Francesco Barcellona

This morning, Raffaele Fitto takes part in his confirmation hearing as EU Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms. It is a positive development to have an EU Vice-President with a portfolio focused on cities 👏 This is something Eurocities and our members have long called for. At last, it is recognition of cities’ key role in localising EU objectives.   Commissioner-designate Fitto ➡ we are ready to work alongside you on an ambitious policy agenda for cities that brings real change. It must tackle the structural challenges between the EU and cities, and involve all EU Commissioners and the new European Parliament in finding solutions.   You can read our in-depth assessment ‘How the EU can work better with cities’ 👉 https://lnkd.in/eZv-MhtV   We are also deeply worried about the future of EU #CohesionPolicy. Commissioner-designate Fitto ➡ we appreciate your recognition that this policy should be developed with local authorities, but we expect more substance to show Cohesion Policy will not be centralised and nationalised.   The Eurocities Shadow Commission is ready to work with you to ensure the future Cohesion Policy delivers. You can read our new policy statement, with clear recommendations from city leaders 👉 https://lnkd.in/eYgE7-gG   Last but not least, Commissioner-designate Fitto ➡ we count on you to ensure your policy agenda will be supported with tools and resources to deliver on the ground. You must promote a strong urban dimension in the next Cohesion Policy, and also the wider #EUbudget.   To meet the challenges of competitiveness, sustainability and inclusiveness, a better Europe starts in cities. 🏙 Photo ©EU2024. EC Audiovisual Service. #TeamLocalEurope #LocalFutureEU

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My "solo act" on the Journal of Common Market Studies discussing the potential role of cohesion policy in the context of the new EU industrial agenda. Some takeaways in a nutshell: - the strong directionality championed by the 'new industrial policy' perspective which (at least partially) informs the EU industrial ambitions requires accepting more equity-efficiency trade-offs within cohesion policy -the cost-efficient and compliance-driven culture still dominating cohesion policy may clash with the experimentalist perspective demanded by the new industrial paradigm but... - cohesion policy can play an important role in offsetting the uneven effects of laxer state aid rules required to finance more assertive industrial policies - the multi-level governance of the policy can help solve the difficult equation of having a stronger EU industrial policy not clashing with domestic industrial agendas and paying enough attention to the regional/territorial dimension Here's the link to the full paper: https://lnkd.in/eRiU8A7g

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🏔️ The Road Ahead: Reflections from our 2023 Annual Report Migration and integration are not standalone issues to be attributed to demographic subsections, but the entry points to examine deeper root causes of structural inequities affecting all who have made their home on the European continent. As EPIM turns a new page in its evolution, we acknowledge that any actor that has played a role in initiating, shaping, and regulating a system will inevitably have a corresponding role in maintaining certain aspects of the status quo. This leads us to claim a measure of responsibility for previously underserved places in our ecosystem. We call now to our community to co-create a vision for structures of democracy and belonging that include all, regardless of their origins, as we transform toward a shared future. Explore these perspectives in our 2023 Annual Report to learn how EPIM and their partners see their role as participants and curators in the European migration ecosystem 📰 Read the Annual Report here: https://lnkd.in/ep7UwJQv #SocialImpact #EPIMTheoryOfChange #Reflections #SharedLearning

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📰 The #EU is in need of unprecedented public and private investment, the Draghi report confirmed earlier this week. Still, halfway into the EU’s €724 billion Recovery and Resilience Facility (#RRF), member states has drawn down less than a third of the money, according to a new report from the European Court of Auditors (#ECA) 🗣 Ciarán Humphreys, research fellow at #I4CE, spoke to Science|Business about the R&I angle:   🔷 The pace at which member states are meeting their R&I milestones is far too slow 🔷 The RRF model, based on clear milestones and a limited timeframe, is less suitable for R&I investments than for example Horizon Europe 🔷 One way to accellerate the absoprtion of funds, would be to increase member state contributions to the #InvestEU guarantee, to support the #EIB, and these funds could then be targeted at innovative SMEs. 👉 Read the full article here by Martin Greenacre https://lnkd.in/epyFxhd7

