Application areas

Business management, economics and finance

The purpose of the Inteco group is to develop a research programme on the economic and social effects of real and financial integration. To do so, it examines in depth two consolidated areas of research: International Trade (real integration) and Open Macroeconomics (monetary integration), while also extending concerns to other dimensions not previously considered, such as institutions, migrations and innovation. The main lines are, first of all, the analysis of what are known as “deep” trade agreements. These agreements transcend the classic scope of analysis that was limited to barriers (mainly tariffs) to incorporate other types of clauses that affect the free movement of factors (FDI, workers) as well as the effects derived from competition, environmental clauses, institutional security (arbitration, legal security, etc.). Of particular interest are both internal (“erga-intra”) and external (“erga-extra”) effects in the case of the European Union. Second, the other line of research focuses on the macroeconomic imbalances and their effects on the well-being and distribution of income among social groups, genders and countries. To this end, the main governance problems hindering the achievement of a uniform economic area in Europe are analysed, together with the proposals made by EU institutions and member states that are currently under way. Finally, a series of economic policy issues for a sound recovery within the euro area are also studied.