ABSTRACT
From the beginning, the European Union has had as a central objective the realizing of its internal market. European firms need to be able to stand up to competition in that market, but also to competition from outside. So, competitiveness has become a key factor. A major determinant of competitiveness is innovation – the capacity of the economy to come up with new products and services. The Union has an important role to play in each of the domains mentioned. This role is the subject of the present chapter.
