European Union's Industrial Policy: Next Version

The article is dedicated to the industrial policy of the European Union and its official interpretation. It outlines the existing approaches to the formation of the conceptual structure of this policy, the main stages of its evolution, priorities, tools and measures of implementation, the main target areas of financing. The existing conventionalism of the EU activities designated to regulate the industrial sector in the capacity of an industrial policy is shown, a clarification of the concept of this policy is proposed. Such regulation today goes far beyond the sectoral framework and, extending to almost all spheres of the economy, acquires a cross-cutting general economic nature. Particular attention is paid to the latest version of industrial policy, which convincingly indicates an increase in the innovative trend in the area of economic activity referred to as industrial policy. There is a radical expansion of the range of its innovative priorities to ensure the formation of a regional innovation economy for sustainable development. As a result, this policy serves as an organic component of innovation policy. At the same time, the rapid updating of the proclaimed versions of the EU industrial policy definitely shows that it has become a tool for the implementation of urgent adjustments to the economic course in accordance with the objective requirements of modern development.