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Between Development and Social Policies: The Impact of European Structural Funds in Objective 1 Regions

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Author Info
Andrés RodrÍguez-Pose*
Ugo Fratesi†

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Abstract

Rodríguez-Pose A. and Fratesi U. (2004) Between development and social policies: the impact of European Structural Funds in Objective 1 regions, Reg. Studies 38 , 97-113. European regional support has grown in parallel with European integration. The funds targeted at achieving greater economic and social cohesion and reducing disparities within the European Union (EU) have more than doubled in relative terms since the end of the 1980s, making development policies the second most important policy area in the EU. The majority of the development funds have been earmarked for Objective 1 regions, i.e. regions where GDP per capita is below the 75% threshold of the EU average. However, the European development policies have come under increasing criticism based on two facts: the lack of upward mobility of assisted regions; and the absence of regional convergence. This paper assesses, using cross-sectional and panel data analyses, the failure so far of European development policies to fulfil their objective of delivering greater economic and social cohesion by examining how European Structural Fund support is allocated among different development axes in Objective 1 regions. We find that, despite the concentration of development funds on infrastructure and, to a lesser extent, on business support, the returns to commitments on these axes are not significant. Support to agriculture has short-term positive effects on growth, but these wane quickly, and only investment in education and human capital - which only represents about one-eight of the total commitments - has medium-term positive and significant returns. Rodríguez-Pose A. et Fratesi U. (2004). Entre les politiques de développement et les politiques sociales: l'impact des fonds structurels européens dans les régions qui remplissent les conditions requises de l'Objectif 1, Reg. Studies 38 , 97-113. L'aide régionale européenne a augmenté au fur et à mesure de l'intégration européenne. Les fonds qui ciblent une meilleure cohésion économique et sociale et une réduction des disparités au sein de l'Union européenne (Ue) ont plus que doublés en termes relatifs depuis la fin des années 1980, ce qui a fait des politiques de développement la deuxième politique dans l'Ue de par son importance. La plupart des fonds de développement ont été désignés pour les régions qui remplissent les conditions requises de l'Objectif 1, à savoir les régions où le PIB par tête est inférieur au seuil de 75% de la moyenne de l'Ue. Toujours est-il que les politiques de développement européennes ont fait l'objet d'un examen minutieux pour deux raisons: le manque de mouvement vers le haut des régions aidées et l'absence de la convergence régionale. A partir des analyses des données provenant des échantillons transversal et permanent, cet article cherche à évaluer pourquoi les politiques de développement européennes n'ont pas atteint jusqu'ici l'objectif de réussir une plus grande cohésion économique et sociale en examinant comment le Fonds européen structurel a octroyé l'aide parmi les divers axes de développement au sein des régions qui remplissent les conditions requises de l'Objectif 1. Il s'avère que, malgré la concentration des fonds de développement sur l'infrastructure et, dans une moindre mesure, sur l'aide aux entreprises, les rendements par rapport aux engagements ne sont pas significatifs. L'aide à l'agriculture a des effets positifs à court terme sur la croissance, mais ces effets-là diminuent rapidement. Seul l'investissement dans l'éducation et le capital humain - qui ne représentent qu'un huitième des engagements globaux - a des effets positifs et importants à moyen terme. Rodrígez-Pose A. und Fratesie U. (2004) Zwischen Entwicklungs- und Sozialpolitik: die Auswirkung des europäischen Strukturfonds in als Objektiv I bezeichneten Regionen, Reg Studies 38 , 97-113. Die europäische Unterstützung bestimmter Regionen hat mit der europäischen Integration Schritt gehalten. Die zur Schaffung größerer wirtschaftlicher und sozialer Geschlossenheit und Verringerung von Ungleichheiten