INTERVIEW
The coronavirus health crisis has gradually turned into an economic crisis. Maintaining employment and the health of companies are shaping up to be the major challenges of the coming years. Freshly appointed Prime Minister, Jean Castex visited the X-Fab France group's semiconductor research and production site on Saturday. A company "with high added value, with high technology, with European collaborations", specifies Éric Heyer economist, director of the analysis and forecasting department at the OFCE (French observatory of economic conditions), on Europe 1. A symbol, according to him , key sectors of the economy of tomorrow.
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Sectors of the "world after"
To get out of this economic crisis which should cost it 11% of its GDP in 2020, France is limited by budgetary constraints, because public debt is exploding. The economist recalls, however, the importance of a future European agreement, next July 17, to determine the share of financial aid that France will receive from the European Union.
"We can consider that we are in a somewhat incredible time when the interest rates on the debt are extremely low, and there will also be aid at European level. The question is not really is what we have room for maneuver, but where should we put public money? ", emphasizes Eric Heyer. "We will have to select the right sectors, because we have no choice and we have a little bit of budget room."
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"Do we want to restore the economy that existed before this health crisis and therefore return to normal. Or is it that, since we are at a standstill, this is not the time to choose a certain number of sectors? "asks the economist. It differentiates the sectors of the "old world" to those of the "after world", symbolized by the company visited by Jean Castex.
"European dimension" and "ecological transition"
However, many companies considered to be flagships of French industry are heavily affected by economic difficulties. Airbus, for example, has announced a layoff plan that threatens 5,000 jobs in France and nearly 15,000 worldwide. "It seems to me that Airbus is not in the old world. Today we will have to avoid layoffs at all costs. Remember, before this crisis there were rather difficulties in recruiting, and therefore it keeping skills is extremely important today, "says Eric Heyer. "On the other hand, in airlines, there may be transformations. We will have to think about the next world."
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"It is not necessarily layoffs as such that should be avoided, but layoffs that would jeopardize a rebound for tomorrow," he said. "Today we will have to integrate the ecological transition into any reflection on the part of the government and also a European dimension which is extremely important."