We have yet to produce a Facebook or a Google, but this side of the Atlantic is also no slouch in aerospace, oil and pharma
Europe may not be leading the way when it comes to technology companies, having never produced a giant to rival the likes of Google or Facebook. But the continent punches at or above its weight in some key areas, boasting companies as big and as well-respected as any in the world.
In aerospace and defence, Airbus is second only to the US’s Boeing, and owes its formation to Europe’s capacity for war and peace. The firm behind the world’s largest passenger jet, the A380, has its roots in a collaboration between France, Germany and the UK, conceived to take on Boeing. The three countries developed vast aerospace expertise through successive wars in which air power was crucial. Britain’s Rolls-Royce and BAE Systems, Italy’s Finmeccanica and French groups Dassault and Safran are also in the top 20 global aerospace firms by revenue.