On 16 February 2026, the Dublin European Law Institute (DELI) hosted a high-level event with Prof. Enrico Letta and Minister of State Thomas Byrne to mark the official launch of COMPETE (Competitiveness, Opportunity and Money: Promoting the Economic Transformation of the EU), a Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence at Dublin City University (DCU).
The Academic Panel was moderated by Professor Derek Hand, Executive Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences at DCU.
Dr Ian Cooper, Senior Research Fellow at the Dublin European Law Institute and the Brexit Institute, DCU, introduced the academic panel with brief remarks on the COMPETE project. He said the COMPETE board has a mandate to produce high-quality research for an academic audience, as well as for EU institutions, other stakeholders, and the general public. The research cluster is located at Dublin City University. The project will host events, normally in Brussels at the institutions. However, Ireland will hold the presidency of the Council of the European Union from July to December 2026, and events will also be held in Dublin. The core of the project is competitiveness, together with opportunity and money. In particular, the project aims to address competitiveness and better regulation at the EU level, as well as competitiveness and public money, and competitiveness and private money. His research focuses on social policy, which is not antithetical to competitiveness; the Treaties make reference to this.
Dr Niall Moran, Assistant Professor of Economic Law at DCU, said his research focuses on international trade. In particular, he deals with trade agreements in international economic relations and how these agreements impact economic outcomes. He also researches the enforcement of trade rules, e.g., the Dispute Settlement Mechanism in the trade regime. He said it is a difficult time for industries and the energy sector due to high costs. EU competitiveness is low, and jobs are being lost; it is a serious time, and predictable rules are needed. The perception of companies’ economic risk environment is that businesses dislike bureaucracy and that competitiveness is shaped not only by technology and innovation but also by bureaucracy. He stated that the project will examine the legal and policy environment in which companies are working. He concluded that competitiveness will be one of the most important challenges of the next decade.
Dr Christy Ann Petit, Assistant Professor of European Banking and Finance Law, DCU, noted that, as an expert in the sector, she has observed that banking and financial services are investing more in their own markets. The EU has a banking equity problem in most of the Member States. The level of competitiveness in banking and finance remains low, with home bias in both sectors, as they invest in their home countries. This debate has started in the UK. Moreover, the EU is developing a potential digital euro, and she has worked on the constitutional and legal aspects of this topic. She underlined that it would be a strength for the EU to compete; it should be the international goal of our single currency. This would also change the way the banking system works. As the COMPETE project addresses competitiveness as a regulatory objective, transparency should be a key focus, as this governance principle is horizontal. The most pressing issue is the latest initiative: the market integration package proposed in December. The initiative to centralise financial supervision is delicate and pressing; there is some disagreement.
Dr John Quinn, Assistant Professor of European Company Law at DCU, focused on European businesses that want to operate more freely within the EU. In other words, the EU requires more strategic autonomy in key sectors, such as technology. He stated that the EU must provide a legal framework that reduces the costs and risks of doing business. The Member States know how to do it at a national level, so a common framework for businesses to operate in Europe is needed. The EU has tried before, but harmonisation failed. A common regulatory framework for businesses is expected by April 2026. What he suggested is a common framework at the EU level to solve the most pressing issues, while national parliaments can legislate on technical details. In his view, there are four major issues for businesses: digitalisation, bureaucracy, a central register, and dispute resolution.