Integrating Diversity in the European Union (InDivEU) is a Horizon 2020 funded research project aimed at contributing concretely to the current debate on the ‘Future of Europe’ by assessing, developing and testing a range of models and scenarios for different levels of integration among EU member states.
InDivEU is coordinated by the Robert Schuman Centre at the European University Institute, where it is hosted by the European Governance and Politics Programme. The project comprises a consortium of 14 partner institutions and runs from January 2019 to December 2021. The scientific coordinators are Brigid Laffan (Robert Schuman Centre) and Frank Schimmelfennig (ETH Zürich).
InDivEU’s research is organised around four interconnected blocks that add normative theory, law, political science, public policy and economics:
- The foundations: we will analyse the philosophical foundations of legitimate Differentiated Integration (DI), the legal and constitutional acceptability of DI and a thorough exploration of the DI preferences of citizens, governments and parties;
- The evolution: we will investigate the patterns, causes and effects of DI;
- The zooming-in: we will consider internal and external differentiation, differentiation through flexible implementation and alternative forms of differentiation;
- The scenarios: we will provide evidence-based advice on designing future DI.
“The challenge of integrating diversity in the European Union is high on the EU agenda as the EU strives to forge a post-crisis future, reach out to European citizens and counter-balance the anti-EU populist discourse”
Brigid Laffan, Director of the Robert Schuman Centre