Repenser la politique industrielle en faveur de l’économie des services

The author argues that traditional industrial policy is overly focused on manufacturing and must be redesigned for a services-led economy. Services now represent two-thirds of global GDP and act as critical inputs for all sectors. The paper proposes five pillars for a services-oriented policy: infrastructure, foreign direct investment, human capital, regulatory quality, and digital/physical connectivity. It highlights that developing economies can leverage services due to lower capital intensity, smaller scale requirements, and lower carbon footprints. Furthermore, the author notes that the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) provides governments with more policy space for experimentation than the rules governing goods.

• Services have evolved from being viewed as residual or final consumption activities to becoming the primary drivers of global innovation and productivity, accounting for approximately two-thirds of global GDP.
• Traditional industrial policy frameworks are outdated because they rely on manufacturing-era tools like tariffs and local content rules, whereas services require different instruments such as regulatory reform, digital infrastructure, and skills development.
• Effective industrial policy in the 21st century must be built on five pillars: reliable infrastructure (energy, broadband, transport, payments), strategic foreign direct investment, investment in human capital and skills, pro-competitive regulatory quality, and robust physical and digital connectivity.
• For developing economies, a services-led growth strategy is often more viable than manufacturing-led models because it requires less initial capital, allows for global competitiveness through niche specialization, offers inclusive employment potential, and has a lower carbon footprint.
• Governments possess significantly more policy flexibility to implement industrial strategies in services than in manufacturing because the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) is less restrictive than the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT).
• Digital industrialization, exemplified by India's public investments in digital identity and payment systems, is redefining policy agendas, particularly in Africa through 'digital moonshot' initiatives.

APA

Sauvé, P. (n.d.). Repenser la politique industrielle en faveur de l’économie des services. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/fr/articles/policy-analysis/rethinking-industrial-policy-services-economy

Chicago

Sauvé, Pierre. Repenser la politique industrielle en faveur de l’économie des services. International Institute for Sustainable Development, n.d. https://www.iisd.org/fr/articles/policy-analysis/rethinking-industrial-policy-services-economy.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Sauvé |first1=Pierre |title=Repenser la politique industrielle en faveur de l’économie des services |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |url=https://www.iisd.org/fr/articles/policy-analysis/rethinking-industrial-policy-services-economy |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{sauvndrepenser, author = {Sauvé, Pierre}, title = {{Repenser la politique industrielle en faveur de l’économie des services}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, url = {https://www.iisd.org/fr/articles/policy-analysis/rethinking-industrial-policy-services-economy}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }