As part of the project EuroMeSCo: Connecting the Dots, co-funded by the European Union and the European Institute of the Mediterranean (IEMed), we are opening calls for researchers to take part in five different Joint Study Groups.

The EuroMeSCo Joint Study Groups 2023 will be made up of four Authors, including a Coordinator, who will jointly produce a Policy Study over a period of 6-7 months. Interested researchers may apply as Author or as Author and Coordinator to each Joint Study Group. In both cases, they will have to complete the online form and submit their application by Sunday 28 May 2023, 23:59 CET..

Here is a brief description of the rationale of this Joint Study Group:

Implementing the CBAM: How are the EU’s Southern Neighbours Preparing and What Can the EU Do to Help

According to the European Green Deal, the European Union is set to become climate neutral by 2050. The EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism is one of the instruments designed to support the bloc’s ambitious objective. It aims at countering carbon leaking, i.e. the transfer of carbon-intensive EU companies to countries with less stringent climate regulations, by taxing imported heavy carbon-intensive products, such as cement, fertiliser, steel and electricity, promoting thereby greening processes within and beyond EU borders.

Southern Mediterranean economies are expected to be heavily impacted by the CBAM, as they are highly dependent on oil and gas resources and have long-standing trade relations with the EU. Thus, as the EU sets to deploy CBAM in its transitional form, as early as October 2023, it is crucial for the countries in the MENA region to proactively prepare to mitigate possible negative effects on their economies, and for the EU to continue supporting these efforts.

The Joint Study Group could therefore focus on:

• Evaluating the Southern Mediterranean countries’ preparedness to the implementation of the CBAM, taking into account the structure of their economies, their objectives and their trade relations with the EU
• Identifying the potential impact of the CBAM on the economy of these countries as well as on the energy transitions and assessing the cost of such adjustments
• Exploring the support and cooperation the EU has provided and should further provide to its Southern neighbours in adapting to CBAM, including capacity building, technology transfer, and financial assistance
• Developing policy recommendations for the European Union and its Southern Neighbours to maximize the benefits of the CBAM and mitigate its potential negative effects, while promoting sustainable economic growth and energy transitions in the region

You may apply to more than one Joint Study Group but may eventually only be selected to join one of them.

See the EuroMeSCo Joint Study Groups 2023 Terms of Reference for more information.