Towards place-based regional and local development strategies in Central and Eastern Europe? EU cohesion policy and strategic planning capacity at the sub-national level

Abstract

The EU accession of the Central and Eastern European countries required adjustment to EU cohesion policy and its framework, based on multi-level governance and territorially targeted financial support for regional development. This involved reforms of territorial administration, the developing of regional policies and the building of the capacity for administering structural funds. This article investigates the mechanisms of adjustment to the programming principle of EU cohesion policy which requires that the structural funds are used according to multi-annual strategies and place-tailored operational programmes. Drawing on qualitative data from interviews with regional actors in Polish, Czech and Hungarian regions, the article focuses on the impacts of this EU-imposed approach to the practices of the regional and local actors. It finds that EU cohesion policy overall promoted strategic and place-based development planning in the Central and Eastern European countries. However, its impacts remain differentiated and often limited to ‘superficial’ changes. The article argues that there are factors hampering the institutionalisation of multi-annual strategic development planning. These include the overemphasis on the ‘absorption’ of EU funds, patronage networks affecting decision making, and the reluctance of the central governments to let regional authorities set their own investment priorities, thus denying the very purpose of strategic planning tailored to regional specificities.