The graphs for countries in the Triad show that developed countries are in a process of specialization in which they are gradually phasing the industry and engaging increasingly in services. The service sector dominates the specialization of the United States over the whole period. While industry sector remains its strength, the EU is heavily involved in services in the 2000’s and the service sector now contributes as much as industry to the trade balance. Manufactured goods are still the only strengths in Japan. But the Japanese economy has virtually eliminated its great disadvantage in the service sector since the mid-1995.

In the major emerging countries, services are not a source of trade surplus, with the notable exception of India. Thus, since the early 2000s, while services have always been a strong comparative disadvantage of the Brazilian economy, the great emerging American country has been increasingly involved into the production of the primary sector and disengages from industry. Manufactured goods are the base of huge surpluses in China. India is the only country that shows a surplus as large in services than in industry. Its special feature is that this surplus comes from the information technology services rather than from tourism, as it is the case in many other countries (Table).
 

The details of the five strengths of each country / area are shown in the table which appears to better distinguish their specializations:

         - financial services for EU-27 and
        - industry (aerospace products), followed by four strong advantages in services (including patents and royalties) for The US.

 

The 2008 financial crisis has questionned not only the macroeconomic management of the developed countries but also their mode of integration to international trade. The strong comparative advantage in the European Union in the financial products may raise concerns about future growth.