Symposium „Europe’s industrial policy options in the digital, green and geoeconomic transitions“ im Xplanatorium Schloss Herrenhausen, Hannover vom 15. April bis 17. April 2026

Funding institution: VolkswagenStiftung

Head: Univ.-Prof. Dr. Helen Callaghan
Project participants: Dr. Timur Ergen, Robert Hancké

Europe’s industrial policy options in the digital, green and geoeconomic transitions

Europe’s democracies are challenged by three interlocking global crises that place competing demands on finite ressources. Geopolitical realignment necessitates radically increased defense spending while disrupting trade routes and supply chains. The climate crisis requires funding for mitigation, adaptation and compensation of affected constituencies at home and in the Global South. Rapid technological change implies rising demands for state assistance with industrial restructuring and technological upgrading.

To debate European business strategy and industrial policy options in the face of these crises and the competing claims on strained ressources, we will convene a three day international symposium in April 2026, funded by the Volkswagen Foundation. Roundtables will cover the following topics (1) Europe’s place in the post-liberal international political economy; (2) Incentive structures of the digital and green transitions; (3) Industrial policy implications of new business models; (4) New industrial policies in historical perspective; (5) National growth models in a changing geoeconomic context.

Project: “Netzwork International and Comparative Political Economy”

Funding institution: Rhein-Main-Universitäten Förderlinie “Förderung der RMU-Vernetzung in innovativen Projekten”

Head: Univ.-Prof. Dr. Helen Callaghan

Political economy, as a subfield of political science, has suffered from excessive internal differentiation for decades. Particularly problematic are the underdeveloped dialogue between comparative political economy (CPE) and international political economy (IPE), as well as the lack of exchange between regional experts for OECD countries and the Global South.

Our RMU network is dedicated to the goal of promoting the urgently needed bridging of these sub-disciplines from both directions.

Our research programme consists of making theories and concepts of IPÖ and VPÖ reciprocally usable by specifically selecting, applying and further developing suitable research topics, theories and concepts. In doing so, due consideration should also be given to the growing importance of large emerging economies in the global economic system.

The planned activities aim to consolidate cooperation through the joint acquisition of third-party funding for teaching and research projects. In addition, the international visibility of our research and teaching programme is to be strengthened by organising several conference panels and subsequently publishing a special journal issue.

Constructive, cooperative, digital: Feedback concepts for promoting academic orientation among students

Head: Dr. Ruben Kremers

Funded by the Gutenberg Teaching Council (GTC)

Project: ‘Conflicts of interest regarding the Europeanisation of the legal framework for sustainable corporate governance: A comparison of the positions and strategies of German and Polish business associations’

Funding institution: Deutsch-Polnische Wissenschaftsstiftung (DPWS)

Head: Prof. Dr. Helen Callaghan
Collaboration: Prof. Rafal Riedel / Universität Opole

With the Green Deal, the European Union (EU) has launched an ambitious roadmap for a sustainable economy and society. A key component of this is the Sustainable Corporate Governance Initiative, which was launched in 2020. It aims to use EU company law directives to place greater responsibility on companies to act in an environmentally and socially sustainable manner.

Sustainability obligations entail costs for companies. At national level, corresponding legislation therefore often fails due to resistance from national business and industry associations, which point to competitive disadvantages. At European level, the situation is more complicated. The obligations that companies already have to comply with under national laws vary from member state to member state. This also means that interests differ. Companies from Poland and other member states that have been subject to comparatively weak sustainability obligations to date face significantly higher adjustment costs than German companies.

This raises the following questions: To what extent are the different national legal situations in Germany and Poland reflected in the positions of national trade associations on European legislative initiatives? To what extent do these divergences weaken the ability of European umbrella organisations to exert their influence at EU level? Are there any observable sectoral differences? Whose voices are heard in the event of diverging interests, and why?

The answers to these questions are not only relevant for basic political science research on the conditions for successful cross-border cooperation and the Europeanisation of interest groups. They also help to identify and remove political obstacles that are slowing down the integration of the European Economic Area. The already flourishing teaching collaboration between the research partners will benefit from the project and ensure the involvement of qualified
young researchers.