engleski

A New Paradigm of Industrial Policy of the Republic of Croatia in the Process of Accession to the European Union

“Now more than ever, Europe needs industry and industry needs Europe” (COM, 2010). Although today the service sector accounts for over 50% of GDP in most countries, the majority of these services are directly or indirectly connected to industry. The significance of manufacturing industry was additionally reaffirmed by the most recent global financial and economic crisis. Therefore, it is not surprising that over the last few years political leaders have been calling for a new industrial policy which is against deindustrialisation. Acceleration of the rate of technological advancement and preconditions for efficient participation in globalisation are difficult to realize and, in many countries, this renders their ability to compete more difficult. As the European integration becomes stronger, the effectiveness of national economic policies decreases. A new industrial innovation policy (so- called ‘manufutur’) must ensure a much faster development and commercialisation of goods and services, which will put EU enterprises in the leading market position. In addition to many problems it had in the past, contemporary Croatian industry has been dealing with outdated technology and lack of interest in technical sciences among young people ; concentration of capital, knowledge and activities in the No. 1 region in the country which is North- western Croatia ; lack of national industry vision and strategy, as well as lack of financial means necessary for investments into the ‘new industry’. It becomes imperative to create and implement an adequate industrial policy which has to be the result of a comprehensive analysis of the relevant, past and future, industrial factors, but, in doing that, it is important to take into consideration the limitations of the EU, as well as limitations at the level of the Member States.

European industrial policy ; new industry ; reindustrialization ; manufutur

Rad je razvrstan u skupinu (a1) sukladno Pravilniku o uvjetima za izbor u znanstvena zvanja („Narodne novine“, broj 84/05, 100/06. 138/06 i 120/07), članak 1., Odjeljak 5. Društvene znanosti, stavak 2., točka a (ima međunarodno uredništvo i inozemne recenzente).