I. INTRODUCTION Only weak texture was achieved in MgB$_{2}$ tapes so far, with the c-axis oriented preferen- tially perpendicular to the tape. The average misalignment angle of the c -axis from the tape normal was found to be rather high 5,23 (above 20 $^{◦}$) compared to highly textured materials 2 A considerable anisotropy of the critical current is found in ex-situ 1–6 and in-situ 7,8 MgB$_{2}$ tapes. It is favored by a large aspect ratio of the tape, and is a consequence of the upper criti- cal field anisotropy, γ , in magnesium diboride $^{9–13}$, if partial or weak texture is induced by the preparation technique. If the grain orientation is totally random (no texture), the conductor is macroscopically isotropic, since no preferred orientation exists. However, also in that case the intrinsic anisotropy of MgB$_{2}$ has severe consequences on the properties of polycrystalline materials. The critical current density, J$_{c}$ , becomes zero well below the upper critical field, B$_{c}$$_{2}$ , which in turn leads to a much stronger field dependence of the critical current than in isotropic materials $^{14}$. The Kramer plot is no longer linear near the irreversibility field and the peak of the volume pinning force shifts to significantly lower fields $^{15}$. Large critical current densities of the order of 5 × 10 $^{8}$Am − 2 can be expected only up to 16 B c c 2 = B ab c $_{2}$/γ , since only highly percolative currents flow on a macroscopic length scale at higher fields. B ab c 2 and B c c 2 denote the upper critical field, when the field is applied parallel and perpendicular to the boron planes, respectively. B ab c 2 is around 14 T at 0 K in clean MgB$_{2}$ and determines the upper critical field in untextured polycrystalline samples $^{16}$, if defined by a typical onset criterion (e.g. our definition in Sec. III). B c 2 is not easily accessible in polycrystalline MgB$_{2}$ and only about 3 T at 0 K in the clean limit $^{9–12}$, which strongly restricts the field range for applications. Fortunately, B ab c 2 (and the upper critical field in polycrystalline samples) can be enhanced by impurity scattering $^{17–19}$, which also reduces γ $^{9,20}$. Both changes en- hance B c c 2 at low temperatures, which is good for applications. Impurity scattering is less effective in improving the properties at high temperatures, since it decreases the transition temperature 21 and this change offsets the other beneficial effects. Texturing the material might, therefore, be an interesting alternative for optimizing the material for application at higher temperatures and fields. It increases the in-field critical currents for one orientation at the expense of decreasing them in the other main orientation $^{22}$. Texture is therefore only beneficial, if the tape is operated in or near the favorable orientation, which generally complicates the design of devices, but is certainly feasible in superconducting magnets.