Factor mobility is the soul of the market and the engine that allows economic systems to grow and flourish. Driven by endogenous forces, factors of production – when free to move – flow towards investments offering higher returns, ultimately boosting productivity and growth. And the greater are the differences in returns, the greater is their impact on productivity. The Mediterranean is an area of large inequalities and of major economic and demographic differences, not only between its northern and southern shores, but also within countries and between regions. Here, more than elsewhere, lack of factor mobility undermines growth and development in the entire area. Mediterranean Economies 2020 is a collection of essays that analyse the nature and effects of factor mobility in the Mediterranean. The collection focuses on the socio-economic impact of human capital mobility in the labour market and the specific features of Mediterranean migrations. The book also offers insights into key aspects of goods mobility: the importance of logistics and port infrastructures in the Mediterranean and the dynamics of trade in the basin in recent years.
Mediterranean Economies 2020 is the continuation of the long-standing Rapporto sulle Economie del Mediterraneo, providing an annual overview of the political and economic conditions in the area. Whilst focusing on mobility, this year’s report also describes the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the economies of the basin, and outlines possible scenarios for recovery.

Salvatore Capasso is Director of the Institute of Studies on the Mediterranean, Italian National Research Council, and full professor at the University of Naples “Parthenope”. Giovanni Canitano is a technologist at the Institute of Studies on the Mediterranean, Italian National Research Council, and author of many studies on the Mediterranean.