What we do

Understanding European Economic Policy: Towards a Deeper Union (DEEPLY)

Erasmus + Jean Monnet project

Knowledge, Research, Monitoring and Dissemination on EU Economic Policy

We have a long research experience on EU Economic Policy. Our studies are part of the international academic prodution alimenting the debate on EU Economic Policy at the very core of EU institutions and research activities.

With DEEPLY we want to make sure that our research looks for the answers citizens feel missing in EU, and to produce/discuss them together with all.

We need to create a two-way bridge between our studies and citizens understanding:

– research motivation and hypoheses must reflect citizens questions

– robust and clear research finding must be returned to whom is seeking the answers

This project particularly focus on Trade and Cohesion Policies.

Cohesion:

Every 7 years the EU composes a budget with which financing its policies. For the 2021-2027 period, it will amount at roughly 1300 bn. A huge part of these money come back again directly to citizens via territorial-sectorial policies (cohesion and agricultural). However, sentiments being expressed in most recent years by citizens are not fully supporting the EU project as it is currently proposed. Why? Is EU achieving the results money are spent for? Is it a matter of speding more or spending differently? We will be costantly monitoring cohesion policy implementation and achievements. We will be investigating cohesion policy broad impacts on citizens life and local economy.

Trade:

Trade integration has been shaping the global economy since decades. Constant negotiations at the multilateral and at the regional/bilateral level accompained this process on the instititional side. A great importance for a growing number of countries is currently played by the relationship between economic growth and international openness, between trade and development, the role of foreign investment, the linkages among environmental regulation, trade policies, and competitiveness. Which future do international trade and trade policy have in the current hectic-changing world? We will question effectiveness and sustainability of the international trading system versus the evolution towards a bilateral and regional trading system. How does EU trade policy will look like in few years?

Project's main actions: