Élie Cohen is head of research at the CNRS [Centre national de la recherche scientifique -- French National Centre for Scientific Research] and at the Fondation nationale des sciences politiques [National Foundation of Political Science]. Professor at the Institut d’études politiques de Paris [Paris Institute of Political Studies] and member of the Conseil d’analyse économique [Council of Economic Analysis], specialist in industrial policies, he is the author of many books, including Changer de modèle [Changing Models], co-authored with Philippe Aghion and Gilbert Cette, published by Éditions Odile Jacob.

How can we escape our economic dependency vis-à-vis China and regain our industrial sovereignty? What substance should be given to this “strategic autonomy” that the French and the Germans hope to achieve? Will Europe be able to reconcile these aspirations with the multilateralism and free trade to which it is viscerally committed?

Acknowledging the end of positive globalization and the final blow represented by Covid, Élie Cohen proposes that we reflect on the responses that are emerging in the face of this new reality: business as usual (in other words, companies are alone in finding solutions to secure their value chains); relocations subject to political decisions; strategic autonomy advancing to the European level…

Delving into theory and recent history, Élie Cohen shows that the main successes of the Twenty-First Century are matters of industrial policies. These should henceforth be conceived on the European level. And that we should no longer be content to remain defensive in the face of risks (health, ecological…), but rely on research and a true supply policy.