Posted on 16 April 2015
The landscape of European public finance is changing fast and new instruments and tools of economic governance are being created.
The global economic and European financial crisis have brought serious political challenges and raised fundamental questions about accountability and auditing in the European Union. In fact, there have been six decades of European public finance. The institutions and bodies that manage and control European taxpayers’ money, and the policies and programmes through which it is spent, have been evolving over this time.
- What have been the key issues that have shaped European public finances over time?
- How can we explain present-day arrangements to deliver public audit and control in the EU?
- What are the historical links between EU politics, administration, audit and accountability?
- What can we learn from the past that can help us manage today’s risks to taxpayers’ money?
Two grants (5,000 Euros each) for researchers in the field of European public finance
The European Court of Auditors in Luxembourg and the European University Institute (Historical Archives of the European Union) in Florence (Italy) have set up a grant scheme for researchers in the field of European public finance and the EU budget. The scheme is open to academic researchers from a range of disciplines, including law, political science, economics, sociology, public administration and history. The aim is to promote original research into EU’s public finances and the impact thereof, as well as into the development of the "external control" function of the EU, in addition to forging a community of researchers in this field.
Each year two grants of 5,000 Euros are available to enable researchers to visit the newly-housed archives in Florence. The Historical Archives of the European Union contain a wealth of primary documents deposited by the EU institutions, many of which have never been closely examined by researchers. The grant scheme is open to postgraduate students (master’s and doctoral candidates) and to postdoctoral students, as well as to university teachers who have completed their master's degree or doctorate within the past five years and who currently hold an academic post.
The scheme began in 2007 and has since enabled original research in many areas: the role of the EU institutions, the evolution of compliance, the development of audit methodology, shared management in policy implementation, multi-level governance, regional policy, the emergence of institutional norms and values, etc.
Application procedure and deadline for 2015
15 June 2015
More information on the Postgraduate Research Grants on European Public Finances.
Official application forms are available here