Open topic: Strengthen Europe's social model and sustainable competitiveness through productivity

Expected Outcome:

Projects should contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:

• The concept of sustainable competitiveness is analysed taking into account the shifts in geopolitics, global trade patterns, as well as changes in climate, the environment (including biodiversity loss^[1]), technology and demography.
• Policymakers are provided with recommendations and innovative solutions, including a toolbox to boost Member States and Associated Countries (labour) productivity while ensuring high social and environmental standards and increasing competitiveness within planetary boundaries.

Scope:

The Future of European competitiveness report (also known as the Draghi report)^[2] analysed and discussed the reason for European declining competitiveness, productivity and growth vis-a-vis its main competitors. A competitive economy is defined as an economy whose sustained rate of productivity is able to drive growth and, consequently, income and welfare. Both the economy and the European social model have to adapt to the great drivers of change, including demography, technology, global trade patterns, climate, and geopolitical shifts.

From its side, the European social model is the basis of the still high level of productivity and competitiveness in the EU, and without continuously upgrading it and sustaining it, there is a risk of a series of negative consequences, ranging from an increase in poverty, to a deterioration of human capital and a decline in well-being.

Research (including by SSH disciplines) carried out should lead to recommendations to help Europe remain a world power through a high level of welfare, competitiveness and productivity, while analysing the tensions and opportunities created by the strengthening of the European social model and sustainable competitiveness through productivity. Proposals should look into possible opportunities and tensions between driving competitiveness, maintaining Europe’s social model and high environmental and biodiversity standards.

Clustering and cooperation among selected projects under this call topic and collaboration with the Social Transformations and Resilience partnership are strongly encouraged.

[1] Nature is an essential part of competitiveness. The Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) has demonstrated that around 55% of the global GDP is generated by sectors moderately to highly dependent on nature. Around 72% of euro area companies are critically dependent on ecosystem services.

[2] https://commission.europa.eu/topics/eu-competitiveness/draghi-report_en