CALL FOR PAPERS

We are pleased to invite you to the 23rd International Conference on Economic Convergence in European Union (ECEU) which will take place on 7th–8th May 2026.

Organized by The Faculty of Economics and Business Communication, the ECEU conference continues its tradition as a multidisciplinary forum for scholars to debate the most pressing economic challenges of our time.

While the previous edition of the ECEU conference explored the internal mechanics of AI as a driver of productivity and growth, the 2026 edition shifts the lens to the external pressures reshaping the European economy.

The “Twin Transition” (digital and green) is now inextricably linked to national security, redefining how Member States compete and cooperate. As global trade fragments into competing blocs and protectionist industrial policies rise, the European Union faces an existential challenge.

Supply chains are being redrawn not just for efficiency, but for security (friend-shoring), creating friction that threatens the export-oriented growth models of many European economies.

Most critically, this new geopolitical volatility poses a direct threat to Economic Convergence within the Union. Asymmetric external shocks—ranging from energy crises to trade sanctions—risk widening the gap between the EU’s core and its periphery.

The 2026 ECEU conference seeks to investigate whether the pursuit of strategic autonomy and economic resilience will act as a unifying force for the Single Market or a catalyst for divergence.

We invite scholars to analyze how policy responses to these global fractures can be designed to ensure that the benefits of stability and security are shared equitably across all Member States.

In addition to sectoral analyses, we strongly encourage submissions that take a macroeconomic perspective, investigating how geopolitical rivalry and industrial transformation impact the aggregate stability and convergence of the European economy.

Topics of Interest

1. Geoeconomics & EU Strategic Autonomy

• The economics of fragmentation: friend-shoring, near-shoring, and de-risking supply chains
• Economic sanctions as tools of foreign policy: implications for EU markets and trade balances
• Energy security and the geopolitics of the green transition
• The impact of global conflict on EU economic convergence and Cohesion Policy

2. Macroeconomic Stability & Convergence

• Inflation dynamics: greenflation, supply-side shocks, and supply chain reorientation
• Monetary sovereignty and challenges for the ECB in a multipolar currency system
• Fiscal sustainability and reforming the Stability and Growth Pact
• Divergent growth paths between the EU’s core and periphery

3. The Digital Economy & Technological Sovereignty

• The global AI race and implications for EU productivity and labor markets
• Digital borders: data privacy, cybersecurity, and regulation of cross-border tech
• The digital divide as a geopolitical vulnerability
• AI-driven automation and skills polarization in an aging Europe

4. Sustainable Development in a Volatile World

• Balancing climate goals with industrial competitiveness and strategic independence
• Circular economy models as tools for resource security
• The fiscal costs of the green transition and the role of EU-wide funding instruments

Paper submission

Participants are requested to submit their papers via email to eceu@ase.ro.

The number of authors per paper is limited to five.

The paper will include an abstract of no more than 100 words, a list of 5 keywords, and the email addresses of all authors. Submitted papers must be 15 pages (A4) maximum, with 1.0 line spacing, 12-point Times New Roman font, including notes and references. The Harvard referencing style will be applied.

All submitted papers will undergo a rigorous double-blind peer review process by at least two independent reviewers.