euesa1-3, Exercise 2: Fair return

Model answer:

Fair return (geographical return, or juste retour) means that the value of contracts placed with companies in a country roughly matches what that country contributes to a programme.

For: governments are more willing to commit money if it supports their own industry and jobs, it built space industries in smaller countries, and it keeps members from leaving.
Against: the best company for a job may be in a different country, and splitting work across many countries can raise costs, slow projects and make a complex system harder to integrate.

Return is balanced over a programme or several years, not contract by contract, and how far the system has been loosened is argued over.