III Workshop on Economics of the Mediterranean, Barcelona June 26 - 27. 
Research |
 Turkey |
CREMed Research Projects
Business cycles in the Mediterranean basin: the role of remittances, tourism and institutionsPrincipal investigator: Fabio Canova, ICREA-UPF, CREI, Barcelona GSE, CREMed
International Research team: Matteo Ciccarelli, ECB (Germany); Sumru Altug, Koç University (Turkey); Evi Pappa, UAB (Spain); Vangelis Vassillatos, Athens University of Economics and Business (Greece)
Workers’ remittances from international migrants to family members in their country of origin, represent one of the largest sources of financial flows to developing countries. In 2007, over $300 billion of workers’ remittances were transferred worldwide through official channels, and it is likely that many more were moved through unofficial ones. The relative importance of remittance flows relative to other channels of international transmission of business cycles, the role they play in the transmission of fluctuations in the Mediterranean region and whether the gains outweigh the welfare costs of migration issues are enormously important both from the viewpoint of academia and those responsible for economic policy. This project intends to investigate a number of questions in the hope of throwing light on the role of remittances and tourism as driving macroeconomic activity in the Mediterranean region, and the role of institutions in shaping the nature and characteristics economic cycles.
This project is co-sponsored between CREMed and the Generalitat of Catalonia. It has been awarded funding through the CONES 2010 program of the Generalitat for projects which encourage transnational collaboration in R+D between Catalonia and other regions or countries of strategic interest to Catalonia.
Status: ongoing
Data due: December 2012.
Moroccans’ Assimilation in Spain: Family-Based versus Labor-Based Migration Principal investigator: Núria Rodríguez-Planas, Assistant Professor, Department of Economics and Economic History, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (Bellaterra), Barcelona GSE Affiliated Professor, and CREMed Research Affiliated
Over the second half of the 20th century, Morocco has evolved into one of the world's leading emigration countries, and Spain has become one of its preferred destinations. Understanding the labor market assimilation of Moroccan low–skilled (often irregular) migrants is of most policy relevance not only for economic, but also for social reasons. Exploiting rich information from the 2007 Encuesta Nacional de Immigración (ENI), which informs on labor market outcomes before and after arrival to the host country, the project will to study the settlement process of Moroccan immigrants in Spain focusing on how the circumstances under which they entered the host country affected their legal and their employment status (including labor force participation, quality of the job and earnings). More specifically, the analysis will focus on whether immigrants who arrive on the basis of family relationships rather than labor market opportunities assimilate faster both in terms of becoming legal citizens and of actively participating in the labor market. Because the literature review shows that the Southern Mediterranean region displays unique gender characteristics such as patriarchy, high fertility, male-breadwinner model, and low rates of education and waged work outside the home for women, the analysis will be disaggregated on the basis of gender.
Project publications: Morroccans' Assimilation in Spain: Family-Based versus Labor-Based Migration, by Núria Rodríguez-Planas (UAB, Barcelona GSE, IZA, MOVE, CREMed, FEDEA, Inside-Spain) and Raquel Vegas, (FEDEA). September 2011 (first version June 2011). Published as “Moroccans’ Assimilation in Spain. Family-based versus Labor-based Migrants.” Rodríguez-Planas, N., and R. Vegas. Middle East Development Journal, vol. 3, issue 2: 119-139, December 2011. Moroccans', Ecuadorians', and Romanians' Assimilation in Spain, by Núria Rodríguez-Planas (UAB, Barcelona GSE, IZA, MOVE, CREMed, FEDEA, Inside-Spain) and Raquel Vegas, (FEDEA). December 2011
International trade, transport and the environment in the Euro-Med Area Principal investigators: Inmaculada Martínez-Zarzoso, Department of Economics, Universitat Jaume I, Castelló de la Plana, Spain and Institute for Statistics and Econometrics, University of Goettingen and Sami Bensassi, Researcher, Department of Economics and Instituto de Economía Internacional, Universitat Jaume I, Castelló de la Plana, Spain
The main aim of this project is to analyze the link between intra-Euro Med trade and the environment taking into account that the effort to liberalize trade in the region was not followed by a similar effort to promote environmental protection. Environmental protection is needed to preserve and develop natural resources which are essential for the long-term expansion of trade and sustainable economic growth. While international trade is not a direct cause of the problem, it can magnify it. Therefore, it is of special interest to investigate to what extent the lack of well designed and effective environmental policies can contribute to misallocations of resources and environmental degradation. The transport sector, often omitted in this problematic, will also be integrated into the study.
