GOEuroMed - The Political Economy of Euro-Med Governance
| Corresponding Researcher | Mark Furness, Pablo Gandara |
| Type of Project | Specific Targeted Research Project co-funded by the European Commission under the 6th Framework Programme |
| Status | Stage 2 (second year) |
| Duration | 3 years |
| Completed | Until December 2008 |
| Project-Website | [ www.go-euromed.org ] |
GOEuroMed Working Papers (available at the GOEuroMed-Hompage)
GOEuroMed Stage 1 Summary (available at the GOEuroMed-Hompage)
The maxim that economic performance is a core element of socio-political stability has been the guiding principle of European integration since 1945. The EU's 2004 enlargement followed the successful 'export' of this philosophy - and the institutions that make it work - to Central and Eastern Europe, Malta and Cyprus. The next external relations challenge for the EU-25 is to continue spreading peace, security and prosperity throughout its neighbourhood.
The prospect of EU accession proved a powerful 'carrot' for Central and Eastern Europeans, encouraging liberalisation, growth and stability during the 1990s. As full membership is not on offer for Mediterranean Partner Countries, the EU needs to work closely with them to ensure that concrete gains for the region and its peoples are realised. Economic growth is the most obvious and tangible benefit - but is hollow unless structured to reach all levels of society. Efficient, legitimate regional institutions may hold the key to improving economic performance - and encouraging socio-political stability - throughout the 'Wider Europe' region.
The Euro- Mediterranean Partnership (EMP) is clearly an ambitious effort to achieve better regional governance through the development of an interlinked set of fundamental institutions in the Mediterranean Basin.
The GO-EuroMed project's specific target is to improve political and economic understanding of these regional institution building and management strategies, particularly in the key trade, investment and labour sectors. The project's central theme - the 'red line' - is to bring European and Mediterranean perspectives together in order to investigate ways in which collaboration and coordination problems can be clarified and overcome. Institutional governance frameworks offering real benefits to the states and peoples of Europe and the south Mediterranean can be then be developed.
The consortium of GO-EuroMed brings together a first-rate social science research team from throughout the Euro-Med region (Germany, Morocco, Turkey, Lebanon, Spain, France, Poland and Jordan). It includes experienced researchers from 8 university institutes with an extensive publication history in political science, economics and Mediterranean issues.