IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/zbw/ifwkwp/2037.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

EU cohesion policy, past and present: Sustaining a prospering and fair European Union?

Author

Listed:
  • Krieger-Boden, Christiane

Abstract

In 2015, the EU regional / cohesion policy has passed its 40th anniversary. During this time, it has undergone various manifestations with ever-changing objectives. It started as a mixture of structural and regional policy aimed at reducing regional economic disparities within the Union. Since 2000 at latest, however, cohesion policy has been subordinated to a growth and competitiveness strategy and has undergone a substantial re-definition of objectives and principles. At the background of a potential conflict between growth and cohesion objectives, i.e., between efficiency and equality, the paper finds discrepancies between asserted intentions and actual practise of cohesion policy. On this ground, the paper argues for a return to a less ambitious, more basic-needs oriented cohesion policy.

Suggested Citation

  • Krieger-Boden, Christiane, 2016. "EU cohesion policy, past and present: Sustaining a prospering and fair European Union?," Kiel Working Papers 2037, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel).
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:ifwkwp:2037
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.econstor.eu/bitstream/10419/130553/1/857125974.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Philippe Martin, 1998. "Can Regional Policies Affect Growth and Geography in Europe?," Post-Print hal-03416388, HAL.
    2. Diego Puga, 2008. "Agglomeration and cross-border infrastructure," Working Papers 2008-06, Instituto Madrileño de Estudios Avanzados (IMDEA) Ciencias Sociales.
    3. Puga, Diego, 1999. "The rise and fall of regional inequalities," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 43(2), pages 303-334, February.
    4. Wolfgang Eggert & Maximilian Von Ehrlich & Robert Fenge & Günther König, 2007. "Konvergenz‐ und Wachstumseffekte der europäischen Regionalpolitik in Deutschland," Perspektiven der Wirtschaftspolitik, Verein für Socialpolitik, vol. 8(2), pages 130-146, March.
    5. Gianmarco Ottaviano, 2003. "Regional Policy in the Global Economy: Insights from New Economic Geography," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 37(6-7), pages 665-673.
    6. Daron Acemoglu & Philippe Aghion & Fabrizio Zilibotti, 2006. "Distance to Frontier, Selection, and Economic Growth," Journal of the European Economic Association, MIT Press, vol. 4(1), pages 37-74, March.
    7. Bickenbach, Frank & Bode, Eckhardt & Krieger-Boden, Christiane, 2010. "Structural cohesion in Europe: Stylized facts," Kiel Working Papers 1669, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel).
    8. repec:hal:wpspec:info:hdl:2441/9343 is not listed on IDEAS
    9. Becker, Sascha O. & Egger, Peter H. & von Ehrlich, Maximilian, 2010. "Going NUTS: The effect of EU Structural Funds on regional performance," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 94(9-10), pages 578-590, October.
    10. Annette Bongardt* & Francisco Torres**, 2007. "Institutions, Governance and Economic Growth in the EU: Is There a Role for the Lisbon Strategy?," Intereconomics: Review of European Economic Policy, Springer;ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics;Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS), vol. 42(1), pages 32-42, January.
    11. Krugman, Paul, 1991. "Increasing Returns and Economic Geography," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 99(3), pages 483-499, June.
    12. Diego Puga, 2002. "European regional policies in light of recent location theories," Journal of Economic Geography, Oxford University Press, vol. 2(4), pages 373-406, October.
    13. Tobias Hagen & Philipp Mohl, 2011. "Econometric Evaluation of EU Cohesion Policy: A Survey," Chapters, in: Miroslav N. Jovanović (ed.), International Handbook on the Economics of Integration, Volume III, chapter 16, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    14. Teresa Garcia-Milà & Therese McGuire, 2001. "Do Interregional Transfers Improve the Economic Performance of Poor Regions? The Case of Spain," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 8(3), pages 281-296, May.
    15. Krieger-Boden, Christiane, 2002. "European integration and the case for compensatory regional policy," ERSA conference papers ersa02p240, European Regional Science Association.
