Regional Operational Programme Research Articles

Innovation, green innovation and cooperation in publicly funded projects

Abstract Despite the abundance of researches on innovation and green innovation, there remains a necessity to further research in this field. This is particularly crucial in regions like Central and Eastern Europe, including Poland. This publication is a part of research on business innovation utilizing public funds. The paper aims to pinpoint directions for further empirical research on innovation within enterprises funded publicly. Empirical research was conducted using a database of 95 projects, all of which were included in the lists of projects selected for funding under the Opolskie Voivodeship Regional Operational Programme 2014-2020 (Enterprise investments in innovation). The vast majority of projects involve products/services/technologies that are innovative not only regionally and nationally, but also globally. The innovation of the solutions applied was assessed as high. On the other hand, the green innovation of applied solutions was assessed as average. This opens up an interesting field of research into the barriers to green innovation. The data shows that none of the projects implemented by SMEs was implemented as a partnership (SME Cooperation). In the case of large enterprises, 76% of projects were implemented in cooperation with SMEs and/or NGOs and/or research institutions. Interesting line of research could be the evaluation of the barriers for cooperation between SMEs when implementing a green innovation project.

Effects of the Disbursement of EU Cohesion Policy 2014–2020 Funds on Improving the Energy Efficiency of Buildings in Poland and Germany

Improving the energy efficiency of buildings (IEEBs) is crucial to achieving the European Union’s ambitious climate and energy goals. To channel these efforts, new policies, legislation, sources of funding, mechanisms for distributing funds, programs, and support tools are being introduced. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the effects of the disbursement of EU Cohesion Policy 2014–2020 funds on IEEBs in Poland and Germany, filling the research gap regarding the regional differentiation of investments, beneficiaries, and the spatial distribution of subsidies and projects. An analysis was made of 7818 projects on IEEBs implemented under regional operational programs from European Regional Development Funds under Thematic Objective 4. This research was conducted for two main variables: (1) beneficiaries (8 categories) and (2) investments (8 categories). Based on this division, using a cluster analysis through the use of Ward’s agglomerative hierarchical clustering method, groupings were made in relation to beneficiaries (6 groups) and investments (6 group). The results allowed us to identify regional differences and similarities in the approach to the disbursement of funds on IEEBs, to indicate the main beneficiaries, to highlight trends in this regard, to demonstrate the impact of changes in territorial affiliation on investment targeting, and, furthermore, to capture the variation in the sophistication of the implementation of EU IEEB-related policies and legislation. The results provide a well-documented voice in the discussion of the effects of distributing EU funds for IEEBs in the regions of Poland and Germany and provide a basis for further comparative research.

Consumption of ultra-processed foods and relationship with sodium and potassium excretion: a cross-sectional study

Introduction: Higher consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPF) had been associated with higher risk of non-communicable diseases (NCD) and NCD-promoting nutrient profile such as high sodium content and low potassium content. The objective of the study was to evaluate the level of food processing according to the NOVA classification and its relationship with sodium and potassium intake estimated by 24-hour urinary excretion. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study. Data collection included 107 workers from a public university (51.4% female; mean age 47 years) participating in an iMC Salt clinical trial). A 24-hour urinary collection was used to estimate sodium and potassium intake, validated by the creatinine coefficient. The corresponding 24-hour dietary recall was used to assess food intake and foods were categorized using the NOVA classification according to the degree and purpose of processing, into four groups. Nutri-score was also used to categorize UPF and provide more information about the nutritional quality of products. Results: The largest energy contribution came from the group of unprocessed or minimally processed foods (51.6%), followed by UPF (24%), processed foods (21.8%) and processed culinary ingredients (2.6%). Individuals with the lowest caloric contribution of the consumption of UPF had higher average values of potassium (K) intake (1438 vs 1136 mg/1000kcal; p=0.007), as individuals with the highest weight contribution of the consumption of unprocessed or minimally processed foods (1434 vs 1109 mg/1000kcal; p=0.010). For sodium (Na) intake no significant results were found between individuals with the lowest and the highest consumption of each NOVA group. Conclusions: Higher consumption of fresh or minimally processed foods and lower UPF intake were associated with higher K intake values. On the other hand, higher UPF intake was not associated with higher Na intake values. Funding: This work was supported by Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia by Grant POCI-01-0145-FEDER-029269) and by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through NORTE 2020 (Northern Regional Operational Program 2014/2020) - NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-072687.