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New CEPR #PolicyInsight 130: Is Italy’s RRF plan working, or is it just another waste of money? In this Policy Insight, Francesco Giavazzi (Università Bocconi) & Chiara Goretti (Senate of the Italian Republic) examine the #EU Recovery and Resilience Facility programme in #Italy. The authors focus on reforms, and on a handful of examples that show how the RRF is addressing some of Italy's weakest spots and has kicked off the implementation of reforms, with surprisingly fast results in some areas. VoxEU summary: https://ow.ly/34nY50RQx67 Read the full Policy Insight here: https://ow.ly/GEKO50RQx65

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📖 NEW WORKING PAPER 📖 I am pleased to announce the publication of our new working paper, "EU Funds and TFP Growth: How the Impact Changed Over Time and Space," co-authored with Emanuela Marrocu and Raffaele Paci, and published by CRENoS. This study examines the economic impact of European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIFs) on regional Total Factor Productivity (TFP) growth across 262 NUTS2 European regions from 2000-2019. Key insights: ·       Heterogeneous Impacts: The impact of ESIFs varies significantly by region, fund type, and over time, highlighting the need for tailored policies to maximize benefits. ·       ERDF Effectiveness: The ERDF significantly boosts TFP growth, particularly in Central-Northern regions and new EU accession countries. However, its effectiveness varied over time, with positive impacts during 2000-2004 and 2014-2019. ·       EAFRD Specifics: The EAFRD shows varied impacts. It is more effective in high-productivity regions, while low-productivity regions require targeted capacity-building initiatives to maximize EAFRD’s benefits. Our findings highlight the importance of considering fund-specific, temporal, and geographic factors to maximize the benefits of ESIF investments and support regional economic development. Read the full paper for detailed analysis and policy implications. https://lnkd.in/dmk5zM7m

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I look forward to contributing to OECD - OCDE ‘s Global Forum on Democracy. Today’s news from Moldova show the importance of building democracies that deliver, including for their friends. Moldova is on the frontline, clealry a next target for Putin’s Kremlin, and yet not the US and the EU have been woefully slow and ineffective in delivering resilience. The US has not appointed its nominated ambassador for half an year now. And the EU could be much more assertive in delivering its development assistance and capacity building for Moldova’s EU accession. I look forward to building on Bulgaria and Moldova’s work in addressing strategic corruption under the Summit for Democracy, in cooperation with the civil society (represented in this case by the Center for the Study of Democracy and the Basel Institute on Governance). 👇

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📢🌍 Exciting news! We're thrilled to announce the release of our deliverable D2.1 – Report on the coal transition strategy of the European countries 📑🇪🇺, a part of WP 2: Status quo of coal mining heritage in Europe. This report includes a comparative analysis of national reports delivered by COALHERITAGE project partners and showcases best practices highlighting coal heritage in Europe. The transformation of the coal mining sector in the EU 🌱💡 is a significant challenge of the modern economy, driving profound ecological and social changes. This process, in response to sustainable development and the fight against climate change, underscores the importance of consolidating and preserving Europe's rich coal mining heritage. More info: https://lnkd.in/eGgb6nUw

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I am glad to share my first CEPS (Centre for European Policy Studies) publication as associate researcher, co-written with cinzia alcidi and Fredrik Andersson. In this paper, we discuss how to make sure that the post-2027 EU cohesion policy is: - Able to support key EU strategic investment priorities without undermining its focus on economic and social convergence - Able to adress the short-term consequences of crises without deviating from its long-term investment and transformational nature - Able to improve its performance on the ground without compromising on basic governance principles or creating administrative burden They aren't easy questions: they confront the policy to difficult trade-offs but, if they are not adressed, there is a risk of seeing the policy losing relevance in the future Our answer to the three questions, in a nutshell, is : through more flexibility in the way of allocating, programming and implementing EU cohesion funds. In the paper we discuss in detail which type of flexibility do we need to adress each of these different challenges and we put forward specific recommendations to enhance it. If you want to know more please have a look at the paper : https://lnkd.in/eJc_mudj And you can also join us on October 2 at CEPS, when we will present and discuss the findingd of the paper at a seminar with Friedrich Heinemann, Thilo Maurer, Anna Wagner (DG REGIO) and Rachel Lancry Beaumont from the Comittee of the Regions: https://lnkd.in/eBPJzCMJ

