ERC research project TRASC - Paola Conconi

A researcher at the Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management research centre ECARES, Paola Conconi has been awarded an Advanced Grant by the ERC for her research project TRASC (TRade Agreements and Supply Chains). The project looks into the impact of international trade treaties on production processes and the decisions made by companies, as well as into the way in which companies themselves influence the drafting and ratification of treaties.

‘The effects these treaties have on companies are not well known or studied’, explains Paola Conconi. ‘And yet, they have a fundamental impact on production chains, by influencing companies’ investments and supply chains. Furthermore, companies can also affect trade agreements by influencing their content and likelihood of ratification. The goal of my project is to analyse this two-way relationship.’

Paola Conconi’s project covers five major aspects, three of which are related to the impact of trade treaties (the North American Free Trade Agreement [NAFTA], the enlargement of the EU, and a possible post-Brexit agreement between the EU and UK) on production chains. The other two examine the influence of companies themselves on the treaties (especially treaties negotiated by the European Union and the United States), through lobbying and influencing the votes of members of parliament.

This project has received funding from the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (grant agreement No 834253).