Industrial Policy, Mercantilism, and Competition Law in a Post-Draghi World

Following the Future of European Competitiveness event at the College de France with Prof. Philippe Aghion, Mario Draghi and President Emmanuel Macron, the Competition Law Scholars Forum (CLASF) was pleased to announce its XLV workshop, focusing on the evolving relationship between industrial policy and competition law. This was particularly timely given the renewed interest in strategic autonomy, the global rise in mercantilist economic policies, and the recent influence of the Draghi Report on the future of European competitiveness. The increasing prominence of state-led industrial policy, subsidy races, and geopolitical concerns has brought fresh challenges for traditional competition law frameworks. These developments raise fundamental questions:

Can competition law remain neutral in a world of politicised markets? How should authorities respond to the competitive distortions caused by third-country subsidies? What role can or should EU State aid rules play in this landscape? And how might national and supranational competition regimes evolve in response?

We welcomed papers that explored these themes from doctrinal, economic, comparative, or policy-oriented perspectives.

Professor Portuese was thrilled to moderate the panel "Industrial Policy & Competition Law in a Post-Draghi World" at this important event.