The EU has experienced different options to support the emergence of champions: (i) targeted support for strategic sectors and large technology initiatives (e.g. Airbus, Ariane, HDTV and ESPRIT); (ii) a support of declining sectors with the ECSC Treaty; and (iii) an emphasis on horizontal...

The economic and financial crisis resulted in a sharp decrease in both private and public investment in the EU. Stimulus efforts were put in place right at the beginning of the crisis in 2008, which resulted in support for infrastructure investment worth about EUR 32 billion (0.25 % of EU GDP),...