Ágnes Szunomár

Dr Ágnes Szunomár

Small Group Project 2025-26

Rethinking Europe’s electric vehicle (EV) transition from a pericentric perspective

The automotive industry is at the heart of Europe's economy and the European integration project, where the electric vehicle (EV) transition – arguably the most profound disruption in car-making since the advent of the moving assembly line – poses major challenges. On one hand, EVs are embraced at an institutional level as a means to address the climate crisis. On the other, the transition exposes uneven regional capacities in terms of innovation, production and resource access. Political challenges of crafting industrial policy, the adverse environmental impact of EV battery production, and shocks to the labor market, are some of the EV transition’s impacts. Moreover, the emergence of China as a global leader, makes Europe’s EV transition a geopolitically sensitive matter.

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Areas of interest

East Asia Emerging Markets Central Europe Eastern Europe

Cohort

FG11

Biography

Ágnes Szunomár is an Associate Professor and Head of Institute of Global Studies at Corvinus University of Budapest. In addition, she serves as the head of the Research Group on Development Economics at the Institute of World Economics, Centre for Economic and Regional Studies, Hungary.

Her research focuses on East Asia, emerging markets, and foreign direct investment issues and related policies in Central and Eastern Europe. She led and participated in several international and Hungarian research projects and is a member of the European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) Action “China In Europe Research Network”, where she is the head of the Working Group on “Strategic sectors and infrastructure developments.” She is also a member of China Observers in Central and Eastern Europe (CHOICE) network. She received her PhD and MA from Corvinus University of Budapest, as well as an MA from Eötvös Loránd University.

Biographical details correct as of 24.06.25