Effects of Loans Granted Within the Framework of Regional Operational Program on Selected Aspects of Sustainable Development of Labor Market

EU funds have a positive effect on the economic development of the EU Member States. The progressive steps designed to implement decentralization of the distribution of funding offers the means for better adaptation of the support measures to the needs that arise in individual voivodeships, and thus to the sustainable development of the regions. The regional operational program of the Opolskie Voivodeship offers loans that are provided to enterprises from the SME sector, which is projected to contribute to the decrease in unemployment in the region. The relations between the investigated variables were performed by application of statistical methods: histograms, log regression and the Gaussian Mixture Model (GMM). It was noted that there is a difference between the financing prospects in terms of the dependencies between the values of the loans given to businesses and employment growth. In the 2014–2020 perspective, the regression plot is similar to a straight line, which means that statistically proportional to the increase in the value of the loan granted, the number of jobs created increases.

Small extracellular vesicles derived from reactive microglia contribute to retinal neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration

Glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness worldwide and is characterized by progressive degeneration of retinal ganglion cells and damage to the optic nerve. Elevated intraocular pressure is a main risk factor. Moreover, chronic neuroinflammation plays an important role in glaucoma. Microglia become reactive when challenged with elevated pressure, releasing cytotoxic factors that contribute to retinal ganglion cell death. We have been reporting that controlling microglia‐mediated neuroinflammation in experimental glaucoma is sufficient to protect retinal ganglion cells from damage.Small extracellular vesicles are constitutively released by most cells and are important vehicles of intercellular communication, conveying lipids, proteins and genetic material. Small extracellular vesicles derived from microglia exposed to elevated pressure trigger a pro‐inflammatory response in microglia, as determined by increased production of proinflammatory cytokines, microglia motility, phagocytosis, and proliferation. These small extracellular vesicles also increase cell death and impact the survival of retinal ganglion cells. The depletion of retinal microglia halt neuroinflammation induced by small extracellular vesicles isolated from microglia at elevated pressure, suggesting that microglial small extracellular vesicles preferentially interact with microglia. Small extracellular vesicles isolated from microglia challenged with elevated pressure are also enriched in proteins associated with inflammatory signalling and RNA processing and in miRNAs that modulate the NF‐kappaB pathway.This route of communication between microglia involving small extracellular vesicles helps to clarify the pathological mechanisms in glaucoma and may open new perspectives for the development of therapies targeting microglia neuroinflammation.Funding: FCT, Portugal (UID/NEU/04539/2019; UIDB/04539/2020; UIDP/04539/2020), COMPETE‐FEDER (FCOMP‐01‐0124‐FEDER‐028417; POCI‐01‐0145‐FEDER‐007440), Centro 2020 Regional Operational Programme (CENTRO‐01‐0145‐FEDER‐000008: BRAINHEALTH2020).

EVALUATION OF THE USE OF SUPPORT FINANCED IN SMALL AND MEDIUM SIZED ENTERPRISES UNDER THE SAPARD PROGRAM FOR AGRICULTURAL PROCESSING AND THE REGIONAL OPERATIONAL PROGRAM IN THE WARMIŃSKO-MAZURSKIE VOIVODESHIP

