Impact Of Cohesion Policy Research Articles

Gaining in impacts by leveraging the policy mix: Evidence from the European Cohesion Policy in more developed regions

AbstractThis paper investigates how the overall impact of the European Cohesion Policy depends on the composition of the regional investment in Hard (infrastructure) and Soft (business and technical support) projects. The study employs a generalized propensity score (GPS) analysis in a multidimensional treatment context. In particular, the two dimensions considered are given by the Hard and Soft investments. The GPS estimation is based on a set of relevant idiosyncratic features of the regions. The second step estimates a dose–response function in a two‐dimensional setting. The results confirm the existence of nonlinearities in the effect of different amounts of funds, but more importantly, show a degree of complementarity between Hard and Soft investment and that for policymakers, it is crucial to exploit such features to achieve more significant impact. The EU's more developed regions could have achieved a doubled GDP p.c. growth rate by pursuing a policy mix where Hard investments are reduced in favor of Soft investments. This improvement is comparable to the one obtained by at least doubling the available resources. The findings add to the evidence collected on the impact of the Cohesion Policy, suggesting a shift of the debate from the quantity to the quality of the expenditure pursued under the umbrella of territorial policies.

The Impact of Cohesion Policy on Regional Differences in Support for the European Union*

AbstractCohesion Policy is a core policy of the European Union, the main objective of which is to address uneven economic growth across the EU by promoting balanced and sustainable development. Given its characteristics, it certainly has a great impact on the daily life of European citizens and can compensate population groups and places less favoured by the implementation of the internal market and economic and monetary union. As a result, Cohesion Policy is expected to shape regional support for European integration. This study tests this assumption using regional data for the EU‐28 in a period that includes the recent phases of expansion and recession, in a scenario characterized by growing anti‐EU rhetoric. The results suggest that a greater amount of EU funds spent in the region does not stimulate support for the Union. However, an appropriate temporal distribution of the resources allocated to the region could have a positive effect.

POLAND’S MEMBERSHIP IN THE EUROPEAN UNION AND THE COHESION POLICY: IF CONVERGENCE IS SUSTAINABLE

On May 1st, 2004, Poland and 9 other countries became members of the European union. The new economic and institutional conditions resulting from this event had a tremendous impact on Poland’s macroeconomic performance. Poland is the biggest beneficiary of the European Cohesion Policy in 2007-2013. This paper aims at evaluating the scope and strength of cohesion policy’s impact on the macroeconomic situation of Poland. Authors attempt to assess the economic benefits of Poland’s membership in the Eu (focusing particularly on those related to impact of the cohesion policy’s implementation). Additionally, the article presents the benefits derived by the Eu-15 countries from the implementation of the cohesion policy in Poland. Authors focus, inter alia, on assessing the impact of Poland’s membership in the European union on macroeconomic situation of the country. The assessment of the said impact is based both on the analysis of selected studies of the subject and on authors’ own research based on available statistical data. Within such a context, authors discuss the results of three research projects – commissioned by the Polish Ministry of Regional Development – which attempt to evaluate the impact of the Eu cohesion policy on selected macroeconomic indicators.

Cohesion or Confusion: A Policy Searching for Objectives

Cohesion is an important EU policy domain that was originally primarily about regional development, but which has since acquired wider objectives. This article examines the definition of cohesion and how cohesion policy has evolved in the EU. It then looks at the impact of cohesion policy as a process in European integration, before focusing on possible reforms of cohesion policy. Five main dimensions of reform explored are the underlying remit of the policy, whether it should be retained in richer member states and regions, the linkages between innovation and cohesion, legitimacy issues and the economic governance role of cohesion policy. The article concludes that new thinking is needed to deal with the many unresolved issues around the future of cohesion policy.

The Impact of Cohesion Policy on Economic and Social Integration in EU in 1988–2008

Polityka spójności ustanowiona została w 1988 roku. Celem jej było zmniejszenie dysproporcji w poziomie rozwoju regionów w krajach Wspólnoty oraz zmniejszenie zacofania najsilniej upośledzonych obszarów, w tym również obszarów wiejskich. Przyjęto wówczas, że polityka ta będzie finansowana z funduszy strukturalnych, tj. Sekcji Orientacji funduszu FEOGA, Europejskiego Funduszu Rozwoju Regionalnego, Europejskiego Funduszu Społecznego i od 1993 roku – Finansowego Instrumentu Wspierania Rybołówstwa, a także Funduszu Spójności. Od 1988 roku polityka ta była kilkakrotnie modyfikowana (w latach 1994–1999, 2000–2006 i 2007–2013). W latach 1988–2006 głównymi beneficjantami pomocy z funduszy unijnych były najbiedniejsze kraje członkowskie UE – Hiszpania, Grecja, Portugalia i Irlandia. Kraje te przeznaczyły uzyskane środki na rozwój infrastruktury, czynnika ludzkiego i otoczenia produkcyjnego. Wykorzystanie w latach 1988–2006 środków z funduszy unijnych przyczyniło się do ograniczenia dysproporcji w poziomie rozwoju pomiędzy wymienionymi krajami a pozostałymi krajami UE-15.