Marcel Mersch is a researcher and adviser on economic and monetary affairs and industrial policy with the European Parliament. Previously, he was senior economist at OETH (L'Observatoire Européen du Textile et de L'Habillement) in Brussels, Belgium.

Mr Mersch would like to thank Professor André Sapir of the Université Libre de Bruxelles, Institut d'Etudes Européennes, as well as Mrs Michèle Ledic, Dr Heinz Berzau and Mr David Aspinall of OETH for their cooperation and assistance during the preparation of this report. Mr Mersch would especially like to thank Barbara Roose for her help and support throughout the research.