BRUEGEL AISBL*

Their core work

Bruegel is a Brussels-based independent economic policy think tank that produces research and policy analysis on European and global economic issues. Their work spans EU governance, climate and energy policy, trade policy, digital economy regulation, and productivity analysis. They contribute to EU-funded projects primarily as policy experts, providing economic modelling, policy recommendations, and integrated assessment on topics ranging from Paris Agreement implementation to platform competition. Their outputs inform EU institutions, national governments, and the broader policy debate.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

Bruegel's early H2020 involvement (2016-2017) centred on climate policy (COP21 RIPPLES) and EU institutional questions like post-crisis legitimacy and trade policy. From 2019 onward, their focus shifted markedly toward economic fundamentals — productivity slowdown, globalization, technological change, income inequality — alongside digital economy regulation and deeper EU political theory. This evolution reflects a think tank broadening from sectoral policy topics toward the structural economic forces reshaping Europe.

Bruegel is moving toward the intersection of digital transformation, economic productivity, and EU governance — expect future work on how technology reshapes European competitiveness and policy frameworks.

How they like to work

Bruegel overwhelmingly participates as a partner or third party rather than leading consortia — they coordinated only 1 of 7 projects (DigitalComp). With 99 unique partners across 25 countries, they operate as a highly connected hub rather than a loyal-partner organization, joining diverse consortia where policy expertise is needed. This makes them easy to integrate into new projects as a policy analysis contributor, but they are unlikely to take the consortium management lead.

Bruegel has collaborated with 99 unique partners across 25 countries, reflecting an exceptionally broad European network for an organization of its size. Their Brussels base and policy focus naturally connects them to pan-European consortia spanning Western, Southern, and Northern Europe.

What sets them apart

Bruegel occupies a rare niche as an independent, non-partisan economic think tank with deep access to EU policy circles and a track record in both climate and digital economy research. Unlike university research groups, they bridge academic rigour with direct policy relevance, making them valuable when a consortium needs credible policy analysis that will be taken seriously by EU institutions. Their Brussels location and reputation give consortia a direct line to the European policy debate.

Highlights from their portfolio

• PARIS REINFORCE
  Largest funding (EUR 461,500) — integrated assessment modelling for the Paris Agreement with demand-driven policy approach.
• DigitalComp
  Only project Bruegel coordinated — focused on the timely topic of algorithmic competition and digital platform regulation.
• MICROPROD
  Significant funding (EUR 438,265) addressing fundamental EU productivity challenges using improved micro data methods.