The aim of the article is to present the essence and assessment of the use of financial assistance for the SME sector from the SAPARD Program and the Regional Operational Program 2014-2020 in the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship. The subject of the research was the assessment of EU subsidies as a source of enterprise financing. Their aim was to assess the strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and threats resulting from obtaining funds from the ROP for the development of SMEs in the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship. SWOT analysis was used to achieve the research objective. The research was carried out using the interview method, in which the research tool was a standardized survey questionnaire. They were implemented among the beneficiaries of the Regional Operational Program of Warmia and Mazury for 2014-2020. In addition, classic methods and techniques developed in legal sciences were used. The basic method of research in this sphere was the formal dogmatic method. In addition, the source of data was information obtained from the Agency for Restructuring and Modernization of Agriculture. The SAPARD program gave processing plants in the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship the opportunity to become familiar with the new support rules used in the EU structural funds. Projects implemented by the SME sector in the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship have brought tangible benefits in terms of adapting quality and sanitary standards of agricultural processing production to EU requirements. In the case of the Regional Operational Program 2014-2020, the availability of EU funds in the Warmia and Mazury region was assessed by the respondents as insufficient. Due to the completed financial perspective 2014-2020 of the Regional Operational Program of Warmia and Mazury, the possibility of obtaining EU funds has decreased, which significantly limits the development of SME sector enterprises.

Implementation of EU policy on circular economy and social inclusion in Poland – opportunities for synergies

Background: The circular economy (CE) is a concept that is increasingly influencing European Union (EU) policy. Environmental goals are being increasingly financed by European funds. This approach culminates in the new Community Strategy – the European Green Deal. At the same time, EU funds have also been earmarked for social objectives for decades, a fundamental element of cohesion policy. Both CE and social policy measures are implemented with structural funds, through appropriate provisions in national and regional programs. Despite the fact that many activities from both areas are part of sustainable development, Polish strategic programs do not provide for joint activities that affect both environmental and social issues. The article analysed Polish national programs in terms of pro-environmental and social measures. The choice of the research topic is related to the fact that increasingly in the literature there are calls for the inclusion of social issues in the CE theme.
 Research objectives: The aim of the research is to characterize national programs in Poland dedicated to CE and social welfare in the 2014–2020 perspective (Operational Program Infrastructure and Environment, Operational Program Intelligent Development, Operational Program Knowledge Education Development, Eastern Poland Operational Program, Regional Operational Program for Małopolskie Voivodeship), to identify challenges in narrowing the use of a narrowed understanding of pro-environmental measures, and to propose an approach that takes into account the synergies of the two areas in the context of the 2021–2027 perspective.
 Research design and methods: The article uses an analysis of EU documents (regulations and directives; structural and investment programs), Polish national and regional programs. A compilation of priority axes from key programs related to CE and social policy in Poland was made, and then a combination of selected areas was proposed.
 Results: As the analysis shows, the solutions used in the EU and in Poland in the 2014–2020 perspective do not take into account the social context of the circular economy. The plans for the new financial perspective 2021–2027, as well as the long-term strategy of the European Green Deal, do not exclude joint actions, so it is largely up to the member states to focus separately on selected aspects of CE and social inclusion, or to combine actions in both areas. Planning joint activities in at least part of the programs could contribute to the overarching community goal of sustainable development.
 Conclusions: An interdisciplinary approach to the topic of CE, especially the social aspects, could make EU policy more comprehensive and effective in relation to the identified challenges. The EU, which is one of the leaders of pro-environmental changes in the world, should include a broader approach to both CE issues and social policy.

The Effectiveness of Implementing European Union Structural Funds in the 2014–2020 Programming Period. A Comparative Analysis of Poland and Italy

The aim of the European Union’s cohesion policy is to reduce development inequalities between the regions of the Member States and to increase economic, social, and territorial cohesion. Expenditures on it account for one‑third of the European Union (EU) budget. Therefore, the appropriate and effective use of the structural funds plays a very important role. The purpose of the paper is to show the effectiveness of using the EU’s structural funds in two of the largest beneficiary countries in the programming period 2014–2020. The first part of the paper presents the efficiency and effectiveness of using EU structural funds and the barriers related to their implementation, as well as the main characteristics of the 2014–2020 programming period. The second part contains a statistical analysis of the effectiveness of implementing the cohesion policy in Poland and Italy, comparing the amounts of planned and spent funds in the analyzed period. The main method is the statistical analysis, which includes asummary of the amount of allocated funds and their use, as well as a calculation of the percentage of structural funds used. The theoretical part shows potential problems related to the implementation, while the statistical part shows the scale of the problem and the areas with the greatest problems with implementation in both countries.The analysis takes into account thematic objectives, as well as national and regional operational programs.

