European Commission

Last update: 5/2/2010.

The primary focus of the research activities of the European Commission's Directorate General for Economic and Financial Affairs (DG ECFIN) is to support policy making. It does this by:

• Developing research tools and analysing data
• Using those tools and that analysis to help determine priorities and guide and support policy making in the European Commission in general
• Internalising economic knowledge, analysis and tools from the outside and, where appropriate, engaging in debate and discussion, all of which helps in identifying new priorities, and
• Disseminating and communicating research findings related to ECFIN's policy priorities, both internally and externally

DG ECFIN not only develops research tools to support policy making in general. It also addresses specific issues related to European economic and monetary union (EMU).

Scope and role

ECFIN’s research focuses on the functioning of economic and monetary union. Research issues range from financial stability in the context of enlargement to the question of how structural reforms undertaken as part of the Lisbon Strategy contribute to macroeconomic performance. Research also looks at economic implications of ageing populations and covers global economic issues.

ECFIN research tools

The tools to support economic analysis, operational research and policy instruments that underpin ECFIN's work on economic policy coordination and surveillance include

• macroeconomic models
• econometric models
• business and consumer surveys
• economic databases
• macroeconomic forecasts