• H2020
• Societal Challenges
• Health

The ‘EU industrial structure report 2013: Competing in Global Value Chains’ has indicated that the pharmaceuticals sector has experienced sustained growth since the start of the financial crisis, whilst high-tech manufacturing has also weathered the downturn well.

According to the report, most EU industrial sectors have not yet regained their pre-crisis production levels and significant differences exist between sectors and member states. The report said: “Pharmaceuticals are the only manufacturing sector which has increased its share of output since 2000.”

The European Commission said : “There are also significant differences between sectors. Industries producing consumer staples such as food and beverages, and pharmaceuticals, have fared relatively better than others since the outbreak of the crisis. Also, high-technology manufacturing industries have, in general, not been impacted to the same extent as other industries. Overall, the service sector have been hit less badly than the construction, manufacturing and mining industries.”

Antonio Tajani, European Commission Vice-President responsible for Industry and Entrepreneurship, commented: “This report clearly shows that the 2008 crisis led to a significant acceleration of European industrial decline, and that industry needs targeted support to help it return to growth. Europe is still far from the 20% target of industry’s share in Europe’s GDP by 2020. To meet this goal we need to focus on reindustrialisation. I therefore call on member states to support the new industrial compact at the Competitiveness Council.”

The report also stated: “European industries producing non-durable goods such as food, beverages, other transport equipment and pharmaceuticals have fared relatively better than other industries since the outbreak of the financial crisis.”