The dual challenge of distributive politics in multilevel systems: the local allocation of EU funding in Polish Regional Operational Programmes

ABSTRACT The decentralization of funding management poses a conceptual challenge to the study of political criteria in the allocation of funding in the EU Cohesion Policy, as existing research often assumes unidimensional actor constellations and motivations. Combining insights from distributive politics and multilevel party politics, this article uses a unique data set of beneficiary data at the local level from Polish Regional Operational Programs (2007–2013) to explore the ability of regional authorities to engage in vote-seeking and explores how institutional and political multilevel structures affect these strategies. We demonstrate that the vote-seeking of sub-national authorities is constrained in two ways. Competition between regional and national authorities limits the possibility of regional governments that are politically opposed to the national government targeting their electoral strongholds. In contrast, partisan harmony between different institutional levels incentivizes a vote-seeking strategy that takes into consideration electoral dynamics at both the regional and national level.

The impact of EU Structural Funds on the national sustainable development strategy: a methodological application

ABSTRACT Between 2019 and 2021, the Autonomous Region of Sardinia and the Eni Enrico Mattei Foundation (FEEM) developed and applied a sustainability assessment model of the investments within the regional operational programmes (ROPs), with specific reference to the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). That same methodology is used here for the assessment of the sustainability of the ROPs co-financed by the European Union with specific reference to Italy’s National Sustainable Development Strategy (NSDS). In particular, the analysis is done by looking at the contribution of the 182 intervention fields to the NSDS’ strategic goals. Throughout the paper the importance of defining implementation strategies of the NSDS’ National strategic goals through the integration of the indicators, goals and choices of the national strategy into local or regional development plans is emphasized. Finally, the work suggests this methodology as a reference point to ensure careful monitoring of the sustainability of the investments of various European Union policies, in consideration of the importance that the strategy assumes for both Italy and the Italian regions.

Effects of investment funding from regional operational programmes (as illustrated by the ROP of the Podkarpackie voivodeship 2014-2020)

Purpose: The aim of this article is to assess the importance of European Union funds in the development of the regions, with an emphasis on the benefits of obtaining funding under the Regional Operational Programme (ROP) for the Podkarpackie voivodship. Design/methodology/approach: In collecting empirical material for the article, the method of economic and general statistics was used. The temporal scope of the research covers the years 2014-2020, some issues in the field of the effects of cohesion policy support for regional development were shown in the years 2004-2020. The rationale for the location of the research is the peripheral location of the Podkarpackie Voivodeship and the related problems concerning the low level of economic growth and development, the lowest entrepreneurship rate, the low level of income of local governments and residents. Findings: The research has shown that the analysed province has narrowed the gap to the national average, thanks to investments in the development of technical and social infrastructure, renewable energy sources, innovation in enterprises and improvements in the quality of human and social capital. Originality/value: The article presents the use of EU financial resources supporting cohesion policy by the Podkarpackie local government in the form of the Regional Operational Programme 2014-2020 and the effects of the support based on selected indicators, including the author’s absorption indicator. Keywords: EU funds, cohesion policy, regional development. Category of the paper: Research paper.

Impact of the Regional Operational Programme on selected production factors of development. A case study for the Opolskie voivodeship

The article presents research aimed at analysing the impact of the Regional Operational Programme for the Opolskie voivodeship on selected macroeconomic factors of regional growth. The undertaken research analysed the impact of macroeconomic variables related to the labour market, average wages, and the housing market. Each of the specified areas was scrutinised, taking into consideration the analysis of temporal fluctuations in the examined factors in relation to the financial disbursements made under the Regional Operational Programme (ROP) for the Opolskie voivodeship. A correlation analysis was conducted between the examined variables and the financial contributions under the ROP for the Opolskie voivodeship, and a functional correlation analysis was carried out for the examined dimensions. The conducted analyses showed the positive impact of the disbursed funds under the ROP for the Opolskie voivodeship on the examined macroeconomic indicators. The obtained results may have a utilitarian aspect in decision making at both regional and national levels. It should also be noted that a literature analysis of the issue was conducted prior to the research process to ensure systematic research conclusions. This study demonstrates the importance of the cascading strategic planning process and comprehensively describes the evolution of the EU’s approach to interpreting the growth of particular regions, emphasising development, sustainability, and smart specialisation. Evaluating the impact of public policy and public funds is not easy and often poses challenges, however it should be noted that the creation of models allows for showcasing various, often simplified, aspects of reality.

