Towards a World Integrated and Socio-economically Balanced European Economic Development Scenario

The objective of the TWIN SEEDS project is to investigate changes in international trade and production patterns, specifically in global value chains (GVCs), both those of a longer-term nature (driven by the ""twin seeds"": technological developments and geo-political changes) and those that are taking place in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The project will examine the impacts of these changes on employment, job quality, social and regional cohesion, on patterns of growth and competitiveness, as well as their environmental implications.

The analysis will provide the basis to map out forward-looking policy scenarios (including trade and investment, industrial, regional, education/training and social policies) that allow Europe to secure decent work and working conditions, rapid progress towards resource-efficiency and decarbonisation, security of supply for strategic goods and sustainable, inclusive and competitive growth in the years to come.

The research will be based on a thorough multi-level (global, national, regional, sectoral, firm level) research framework, relying on a mix of quantitative and qualitative methods, on multidisciplinary knowledge (international economists and trade policy experts, regional economists, international business and organisational experts, political scientists) and on an extensive stakeholder engagement.