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I hope that those of you interested in innovation, regional development, smart specialisation and the performance of different public administrations will find this article, authored with Fabrizio Guzzo and Carlo Gianelle, of interest! It has just been published in "Innovation: The European Journal of Social Science Research". We examine how governments from different administrative traditions reformed their innovation policy governance following the adoption of the Smart Specialisation approach of EU cohesion policy for the 2014–2020 funding period. Based on four case studies from Germany, Italy, Poland and Slovenia, we find that different administrative settings played a role in the uptake of intended governance reforms and that the S3 conditionality was not sufficient to guarantee substantial change in the absence of continuing political and bureaucratic support. Our analysis supports the idea that governments and administrations which were already better aligned with the Smart Specialisation logic may have had limited incentive to update their governance structures, while those less aligned with it appeared sincerely motivated to overhaul existing arrangements, yet without proving capable of sustaining the desired changes. Our conclusions lead us to formulate both policy and theoretical recommendations about the use of ex ante conditionalities. The article has been published OPEN ACCESS, so feel free to dive in! https://lnkd.in/eRfrgnRZ

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I am very excited to announce that just days before the 2024 European Elections, on 27 May 2024with Kalypso Nicolaidis, Dr. Gaia Taffoni Nicolás Palomo Hernández, and Niccolo Milanese, we will present at the School of Transnational Governance in Florence, "Democracy Without Politics in EU Citizen Participation: From European Demoi to Decolonial Multitude", by Alvaro Oleart. The book is one of the most updated diagnosis of the state of European democracy after the end of the Conference on the Future of Europe (CoFoE), the organisation of the post-CoFoE European Citizens Panels and the recent controversies around the follow up to successful European Citizens Initiatives, such as End the Cage Age. Notably, the book contrasts the ‘democracy without politics’ approach in the EU's citizen participation exercises in the context of the CoFoE (and the subsequent citizen panels organised by the Commission) with that of ongoing transnational activist processes. The panel will identify the challenges of European democracy in the 21st century, including those related to democratic innovations and the structural depoliticisation of EU politics. The discussion will draw new lines of reflection on the role of civil society and social movements in the democratisation of the European Union. Read more below - it will be possible to join both in person and online!

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This week concludes module 10 of the Specializing Master on Nuclear Safeguards. With Filippo Sevini and Quentin Michel, we delivered 5 webinars on the interface between safeguards implementation and dual-use trade controls including sessions on free trade principles and applicable constraints, dual-use laws and linked control lists and more. Very rewarding to have an engaged and high-professional audience. Always a pleasure for me to speak about technology controls and research security, a topic that I discussed first in 2011, in a very different geopolitical context back at the time! #eufunded https://lnkd.in/dQb_BPFZ

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In case you missed our article last week on the regions' positions on #FP10 and the #Competitiveness Fund! Have a look below 🔽