Procedura selekcji projektów unijnych – ocena i możliwości zastosowania w zamówieniach publicznych

Purpose – The main objective of the study is a multi‑faceted assessment of the process of obtaining EU funds by enterprises and the identification of the possibility of their use in other areas where public entities participate in the project selection process. Research method – To achieve the goal, a targeted review of literature, legal acts, and analysis of documentation of the Regional Operational Program for the Lubelskie Voivodeship for 2014–2020 (RPO LV 2014–2020) were carried out. In addition, individual and unstructured group interviews were conducted, and the method of analysis and logical construction was used. Results – The revealed features of the EU project selection process and the identified possibilities of its adaptation in the area of public procurement for innovations confirm its usefulness as a tool to stimulate sustainable development. Originality/value/implications/recommendations – The study presents an original approach to the evaluation of the selection procedure for projects financed from EU funds, which is carried out to be verified in terms of usefulness in other projects. The postulate of using the procedure in public procurement for innovations formulated in the article is in line with the postulates made by the European Union in the field of quality and innovation in public procurement and the selection of the most economically advantageous tenders instead of those with the lowest price.

Integrated territorial investments as an example of measures for sustainable territorial development

Purpose: The aim of the study is to present the principles of Integrated Territorial Investments (ITI) functioning on the example of the Bydgoszcz and Toruń Functional Area (BTFA). An attempt has also been as made to identify the barriers and limitations, including the areas requiring additional support, in the implementation of projects. The study shows that the ITI instrument is effectively implemented under the current financial perspective 2014-2020 and should be maintained in the financial perspective 2021-2027. Design/methodology/approach: The survey was conducted among employees of the Integrated Territorial Investments Office, with a specific purpose of an attempted assessment of whether the ITI instrument has been programmed well at the national level, including evaluation of the ways in which it has been managed and implemented by the Integrated Territorial Investments for the Bydgoszcz and Toruń Functional Area (ITI BTFA) partnership. The subject of the study entailed the Integrated Territorial Investments instrument, as a tool for territorial development in Poland. The object of the study was the ITI BTFA partnership, comprising two core cities: the City of Bydgoszcz and the City of Toruń, as well as 23 municipalities in the functional area. Findings: Integrated Territorial Investments (ITI) is an important instrument of territorial development, constituting a well-utilized tool of local government cooperation, co-financed by the European Union. The instrument strengthens the impact of jointly implemented projects, through an approach extending beyond the administrative boundaries of a given local government. Integrated Territorial Investments are an important tool allowing implementation of the territorial strategies of the 2014-2020 programming period, primarily in the area of integrated actions for sustainable urban development. Originality/value: The article presents the research results arising from the survey conducted at the organization analyzed. The study indicated that the ITI partnership management system is effective, as it has allowed improvement in the efficiency of the activities undertaken as well as increased trust among the partners involved. The main factors which affected the effectiveness of the projects implemented by the ITI BTFA included: good rapport with the beneficiary, cooperation of the ITI Intermediate Body with the Managing Authority of the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship Regional Operational Program, and ongoing monitoring.

Assessment of the impact of an early acute immune challenge on the diabetic retina

