The Reference Network for Research in Applied Economics (Catalan acronym XREAP) was set up in 2006 as the result of a contract with the Ministry of Innovation, Universities and Enterprises of the Autonomous Government of Catalonia (the Generalitat), and the evolution of its predecessor, the Reference Centre for Research in Applied Economics (Catalan acronym CREAP). This new centre will be home to a network of research groups in applied economics at Catalan universities.

The XREAP will promote collaboration between these groups with common objectives and to promote the interdisciplinarity and multidisciplinarity, serving as a point of collaboration with different institutions, promoting the firms’ participation and the Research Centres of Catalonia and increasing the capacity to propose and to work together in relevant research and innovation projects.

Its objectives are:

• To carry out high quality research in the area of applied economics.
• To promote the integration and the diffusion of research in the area of applied economics in Catalonia.
• To design and develop joint projects in applied economics.
• To collaborate with foreign research institutes and groups, and to participate in national and international R+D+I programmes.
• To intervene actively in staff training.
• To promote service and technology transfer.

The XREAP currently comprises seven research groups from different Catalan universities.

The management oganization of the XREAP is the Bosch i Gimpera Foundation (FBG).