Project Executive Summary
Project publications: The Geography of Trade and the Environment: The case of CO2 emissions, by S. Bensassi (Universitat Jaume I), Laura Márquez-Ramos (Universitat Jaume I), I. Martínez-Zarzoso (Universitat Jaume I, University of Goettigen, Germany), H. Zitouna (University of Carthage, Tunisia). October, 2011. Published under the title Economic Integration and the Two Margins of Trade: The Impact of the Barcelona Process on North African Countries’ Exports, in Oxford Journal of African Economies, Vol. 0, number 0, pp. 1–38 November 2011. Is the road to regional integration paved with pollution convergence? The case of the Euro-Med Agreements, by L. Baghdadi (University of 7th November at Carthage, Tunisia and Tunis University), I. Martínez-Zarzoso (Universitat Jaume I, University of Goettigen, Germany), C. Suárez (Universitat Jaume I), H. Zitouna (FSEGN and LIM-MES Polytechnic School of Tunisia, University of Carthage, Tunisia). November 2011.
Business cycles in the Mediterranean basin: Similarities, Convergence and Spillovers
Principal investigator: Fabio Canova, ICREA-UPF Research Professor, Barcelona GSE Affiliated Professor, CREI Associated Researcher, Founding member of AMeN, CEPR Fellow and CREMed Research Affiliated
Macroeconomic fluctuations across industrialized countries are closely linked. A large portion of regional and country specific fluctuations are common and a number of linear and non-linear business cycle features are similar. The globalization of national economies is a standard explanation for these patterns. However, the question has emerged as to whether these similarities exist because the same types of shocks simultaneously affect various economies; the transmission of potentially different shocks is similar across countries; or because international interdependencies spread idiosyncratic domestic fluctuations. In the case of the countries bordering the Mediterranean, we are presented with different stages of development, close proximity, established interdependence based on migration, remittances, and the tendency toward decentralization of production activities. These characteristics and the likelihood of increased interconnectedness in the future, provide a unique laboratory for gaining insight on business cycles fluctuations.
Project publications: ClubMed? Cyclical fluctuations in the Mediterranean basin, by Fabio Canova (ICREA-UPF, CREI, CREMed, AMeN, CEPR) and Matteo Ciccarelli (European Central Bank). January 2011 (first version August 2010). Mediterranean business cycles: structure and characteristics, by Fabio Canova and Alain Schlaepfer (CREI, Department of Economics, UPF)
The main aim of this project is to analyze the link between intra-Euro Med trade and the environment taking into account that the effort to liberalize trade in the region was not followed by a similar effort to promote environmental protection. Environmental protection is needed to preserve and develop natural resources which are essential for the long-term expansion of trade and sustainable economic growth. While international trade is not a direct cause of the problem, it can magnify it. Therefore, it is of special interest to investigate to what extent the lack of well designed and effective environmental policies can contribute to misallocations of resources and environmental degradation. The transport sector, often omitted in this problematic, will also be integrated into the study.
Project Executive Summary
Project publications: The Geography of Trade and the Environment: The case of CO2 emissions, by S. Bensassi (Universitat Jaume I), Laura Márquez-Ramos (Universitat Jaume I), I. Martínez-Zarzoso (Universitat Jaume I, University of Goettigen, Germany), H. Zitouna (University of Carthage, Tunisia). October, 2011. Published under the title Economic Integration and the Two Margins of Trade: The Impact of the Barcelona Process on North African Countries’ Exports, in Oxford Journal of African Economies, Vol. 0, number 0, pp. 1–38 November 2011. Is the road to regional integration paved with pollution convergence? The case of the Euro-Med Agreements, by L. Baghdadi (University of 7th November at Carthage, Tunisia and Tunis University), I. Martínez-Zarzoso (Universitat Jaume I, University of Goettigen, Germany), C. Suárez (Universitat Jaume I), H. Zitouna (FSEGN and LIM-MES Polytechnic School of Tunisia, University of Carthage, Tunisia). November 2011.
Business cycles in the Mediterranean basin: Similarities, Convergence and SpilloversPrincipal investigator: Fabio Canova, ICREA-UPF Research Professor, Barcelona GSE Affiliated Professor, CREI Associated Researcher, Founding member of AMeN, CEPR Fellow and CREMed Research Affiliated
Macroeconomic fluctuations across industrialized countries are closely linked. A large portion of regional and country specific fluctuations are common and a number of linear and non-linear business cycle features are similar. The globalization of national economies is a standard explanation for these patterns. However, the question has emerged as to whether these similarities exist because the same types of shocks simultaneously affect various economies; the transmission of potentially different shocks is similar across countries; or because international interdependencies spread idiosyncratic domestic fluctuations. In the case of the countries bordering the Mediterranean, we are presented with different stages of development, close proximity, established interdependence based on migration, remittances, and the tendency toward decentralization of production activities. These characteristics and the likelihood of increased interconnectedness in the future, provide a unique laboratory for gaining insight on business cycles fluctuations.
Project publications: ClubMed? Cyclical fluctuations in the Mediterranean basin, by Fabio Canova (ICREA-UPF, CREI, CREMed, AMeN, CEPR) and Matteo Ciccarelli (European Central Bank). January 2011 (first version August 2010). Mediterranean business cycles: structure and characteristics, by Fabio Canova and Alain Schlaepfer (CREI, Department of Economics, UPF)