AbstractPurpose: Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a leading cause of blindness worldwide. It has been claimed that infections may enhance the progression of retinal degenerative diseases to more severe stages. Infections prime microglia, the immune cells of central nervous system. Microglia‐mediated neuroinflammation is a hallmark of DR. We hypothesized that an infection at adolescence negatively impacts on the retina later in life when it is challenged with diabetes.Methods: An infection was mimicked by an intraperitoneal injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), in Wistar rats. Diabetes was induced by streptozotocin. Retinal function was assessed by electroretinography and retinal structure was evaluated by optical coherence tomography (OCT). Microglia reactivity was assessed by immunolabelling Iba‐1 and MHC‐II.Results: We evaluated first the impact of LPS per se on the retina. Scotopic threshold response, indicative of retinal ganglion cell function, presented a significant decreased amplitude 30 days after LPS injection, without alterations in the function of other retinal neurons. OCT revealed that 1 day after LPS there was an increase in the thickness of inner retinal layers. Eye fundus images showed a thickening of retinal vessels and the presence of vitreous infiltrates, 1 and 5 days after LPS injection. LPS also significantly increased microglial reactivity 1 day after the injection. Then, we evaluated the impact of LPS when the retina was also exposed to a diabetic insult (30 days). In diabetic animals previously exposed to LPS, there was a decrease in the amplitude of cone response, evaluated by flicker (first and second harmonic).Conclusions: LPS per se affects the retina in several parameters, mainly in the first days upon LPS challenge. Moreover, LPS priming negatively impacts on cone cell function upon diabetes.Supported by FCT, Portugal (PEst UIDB/04539/2020 and UIDP/04539/2020) and Centro 2020 Regional Operational Programme (CENTRO‐01‐0145‐FEDER‐000008: BrainHealth 2020).

The retina as a window to the brain in Alzheimer's disease? Insights from an animal model

AbstractPurpose: The retina and the brain share the same embryonic origin, and the retina is considered an extension of the brain. In recent years, the concept ‘the retina as a window to the brain’ gained increasing interest to the study of brain degenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). A better understanding of the natural history of AD and its temporal trajectories, also including alterations in the retina, requires longitudinal studies. Our main aim was to understand when changes (molecular, cellular, structural, physiological) start appearing in the retina and brain, how detected changes progress along time and if they can be correlated. We performed a longitudinal study in a triple transgenic mouse model of AD (3 × Tg‐AD), at 4, 8, 12 and 16 months of age.Methods: Behavioural assessment included the open field and novel object recognition (assessment of recognition memory) tests. The levels of amyloid β (Aβ) and hyperphosphorylated tau, two hallmarks of AD, were assessed in the hippocampus, a brain region associated with memory (impairment). By magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) we assessed hippocampal and visual cortex structural integrity (voxel‐based morphometry). Retinal structure and physiology were evaluated in vivo using optical coherence tomography (OCT) and electroretinography (ERG).Results: 3 × Tg‐AD animals presented altered locomotor activity, and recognition memory impairment at all time points. Significant reduction of hippocampal and visual cortex volumes started early, at month 4, and was maintained until 16 months. The overall retinal thickness of 3 × Tg‐AD mice, as well as the thickness of several retinal layers, decreased at all time points, except for the outer nuclear layer, where an increased thickness was observed. Regarding retinal physiology, the amplitude of scotopic and photopic responses of 3 × Tg‐AD increased at all time points. Similarly, higher amplitude and lower phase values were observed in the photopic flicker response. No differences were found in the activity of retinal ganglion cells. Moreover, a positive correlation between retinal thickness and visual cortex volume was found.Conclusions: This animal model (3xTg‐AD) mimics pathological and neurobehavioral features of AD, presenting early onset recognition memory impairment and hippocampal reduced grey matter volume. Moreover, 3xTg‐AD mice show similar neural changes in the retina and brain visual cortex, namely retinal and brain thinning. These observations support the possibility of using the retina as an additional tool for the early diagnosis and therapeutic monitoring of AD.Support: Santa Casa Mantero Belard Award 2015 (MB‐1049‐2015), FCT (SFRH/BD/52045/2012, SFRH/BPD/93672/2013, PEst UID/NEU/04539/2013, UID/NEU/04539/2019, UIDB/04539/2020 and UIDP/04539/2020, and MEDPERSYST SAICTPAC/0010/2015), COMPETE‐FEDER (POCI‐01‐0145‐FEDER‐007440 and POCI‐01‐0145‐FEDER‐016428) and Centro 2020 Regional Operational Programme (CENTRO‐01‐0145‐FEDER‐000008: BrainHealth 2020 and CENTRO‐01‐0145‐FEDER‐000016:BIGDATIMAGE).

