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In Figure 2, the growth gap in GDP per capita is illustrated for thesame period for the US, Europe (including Portugal), and Japan.While the gap is less pronounced — a large part of US growth hasbeen simply based on an increase in labour input, here approximatedthrough population — the gap remains substantial. Real GDP per capitaincreased some 18% or some 2.12% annually, in Europe real GDPincreased only by some 13% or 1.62% per annum. Interesting is thePortugese trend, more in line with the US than with Europe.Figure 3aReal GDP Per Capita 1991-1999(1991 = 100)130120110100901991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999FranceGermanyItalySpainUKIn Figures 3a and 3b, the growth trends in GDP per capita over 1991-1999 are presented separately for large EU countries (in Figure 3a) andsmaller EU countries (in Figure 3b). Comparing both Figures, the performanceof the smaller countries (the exception being Sweden) appearsmore in line with aggregate US performance (with Ireland, Finland, TheNetherlands and Portugal actually above or equal to US performance),than in the case of the large countries (only the UK and Spain comingnear to US performance).Underlying the growth process over the last ten years, and nothwitstandingsome specific factors such as German unification whichLuc Soete2 8 5Europe and national technology policies…