Research Fields

The MEDPRO research will cover seven areas of study that are highly relevant for the socio-economic development of the region, each associated with a unique work package:

  • Geopolitics and Governance, addressing the regional and international political challenges faced by Southern Mediterranean States;
  • Demography and ageing, covering demographic trends, ongoing changes and their potential future patterns;
  • Management of environment and natural resources, examining the options available to ensure simultaneous growth and environmental sustainability;
  • Energy and climate change mitigation, analyzing the trends and driving forces relating to energy supply and demand in the future and the potential development of new energy sources;
  • Economic integration, trade, investment and sectoral analyses, focusing on macroeconomic and fiscal determinants for long term growth prospects, potential paths for regional economic integration through trade, investment, private sector and sectors of special importance development;
  • Financial services and capital markets, addressing the issues for further development of a financial sector supporting local needs; and,
  • Human capital, social protection, inequality and migration, assessing the conditions of the social protection schemes, human capital endowment, gender equality, regional educational systems and their likely development paths.

These fields of study have been selected to reflect the challenges the region faces in the upcoming decades. A thorough multidisciplinary approach will enable to draw the most promising scenarios for further development in the region and better cooperation with Europe.

Policy brief, Scenarios for regional integration and cooperation with the EU
Scenarios Assessment and Transitions towards a Sustainable Euro-Mediterranean in 2030
23/07/2013

In the aftermath of the 2011 Arab uprisings in the southern and eastern Mediterranean, the region has reached a turning point in its history, presenting as many opportunities as challenges. The European Union itself is facing challenging...

Report, Scenario building and impact assessment
Macroeconomic Scenarios for the Euro-Mediterranean Area: Quantification based on the GEM-E3 model
23/07/2013

This study quantifies four alternative macroeconomic scenarios for the southern and eastern Mediterranean countries (SEMCs), with the use of GEM-E3, a general equilibrium model. The four scenarios are: i) the continuation of current policies, ii...

Report, Scenario building and impact assessment
Quantitative Reference Scenario for the MEDPRO Project
30/05/2013

In general equilibrium models the reference scenario is important, as the evaluation of the alternative policies modelled is based on their deviation from the reference scenario. The reference scenario relates to the development of an economic...

Report, Scenario building and impact assessment
Economic and Structural Database for the MEDPRO Project
29/05/2013

This report presents the economic and structural database compiled for the MEDPRO project. The database includes governance, infrastructure, finance, environment, energy, agricultural data and development indicators for the 11 southern and...

Technical report, Financial services and capital markets
Access by MSMEs to Finance in the Southern and Eastern Mediterranean: What role for credit guarantee schemes?
30/04/2013

Micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in the Southern and Eastern Mediterranean suffer from credit constraints. Given their contribution to employment and growth, similarly as in other regions, policy-makers have developed credit...

Policy brief, Financial services and capital markets
Financial Sector Development and Integration in the Southern and Eastern Mediterranean: Towards a long-term sustainable transition
09/04/2013

This MEDPRO Policy Paper examines the trends and prospects in financial-sector development and integration in the southern and eastern Mediterranean countries and concludes with an agenda for a long-term sustainable transition where finance turns...

Technical report, Scenarios for regional integration and cooperation with the EU
The Euro-Mediterranean Partnership and Development Assistance: Past Trends and Future Scenarios
09/04/2013

The 2011 uprisings in the southern and eastern Mediterranean have put the region at the forefront of current policy developments, calling into question the future of their domestic political systems and the future of the EU partnership with its...

Policy brief, Human capital, social protection, inequality and migration
Human Capital, Inequality and Migration in Southern and Eastern Mediterranean Countries: Towards a coherent policy agenda
27/03/2013

The demographic and societal structures in southern and eastern Mediterranean countries are expected to undergo profound transformations in the future, calling for new public policies related to employment, human capital and mobility. In addition...

Policy brief, Management of environment and natural resources
Perspectives in Resource Management and Climate Change Adaptation in the Southern and Eastern Mediterranean
22/03/2013

This policy paper focuses on the sustainable management of some key natural resources in southern and eastern Mediterranean countries (SEMCs) under climate change and anthropogenic pressures. In a business-as-usual and even more so in a failed...

Technical report, Financial services and capital markets
Benchmarking the Financial Sector in the Southern and Eastern Mediterranean Countries and Projecting 2030 Financial Sector Scenarios
22/03/2013

This paper aims at devising scenarios for the development of the financial system in the southern and eastern Mediterranean countries (SEMCs), for the 2030 horizon. The results of the simulations indicate that bank credit to the private sector,...