Finland bijvoorbeeld op tafel gelegd:
– Although Finland ranks high in all competitiveness surveys and investment in R&D is among the highest, the country still faces challenges to convert high R&D investment into successful export products and services. Limited investment in production capacity over recent years could be one possible explanation. Another challenge is in the energy sector. Finland could benefit from diversifying its energy supply, particularly as it relies on a single gas source – Russia. Investment in LNG terminals could be one way of diversifying energy supply in medium term.
– Recent success stories can be found mainly in the ICT-related services sector, such as the gaming industry. These industries invest modestly in physical capital, but a well-functioning infrastructure for companies in the service sector is a necessity. There are also particular strengths in manufacturing, which is still driving a large share of growth in real production. In manufacturing, much of the focus has recently been on investing in clean technology products and a better use of ICT in manufacturing processes. Quality of education and training systems is also an asset for Finland that should be maintained despite decreasing public spending. Maintaining this high level of quality and improving the employability of the whole working age population will also be key issues to ensure long term growth prospects in Finland in a context of shrinking labour force.
En Nederland?
In het ‘country profile’ waarmee lidstaat Nederland en de bijzondere kansen in ons land voor groeiherstel als het ware geportretteerd worden, staan de volgende kernaanbevelingen:
-Given the low level of private investment, additional investment, in particular in R&D and education, need to be made to support long-term growth prospects. The necessary transition to more sustainable energy production is lagging behind most other EU Member States, showing the need for substantial investments to close this gap.
-Given the relatively low level of private R&D expenditure, an increase could potentially offer a large payoff in terms of growth. Additional investment in energy saving and renewable energy could also contribute significantly to economic welfare. Finally, long-term growth prospects of The Netherlands can be increased by improving the quality of education, and channelling additional funding to basic research.
