The Essence of Unity?
The Historical Evolution and Future Perspectives of Cohesion Policy in the EU
Copyright (c) 2024 Koller Boglárka, Kondor Zsuzsanna
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Abstract
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.
Keywords:
References
ARATÓ, Krisztina – KOLLER, Boglárka (2019): A suis generis politikai rendszer. In ARATÓ Krisztina – KOLLER Boglárka (eds.): Az Európai Unió politikai rendszere. Budapest: Dialóg Campus, 35–50.
ARATÓ, Krisztina – KOLLER, Boglárka (2023): Európa utazása. Integrációtörténet. Harmadik kiadás. Budapest: Gondolat.
AVDIKOS, Vasilis – CHARDAS, Anastassios (2016): European Union Cohesion Policy Post 2014: More (Place-Based and Conditional) Growth – Less Redistribution and Cohesion. Territory, Politics, Governance, 4(1), 97–117. Online: https://doi.org/10.1080/21622671.2014.992460
BACHE, Ian (2015): Cohesion Policy: A New Direction for New Times? In WALLACE, Helen – POLLACK, Mark A. – YOUNG, Alasdair R. (eds.): Policy-Making in the European Union. 7th ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 243–262.
BACHTLER, John – MENDEZ, Carlos (2020): Cohesion and the EU’s Budget: Is Conditionality Undermining Solidarity? In COMAN, Ramona, CRESPY, Amandine and SCHMIDT, Vivien A. (eds.): Governance and Politics in the Post-Crisis European Union. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 121–139. Online: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108612609.009
BACHTLER, John - POLVERARI, Laura (2017): Building Blocks for a Future Cohesion Policy. First Reflections. Brussels: European Parliament, Policy Department for Structural and Cohesion Policies, Research for REGI Committee. Online: https://doi.org/10.2861/629296
BEGG, Ian (2018): Innovative Directions for EU Cohesion Policy After 2020. CESifo Forum, (19)1, 3–9. München: IFO Institut-Leibniz-Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung an der Universität München.
BORRÁS, Susana – JOHANSEN, Helle (2001): Cohesion Policy in the Political Economy of the European Union. Cooperation and Conflict, 36(1), 39–60. Online: https://doi.org/10.1177/00108360121962254
BRUNAZZO, Marco (2016): The History and Evolution of Cohesion Policy. In Handbook on Cohesion Policy in the EU. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar, 17–35. Online: https://doi.org/10.4337/9781784715670.00014
CIPRIANI, Gabriele (2010): The EU Budget: Responsibility Without Accountability? Brussels: Centre for European Policy Studies.
Consolidated versions of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (2012)
Council of the European Union (2023): The Future of Cohesion Policy – Council Conclusions (30 November 2023). Online: https://data.consilium.europa.eu/doc/document/ST-16230-2023-INIT/en/pdf
DELORS, Jacques (2012): Interview. Panorama. Autumn, No. 43. https://www.regionalstudies.org/news/panorama-jacques-delors-on-cohesion
European Commission (1987): Communication from the Commission to the Council, The Single Act: A New Frontier for Europe. COM(87) 100 final.
European Commission (2022): Cohesion in Europe towards 2050. Eighth Report on Economic, Social and Territorial Cohesion. Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union. Online: https://doi.org/10.2776/624081
European Commission Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy (2024): Forging a Sustainable Future Together – Cohesion for a Competitive and Inclusive Europe – Report of the High-Level Group on the Future of Cohesion Policy. Brussels: Publications Office of the European Union. Online: https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2776/974536
HIX, Simon – HØYLAND, Bjørn (2011): The Political System of the European Union (Third edition). London: Palgrave Macmillan.
HOOGHE, Liesbet – MARKS, Gary (2001): Multi-level Governance and European Integration. Oxford: Rowman and Littlefield.