in der Europäischen Union vorgesehenen Mittel sind seit Ende der achtziger Jahre relativ auf mehr als das Doppelte angestiegen, und haben Entwicklungspolitik damit zum zweitwichtigsten Gebiet der europäischen Unionspolitik gemacht. Die Mehrzahl der Entwicklungsmittel sind für die als Objektiv 1 bezeichneten Regionen bereitgestellt worden, d.h. für Regionen, deren pro-Kopf Nettoinlandsprodukt unter der 75% Schwelle des Durchschnitts der europäischen Region liegt. Die europäische Entwicklungspolitik ist jedoch zunehmender Kritik ausgesetzt, die auf zwei Faktoren beruht: den Mangel an Möglichkeiten sozialen Aufstiegs in unterstützten Regionen, und das Ausbleiben regionaler Konvergenz. Mit Hilfe von Querschnitts- und Datenlistenanalysen beurteilt dieser Aufsatz den bisherigen Mißerfolg der europäischen Entwicklungspolitk bei der Erfüllung ihrer Aufgabe, größere wirtschaftliche und soziale Geschlossenheit herbeizuführen, indem er untersucht, wie Unterstützung durch den europäischen Strukturfond unter den verschiedenen Entwicklungsachsen in Regionen des Objektivs 1 zugeteilt wird. Die Autoren stellen fest, daß trotz der Konzentration von Entwicklungsmitteln auf Infrastruktur, und, in geringerem Maße, Unterstützung von Geschäften, die Einnahmen von Verpflichtungen von diesen Achsen unbedeutend geblieben sind. Die Unterstützung der Landwirtschaft wirkt sich kurzfristig positiv aufs Wachstum aus, nimmt jedoch bald wieder ab; nur Investizionen in Bildung und Ausbildung - die ein bloßes Achtel der Verpflichtungen ausmachen -, haben mittelfristig positive und bedeutende Ergebnisse gezeitigt. Rodríguez-Pose A. y Fratesi U. (2004) Entre políticas sociales y de desarrollo: el impacto de los Fondos Estructurales europeos en las regiones de Objectivo 1, Reg. Studies 38 , 97-113. Las ayudas regionales provenientes de la Unión Europea han crecido en paralelo a la integración Europea. Los fondos dirigidos a conseguir una mayor cohesión social y económica y a reducir disparidades dentro de la Unión Europea se han más que duplicado en términos relativos desde finales de los años 80, llevando a que las políticas de desarrollo se conviertan en la segunda área política más importante de la Unión Europea. La mayoría de los fondos de desarrollo se han destinado a regiones de Objetivo 1, es decir, a aquellas regiones cuyo PIB per cápita está por debajo del 75% de la media comunitaria. Sin embargo, las políticas de desarrollo de la Unión Europea han recibido cada vez mayores críticas en base a dos hechos: la carencia de movilidad ascendente por parte de aquellas regiones que reciben las ayudas y la ausencia de convergencia regional. Este artículo evalúa, por medio de análises de datos transversales y de panel, cómo las políticas de desarrollo de la Unión Europea han fracasado hasta el momento en conseguir su objetivo de proveer una mayor cohesión social y económica examinando cómo las ayudas provenientes de los Fondos Estructurales de la UE son distribuídas entre los distintos ejes de desarrollo en regiones de Objetivo 1. Hemos descubierto que, a pesar de la concentración de los fondos de desarrollo en infraestructura y, en menor medida, en ayudas a las empresas, los rendimientos resultantes de los compromisos en estos ejes no son significativos. Las ayudas destinadas a la agricultura tienen efectos positivos en el crecimiento a corto plazo, pero estos disminuyen rápidamente, y solamente las inversiones en educación y capital humano, lo cual sólo representa una octava parte del total de los compromisos, tienen rendimientos positivos a mediano plazo.

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Article provided by Taylor and Francis Journals in its journal Regional Studies.

Volume (Year): 38 (2004)
Issue (Month): 1 (February)
Pages: 97-113
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Handle: RePEc:taf:regstd:v:38:y:2004:i:1:p:97-113

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Related research
Keywords: Development Policy; Structural Funds; Convergence; Cohesion; Objective 1; European Union; Politique De déVeloppement; Fonds Structurels; Convergence; CohéSion; Objectif 1; Union EuropéEnne; Entwicklungspolitik; Strukturfond; Konvergenz; KohäSion; Objektiv 1; EuropäIsche Union; PolíTica De Desarrollo; Fondos Estructurales; Convergencia; Cohesión; Objectivo 1; Unión Europea;

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