Recharging Europe’s competitiveness: The case for a European Productivity Board

Europe’s prolonged productivity slowdown poses a structural risk to growth, competitiveness and fiscal sustainability. In response, EU member states have created National Productivity Boards under European Council Recommendation 2016/C 349/01 to strengthen evidence-based policymaking. While National Productivity Boards provide valuable national analysis, no equivalent body exists at EU level to synthesise their findings or deliver independent scientific advice on productivity and competitiveness. Moreover, heterogeneous institutional designs, varying degrees of independence and fragmented methodologies limit cross-country comparability. Drawing on the literature on scientific policy advice, public choice and public administration, this article argues that independent advisory bodies could reduce short-term political bias, strengthen analytical capacity and improve the design of structural reforms. It therefore proposes establishing a European Productivity Board to integrate national analyses, harmonise data and methods, provide independent advice to the European Commission, monitor structural policies and report to the European Parliament, thereby strengthening coordination, transparency and long-term reform credibility.