ENERGY (IN)DEPENDENCE AND NATIONAL SPECIALIZATION AS A FACTOR OF GLOBAL COMPETITIVENESS

The article presents preliminary results of a comprehensive interrelation study of the global competitiveness of the world economy actors with their energy systems and specialization. The article structure is logically split into three parts. The first one presents an attempt of evaluating energy dependence of the largest nations and its dynamics. The author proposes hypotheses regarding origins of different national roles on the world energy market and prospects of their development. The second part is dedicated to researching the nature of economic growth in the first quarter of XXI century and its interconnection with industrial development and specialization on particular goods, including fuel products and energy-intensive manufactures. In the third part the article explores international merchandise trade landscape by merchandise chapters (HS2) and in particular cases by headings (HS4). Finally, the author makes a conclusion and offers prognostic points in terms of the most significant merchandise items as well as in terms of world economy actors.