HUGUENOT-NOËL, Robin – HUNTER, Alison – ZULEEG, Fabian (2017): Can the EU Structural Funds Reconcile Growth, Solidarity and Stability Objectives? European Policy Centre Issue Paper 83, October 2017. Online: https://www.epc.eu/content/PDF/2017/EU_structural_funds.pdf
KAH, Stefan – MENDEZ, Carlos – BACHTLER, John – MILLER, Stephen (2015): Strategic Coherence of Cohesion Policy: Comparison of the 2007–13 and the 2014–20 Programming Periods. Brussels: European Parliament. Online: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/STUD/2015/540354/IPOL_STU(2015)540354_EN.pdf
KENGYEL, Ákos (2019): Az Európai Unió költségvetésének jövője a 2021–2027-es többéves pénzügyi keret tükrében. Közgazdasági Szemle, 66(5), 521–550. Online: https://doi.org/10.18414/KSZ.2019.5.521
KOLLER, Boglárka – VARGA, András (2022): Tagállami és uniós hatáskörök a szakpolitikák rendszerében In ÖRDÖGH, Tibor (ed.): Az Európai Unió szakpolitikai rendszere. Budapest: Ludovika, 13–38.
MANZELLA, Gian Paolo – MENDEZ, Carlos (2009): The Turning Points of EU Cohesion Policy. Working Paper Report to Barca Report. European Policies Research Centre University of Strathclyde. Online: https://strathprints.strath.ac.uk/38743/
MARKS, Gary (1993): Structural Policy and Multilevel Governance. In CAFRUNY, Alan – ROSENTHAL, Glenda (eds.): The State of the European Community (Volume 2). Harlow: Longman, 391–410. Online: https://doi.org/10.1515/9781685856540-024
NAVRACSICS, Tibor (2023): Cohesion Policy. In NAVRACSICS, Tibor – SCHMIDT, Laura – TÁRNOK, Balázs (eds.): On the Way to the Hungarian EU Presidency: Opportunities and Challenges for the Hungarian EU Presidency in 2024 in the Field of EU Policies. Budapest: Ludovika, 9–19.
NYIKOS, Györgyi ed. (2017): Kohéziós Politika 2014–2020. Budapest: Ludovika.
NYIKOS, Györgyi ed. (2018a): Állami támogatások. Budapest: Dialóg Campus. Online: https://antk.uni-nke.hu/document/akk-uni-nke-hu/Web_PDF_Allami_tamogatasok.pdf
NYIKOS, Györgyi ed. (2018b): Beszerzések fejlesztési projekteknél. Budapest: Nemzeti Közszolgálati Egyetem. Online: https://antk.uni-nke.hu/document/akk-uni-nke-hu/Beszerz%C3%A9sek%20fejleszt%C3%A9si%20projektekn%C3%A9l.pdf
NYIKOS, Györgyi – KONDOR, Zsuzsanna (2019): The Hungarian Experiences with Handling Irregularities in the Use of EU Funds. NISPAcee Journal of Public Administration and Policy, 12(1), 113–134. Online: https://doi.org/10.2478/nispa-2019-0005
NYIKOS, Györgyi – KONDOR, Zsuzsanna (2020): New Mechanisms for Integrated Territorial Development in Hungary. Pro Publico Bono – Public Administration, 8(1), 124–145. Online: https://doi.org/10.32575/ppb.2020.1.7
PETZOLD, Wolfgang (2022): The 2021 Reform of EU Cohesion Policy in Context of the Negotiations on the Multiannual Financial Framework. In HEINELT, Hubert – MÜNCH, Sybille (eds.): The EU at a Crossroads. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar, 122–143. Online: https://doi.org/10.4337/9781788977654.00014
Single European Act (1987)
Treaty of Rome (EEC) Treaty establishing the European Economic Community (1957)
Treaty on European Union (1992)
WALLACE, Helen – REH, Christine (2015): An Institutional Anatomy and Five Policy Modes. In WALLACE, Helen – POLLACK, Mark A. – YOUNG, Alasdair R. (eds.): Policy-Making in the European Union. 7th ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 72–114.