The Annual Research Conference (ARC) is the European Commission’s flagship research forum that brings together leading researchers working on economic policy design at European and national levels.

This year’s edition, co-organised by the Directorate-General for Economic and Financial Affairs (DG ECFIN) and by the Joint Research Centre (JRC), will take place in Brussels on 13-15 November 2023. The theme of this year’s conference is European Integration, Institutions and Development.

This year’s Conference welcomes 24 of the more than 180 papers submitted to the call for papers that closed in early June 2023. The ARC23 Scientific Committee (Ron Boschma, Daria Ciriaci, Jens Prüfer, Anabela Marques Santos and Anna Thum-Thysen, chaired by Eric Brousseau) collaborated with more than two dozen referees (see who in the Call for Papers page of this website) to choose twelve papers for presentation in Parallel Research Sessions and twelve other for presentation in Poster Research Sessions.

The Conference begins on November 13 with an invitation-only day that welcomes the Research Directors of some of the most prestigious programmes dedicated to the disciplines of Institutional and Organisational Economics to discuss with public officials how research may inform policy.

Commissioner Paolo Gentiloni delivers the Opening Speech on November 14, followed by the Keynote Speech delivered by Sir Tim Besley. ECFIN Director-General Maarten Verwey and the JRC Deputy-Director General Salla Saastamoinen subsequently join the stage to discuss the implications of Institutional and Organisational Economics to European policymaking. The day continues with the presentation of six of the twelve papers presented at the Poster Research Sessions, and the presentation and discussion of the twelve papers invited to the Parallel Research Sessions. The day concludes with a panel discussion that summarises what was learned and sets priorities for forthcoming research.

On November 15, the Conference inaugurates a new format – the Policy Labs. European officials and scholars, members of national Governments and of international organisation collaborate to tackle policy challenges and identify institutional designs to deliver better Integration and Development. The Policy Labs are followed by the presentation of six papers at the Poster Research Session and continues with a session organised by DG GROW on the Economic Power of the EU Single Market Institutions and a session organised by DG RTD on the link between Institutions and Innovation. The Conference concludes with a convivial lunch inviting participants and speakers.

Participants via videoconference shall have the opportunity to interact with speakers at the Coffee with the Authors (14.11 at 13h30) and Cocktail with the Authors (14.11 at 18h10) sessions.

Whether in Brussels or via videoconference, we look forward to welcoming you.