    16. Riccardo Crescenzi & Mara Giua, 2016. "The EU Cohesion Policy in context: Does a bottom-up approach work in all regions?," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 48(11), pages 2340-2357, November.
    17. Aadne Cappelen & Fulvio Castellacci & Jan Fagerberg & Bart Verspagen, 2003. "The Impact of EU Regional Support on Growth and Convergence in the European Union," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 41(4), pages 621-644, September.
    18. Sapir, Andre & Aghion, Philippe & Bertola, Giuseppe & Hellwig, Martin & Pisani-Ferry, Jean & Rosati, Dariusz & Vinals, Jose & Wallace, Helen, 2004. "An Agenda for a Growing Europe: The Sapir Report," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780199271498.
    19. Jean Pisani-Ferry & André Sapir, 2006. "The Last exit to lisbon," Policy Briefs 41, Bruegel.
    20. Martin, Philippe, 1999. "Public policies, regional inequalities and growth," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 73(1), pages 85-105, July.
    21. Vincent Dupont, 2007. "Do geographical agglomeration, growth and equity conflict?," Papers in Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 86(2), pages 193-213, June.
    22. Breinlich, Holger & Ottaviano, Gianmarco I.P. & Temple, Jonathan R.W., 2014. "Regional Growth and Regional Decline," Handbook of Economic Growth, in: Philippe Aghion & Steven Durlauf (ed.), Handbook of Economic Growth, edition 1, volume 2, chapter 4, pages 683-779, Elsevier.
    23. Philippe Martin, 1998. "Can Regional Policies Affect Growth and Geography in Europe?," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 21(6), pages 757-774, August.
    24. Daron Acemoglu & Philippe Aghion & Fabrizio Zilibotti, 2003. "Vertical Integration and Distance to Frontier," Journal of the European Economic Association, MIT Press, vol. 1(2-3), pages 630-638, 04/05.
    25. Vincent Dupont & Philippe Martin, 2006. "Subsidies to poor regions and inequalities: some unpleasant arithmetic," Journal of Economic Geography, Oxford University Press, vol. 6(2), pages 223-240, April.
    26. Andres RodrIguez-Pose & Ugo Fratesi†, 2004. "Between Development and Social Policies: The Impact of European Structural Funds in Objective 1 Regions," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 38(1), pages 97-113.
    27. Pierre-Philippe Combes, 2011. "The empirics of economic geography: how to draw policy implications?," Review of World Economics (Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv), Springer;Institut für Weltwirtschaft (Kiel Institute for the World Economy), vol. 147(3), pages 567-592, September.
    28. Becker, Sascha O. & Egger, Peter H. & von Ehrlich, Maximilian, 2012. "Too much of a good thing? On the growth effects of the EU's regional policy," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 56(4), pages 648-668.
    29. Behrens, Kristian & Lamorgese, Andrea R. & Ottaviano, Gianmarco I.P. & Tabuchi, Takatoshi, 2007. "Changes in transport and non-transport costs: Local vs global impacts in a spatial network," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 37(6), pages 625-648, November.
    30. I.P. Ottaviano, Gianmarco, 2008. "Infrastructure and economic geography: An overview of theory and evidence," EIB Papers 6/2008, European Investment Bank, Economics Department.
    31. Rikard Forslid & Ian Wooton, 2003. "Comparative Advantage and the Location of Production," Review of International Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 11(4), pages 588-603, September.
    32. Breidenbach, Philipp & Mitze, Timo & Schmidt, Christoph M., 2016. "EU structural funds and regional income convergence: A sobering experience," Ruhr Economic Papers 608, RWI - Leibniz-Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, Ruhr-University Bochum, TU Dortmund University, University of Duisburg-Essen.
    33. Harry Garretsen & Philip McCann & Ron Martin & Peter Tyler, 2013. "The future of regional policy," Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society, Cambridge Political Economy Society, vol. 6(2), pages 179-186.
    34. Richard Baldwin & Rikard Forslid & Philippe Martin & Gianmarco Ottaviano & Frederic Robert-Nicoud, 2005. "Economic Geography and Public Policy," Economics Books, Princeton University Press, edition 1, number 7524.
    35. repec:hal:spmain:info:hdl:2441/9343 is not listed on IDEAS