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While France's far-right is hailing the lead in the parliamentary election, it’s time for us to reflect on what catalyzes the shift in its political scene. I am excited to share that the research paper I co-wrote with other researchers from ITSS Verona on the rise of far-right in Europe, which was presented to members of the U.S. Department of State, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and USAID previously, is now publicly available. The rise of the far-right has been an increasingly relevant and timely issue, as demonstrated by the gradual election shift towards radicalism. To examine the threats of the far-right to democracy, our team has performed netnography on online channels of relevant parties or politicians, as well as practised semi-structured interviews to gather expert insights. As the Contributor to the section on France, I have examined the growing potential of far-right parties dominating the Legislative election and the risk that strategic ties between France and its Western allies could be weakened, a growing concern underscored by the recent first-round election results. More importantly, given France's significant economic and military power, any major political upheaval in France could impact the entire European continent and its transnational partners. Read our report 'The Rise of the Far-Right in Europe - Mapping Groups, Narratives, and Trends in Europe’s Far-Right Landscape' here: https://lnkd.in/eaDacwM4 ITSS Verona #france #itssverona

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Looking forward to the next edition of this independent, annual climate progress report for Europe. 💪 An opportunity to discuss what is at stake and constructive ways forward ⬇

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In an effort to simplify EU policies and messages, some EU bubble news outlets have the tendency to omit, in my view, crucial information. The map is well-designed and sourced, but poorly labelled and implemented. The EU's Cohesion Policy is not just the ERDF and the ESF+, but also includes the Cohesion Fund and the Just Transition Fund. And then there's also the Solidarity Fund, particularly relevant in the context of the catastrophe we saw unfold in Spain. You'd expect 392 billion euros of the EU budget (a third!) to be at least rightly labelled so citizens can figure out by themselves where and on what objectives it is spent. The EU's transparency deficit also relies on good journalistic reporting to help bridge the information between citizens and EU, especially now that the Commissioner hearings are underway: multiple-hour sessions for which the average citizen has no time and thus depends on journalism to stay informed. Maps like these attract focus and attention because they are a time-efficient way of conveying complex qualitative and quantitative data in a succint manner. In this case however, it omits about half the scope of the Cohesion Policy.

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🚨 New ECB Economic Bulletin Box: The effects of the Emissions Trading System on European investment in the short run 🚨 💡 Find out more about my recent publication with my great colleagues Pablo Anaya Longaric and Virginia Di Nino on the impact of the Emission Trading System on #investment in the European Union. 📈Using global foreign direct investment (FDI) data and European sectoral investment data, the empirical analysis suggests that higher #carbon prices may temporarily dampen domestic investment and shift global #FDI away from Europe, but the longer-term benefits can largely outweigh these short-term effects. 🔗 Link to publication: https://lnkd.in/dqyNpYtq

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📯 Exciting Times in charming Venice! I had the incredible opportunity to attend and contribute to the International Seminar and Workshop on the Effectiveness of the European Investigation Order (#EIO), part of the #SOURCE Project, held on September 16th, at the Comando Polizia Locale di #Venezia. The agenda was packed with insightful discussions led by esteemed experts in the field. I was thrilled to contribute to the discussions on the European Arrest Warrant (#EAW), European Investigation Order (EIO), and the broader implications of these tools on cross-border investigations. The exchange of ideas and experiences was truly enriching and aligned perfectly with my interests and expertise, as judicial cooperation in the EU is a subject that I also teach and write about, and hence it is near and dear to me! We particularly delved deeply into the famous #EncroChat and #SkyECC cases, their implications for the future of lawful interception of communications and the right to privacy, as well as the #Gavanozov II judgment where Article 6 of the Directive 2014/41 read together with Article 47 of the #Charter of Fundamental Rights and Article 4 of the #TEU were interpreted as forbidding the issuance of an EIO from a competent authority of a Member State, whose purpose is to carry out the aforementioned investigative acts if no remedies against such an order are available to the person concerned (thus, invalidating the mutual recognition principle in this case). Looking forward to implementing the insights gained in more research, more projects, ans more lectures with the ultimate purpose of further enhancing the effectiveness of cross-border judicial cooperation in the EU. #EIO #EAW #CrossBorderInvestigations #SOURCEProject #LegalInnovation #JudicialCooperation #KEMEA #CenterForSecurityStudies #MutualRecognition #CharterOfFundamentalRights #EU #LawfulInterception #EncroChat #Gavanozov #SkyECC

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