Technology Transfer, Sustainability, and Development, Worldwide and in Romania

Technology transfer (TT) is a mechanism designed to accurately make knowledge, innovations, and advancements available to the general population. TT is conducted through scientific papers, educational and governmental initiatives, and the commercialization of technology. The TT process per se is complex, involving many stakeholders and factors that can impact implementation. Feasibility studies are needed to assess the types of technology that can be transferred, the economic options to be chosen, and to stimulate the receptive part, making understandable the whole transfer flow. Furthermore, TT involves a dynamic mechanism that has advanced with the development of technology, with different linear, non-linear, and alternative models being proposed and scientifically validated, and with the possibility of addressing different perceptions of the factors involved. The international TT level, as well as the level of innovation in the economic context, differs from nation to nation. The need for this paper is based on the lack of a comprehensive detailed presentation of the TT infrastructural concept, approached in a novel and in-depth way by assessing international TT, technology flow, technology distribution and expansion, collaborative networks, TT centers and TT models, regional operational programs etc., all of which are related to national/international legislation and sustainable development. The deficit of representation and implementation of this concept in Romania was also covered, the assessment providing the current status and suggesting the need to develop and optimize the implementation of TT in this country.

Influence of Projects Financed by the Regional Operational Program on the Economic Performance of Companies

Influence of Projects Financed by the Regional Operational Program on the Economic Performance of Companies

The Hurdles to Obtaining European Funds by Polish Benefi ciaries – Quantitative Research

The main objective for writing this article is to present the barriers to accessing EU funds at the stage of preparing an application for funding, as well as the barriers to executing project activities. The research objective, question, and problem as well as the statistical description of the research group and the measurement instruments have been highlighted in the article. The author attempts to answer the following questions: what are the main barriers/hurdles encountered by Polish benefi ciaries of EU funds allocated under national and regional operational programmes; which of the identified barriers to accessing EU funds is perceived as the most hindering in the process of executing EU projects; and how is the impact of EU funds on regional development assessed from the perspective of those people executing projects and taking part in projects fi nanced with EU funds? The following barriers can be enumerated as the most significant: the withholding of subsequent funding tranches while maintaining the obligation to pursue project execution, the highly bureaucratic application process for a subsidy, the bureaucratic system of post-project accounting, and the long deadlines for transferring subsequent tranches of funding. An analysis of the findings confi rms that the benefi ciaries of EU funds primarily fear losing fi nancial liquidity. Receiving a subsidy in the form of a refi nancing of the incurred costs requires, on the one hand, efficient project management,and, on the other, a well-functioning institutional system that should support project recipients in their investment endeavours.

Methodology Framework to Assess Regional Development Plans: A European Perspective Approach

This paper reviews the European Funding Programs impact on regional and economic development. The case study focuses on “Eastern Macedonia & Thrace” (EMTH) Region, a region in the nation of Greece. EMTH Region boasts a number of comparative advantages related to its strategic location, bordering Bulgaria on the North and Turkey on the East. In addition, EMTH Region is one of the regions in Greece with the lowest GDP per capita. Moreover, is a region of great importance with great existing transport infrastructure, widespread network of industrial areas, academic-R&D infrastructure & dynamics and many opportunities in the renewable energy sources. The purpose of the paper is the evaluation of the European Union Funding programs, highlighting and supporting the main target of these funding programs to force and enable a sustainable social and economic growth to the poorest European neighborhoods in order to achieve the average European Union prosperity. The framework analysis of the paper is based on an ex-post evaluation framework of the Regional Operational Programs that Greece and the “EMTH Region, have participated since Greece's entry into the European Union. The case study focused on some large European Support Regional Programs as the Mediterranean Integrated Programs (IMPs, 1986-1993), the 1st Community Support Framework (CSF I) (1989-1993), the 2nd Community Support Framework (CSF II) (1994-1999), the 3rd Community Support Framework (CSF) (2000 -2006) as well as the National Strategic Reference Frameworks (NSRF) (2007-2013) and (2014-2020). Valuable conclusions were derived, mainly regarding the absorption of the programs in the EMTH Region and regional and economic development of the case study region features during this period.