Európai Tükör

Post-2027 Cohesion Policy for All

Kaiser Tamás — 2024-07-17

The uneven development and territorial disparities in the European Union (EU) have been increasing for years and has now reached a level that increasingly threatens its economic and social cohesion as well as the political stability. Cohesion policy is therefore more important than ever to ensure the competitiveness and cohesion of the EU. Based on the critical overview of the relevant literature, policy documents, conceptions and narratives, the paper argues for a renewed cohesion policy with reinforced territorial dimension, that should focus on place-based strategies, keep balance between efficiency and equity, as well as capable working together with other EU and national policies and initiatives.

The Essence of Unity?

Koller Boglárka — 2024-07-17

The Cohesion Policy of the European Union has a long history in European integration. New enlargement waves, internal and external challenges, economic downturns and other crises have consistently required a redefinition of the goals and instruments of Cohesion Policy. It is primarily recognised as one of the most prominent distributive policies of the EU and one of the largest development policies of the world. The aim of this article is to provide a basis for understanding this complex policy area by offering a historical perspective and outlining the future context and challenges. After establishing a suitable theoretical framework, the evolution of the policy is explained by examining the policy goals and objectives in different integration eras, as well as providing an overview of Cohesion Policy’s role in the EU’s budget. Following a summary of the main management methods, the article assesses the future perspectives of the policy.

The Cross-Border Cooperation Tool-Box of EU Cohesion Policy

Fejes Zsuzsanna — 2024-07-17

The paper presents the 35-year evolution of the cooperation tool-box of the Cohesion Policy. The authors give an overview on the history of the financial (Interreg) and the governance (Euroregions and EGTCs) tools, and introduce the debate on a mechanism designed to facilitate the elimination of legal and administrative obstacles. The last debate indicates the climate change within European Territorial Cooperation policy generated by the series of crises since 2015.
The paper uses sources of information based on desk research (studies, evaluations, official documents and adopted regulations) and experiences gained from the management, implementation and evaluation of cross-border programmes and projects and adapts this knowledge in an interdisciplinary way, with a special focus on legal and political scientific aspects. As a conclusion, the paper raises concerns about the future of European Territorial Cooperation objective of the Cohesion Policy.

A Comparative Analysis of the Circular Economy Strategies of the EU Member States

György Ottília — 2024-07-17

This paper focuses on the circular economy and, within this, on the strategies prepared by EU Member States to move towards a circular economy. The European Commission’s 2014 Communication “Towards a Circular Economy: a Zero Waste Europe” launched the transition to a Circular Economy (CE) in EU Member States. Subsequently, not only has the EU issued a CE Action Plan and a number of documents over the last 9 years, but Member States have also developed their own national strategies for the transition to CE during this period. These strategies vary from country to country, not only being country-specific, but also very heterogeneous in their name, composition, form, objectives and timeframe. The main research question of this paper is what the EU Member States’ circular strategies contain, and what the member states focus on within each of the categories I have chosen, what are the common points, and above all, the similarities and differences along the individual categories. To answer the “what” question, I used quantitative content analysis, while to answer the “what kind of” question, I used qualitative discourse analysis. The research is timely because by 2023, all EU countries without exception will finally have published their CE strategies. Previous studies that have looked at similar aspects only provide partial comparisons, as not all countries had a CE strategy.

Cohesion or Widening Disparities:

Pató Viktória Lilla — 2024-07-17

This comprehensive analysis investigates the effectiveness of EU funding in promoting research and innovation across various regions, with a specific focus on the Horizon Europe Programme. In this study, we employed a mixed-quantitative analysis of funding allocation data sourced from the Horizon Europe Dashboard and the Global Innovation Index. We systematically analysed the distribution of Horizon Europe funds from 2021 to 2023 across all EU Member States and their respective NUTS 2 regions, focusing on per capita and per researcher fund allocation. Additionally, a comparative analysis was conducted to assess the alignment between fund distribution and innovation indicators such as R&D intensity and innovation outputs.
The study also critically examines the EU’s cohesion policy, which is fundamentally designed to reduce regional disparities and promote equal opportunities across all EU regions. Through our analysis, we aim to assess whether the current implementation of the EU’s financial instruments aligns with the overarching goals of cohesion policy, particularly in terms of fostering uniform economic growth and development. This examination is crucial as it highlights the need for the values of cohesion to be more effectively integrated into the criteria systems of directly managed EU funding programs to achieve its intended objectives of regional and territorial cohesion.
The study reveals persistent and widening disparities in the distribution of funds, which accentuate regional and national inequalities within the EU. Despite significant financial allocations aimed at fostering innovation, the evidence points to a concentrated benefit in specific regions, particularly those already developed, thereby raising concerns about the equitable promotion of technological advancement and economic growth across less developed areas. The findings underscore the need for a more balanced and strategic approach to funding that ensures all regions can contribute to and benefit from Europe’s innovation landscape. This research contributes crucial insights into the complexities of funding allocation, the challenges of regional disparities, and the potential pathways towards a more inclusive innovation policy within the European Union.

Is the Purpose of Cohesion Policy Changing?

Lapu Árpád — 2024-07-17

An effective cohesion policy is the backbone of the common market and European economy in general. It mitigates the negative effects of economic integration by strengthening the weakest links in the chain of European economic cooperation. The significance of cohesion policy is evident, however, there are worrying tendencies weakening its effectiveness. Not only does the Multiannual Financial Framework have less nominal resources allocated for cohesion in general, but the focus, objectives, and recipients seem to be shifting as well. By introducing the objectives of other policy fields into cohesion policy and deviating its resources for short-term crisis management, the development of regions and their cohesion seems to become a secondary, subsidiary objective. Without cohesion policy, the costs of accelerated economic integration can become unbearable for certain parts of the EU. Even though the European Parliament does recognise this tendency, it sends mixed signals during legislative and non-legislative procedures. There is only one solution for the change in the nature of cohesion policy and thus its hollowing-out – a strict separation of cohesion and non-cohesion goals and their allocation in the EU budget.

Support Funds of the European Union and their Eastern Central European Comparison

Kocsis Lóránt Zsombor — 2024-07-17

Recent events have posed significant challenges for the world economy, including the European Union. There were problems at several levels, with the memory of the 2008 crisis and its aftermath still present in society, an energy crisis, and the very damaging effects of the pandemic on the economy and, finally, the outbreak of war on the continent. Even before that, the EU had a number of problems to address, such as improving competitiveness and the issue of migration, but these events had exacerbated them. The EU’s cohesion policy plays an important role in addressing or at least mitigating these challenges by providing a well-planned support structure to intervene and offer solutions. How are the funds structured? What are the main funding priorities, which in turn also highlight the most pressing problems? How have the funds changed compared to the previous budgetary period, and how do the particularly vulnerable Eastern Central European countries stand to benefit from these? The present study aims to analyse and answer these questions.

Turning Water into Wine?

Kecsmár Krisztián — 2024-07-17