Abstract

The main objectives and measures of industrial policy in Catalonia are presented in this paper. Industrial policy in Catalonia experienced a substantial reorientation in 2004 with the change of regional government. Since that year, its aims have been to improve productivity and move towards a knowledge-based economy, following the guidelines of the European Union. Catalan industrial policy is characterized by a concentration of effort on promoting the innovation capacity of industry and on the creation of an efficient system of technology transfer, strengthening the relationships between firms and universities. Although these policies require continuity in time to be efficient and it is early to evaluate their performance in depth, the available information shows improvements in the innovation capacity and R&D expenditure levels of firms. Nevertheless the challenge of reaching the average R&D level of the most advanced countries will require a sustained effort, as Catalonia continues to lag behind the European Union in terms of technological development.