    36. Schmidt, Christoph & Mitze, Timo & Breidenbach, Philipp, 2016. "EU Structural Funds and Regional Income Convergence – A Sobering Experience," CEPR Discussion Papers 11210, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    37. Julie Le Gallo & Sandy Dall'Erba & Rachel Guillain, 2011. "The Local versus Global Dilemma of the Effects of Structural Funds," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 42(4), pages 466-490, December.
    38. Sandy Dall'erba & Julie Le Gallo, 2008. "Regional convergence and the impact of European structural funds over 1989–1999: A spatial econometric analysis," Papers in Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 87(2), pages 219-244, June.
    39. Philippe Martin, 1999. "Are European regional policies delivering?," Post-Print hal-01011168, HAL.
    40. Mohl, P. & Hagen, T., 2010. "Do EU structural funds promote regional growth? New evidence from various panel data approaches," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 40(5), pages 353-365, September.
    41. Venables, Anthony J, 1996. "Equilibrium Locations of Vertically Linked Industries," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 37(2), pages 341-359, May.
    42. Roberto Esposti & Stefania Bussoletti, 2008. "Impact of Objective 1 Funds on Regional Growth Convergence in the European Union: A Panel-data Approach," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 42(2), pages 159-173.
    43. Richard Baldwin & Rikard Forslid & Philippe Martin & Gianmarco Ottaviano & Frederic Robert-Nicoud, 2005. "Economic Geography and Public Policy," Economics Books, Princeton University Press, edition 1, number 7524.
    44. Sandy Dall'Erba & Rachel Guillain & Julie Le Gallo, 2011. "The local vs global dilemma of the effects of structural funds," Post-Print halshs-01226500, HAL.
    45. Aadne Cappelen & Fulvio Castellacci & Jan Fagerberg & Bart Verspagen, 2003. "The Impact of EU Regional Support on Growth and Convergence in the European Union," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 41(4), pages 621-644, September.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Chiara Garau & Paola Zamperlin & Ginevra Balletto, 2016. "Reconsidering the Geddesian Concepts of Community and Space through the Paradigm of Smart Cities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(10), pages 1-16, September.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Enrico Fabrizi & Gianni Guastella & Stefano Marta & Francesco Timpano, 2016. "Determinants of Intra-Distribution Dynamics in European Regions: An Empirical Assessment of the Role of Structural Intervention," Tijdschrift voor Economische en Sociale Geografie, Royal Dutch Geographical Society KNAG, vol. 107(5), pages 522-539, December.
    2. Dahl, Juliana, 2013. "Innovation and growth in regions with specific geographical features," Kiel Advanced Studies Working Papers 463, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel).
    3. Julia Bachtrögler & Christoph Hammer & Wolf Heinrich Reuter & Florian Schwendinger, 2019. "Guide to the galaxy of EU regional funds recipients: evidence from new data," Empirica, Springer;Austrian Institute for Economic Research;Austrian Economic Association, vol. 46(1), pages 103-150, February.
    4. Jan Fidrmuc & Martin Hulényi & Olga Zajkowska, 2019. "The Elusive Quest for the Holy Grail of an Impact of EU Funds on Regional Growth," CESifo Working Paper Series 7989, CESifo.
    5. Mindaugas Butkus & Alma Maciulyte-Sniukiene & Kristina Matuzeviciute, 2020. "Heterogeneous growth outcomes of the EU’s regional financial support mediated by institutions with some empirical evidences at NUTS 3 level," Review of Regional Research: Jahrbuch für Regionalwissenschaft, Springer;Gesellschaft für Regionalforschung (GfR), vol. 40(1), pages 33-66, April.
    6. Sandy Dall'Erba & Fang Fang, 2017. "Meta-analysis of the impact of European Union Structural Funds on regional growth," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 51(6), pages 822-832, June.
    7. Kristian Behrens & Frédéric Robert‐Nicoud, 2009. "Krugman's Papers in Regional Science: The 100 dollar bill on the sidewalk is gone and the 2008 Nobel Prize well‐deserved," Papers in Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 88(2), pages 467-489, June.
    8. Sarantis Lolos, 2009. "The effect of EU structural funds on regional growth: assessing the evidence from Greece, 1990–2005," Economic Change and Restructuring, Springer, vol. 42(3), pages 211-228, August.
    9. Ugo Fratesi, 2008. "Regional policy from a supra-regional perspective," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 42(3), pages 681-703, September.
    10. Elena Calegari & Enrico Fabrizi & Gianni Guastella & Francesco Timpano, 2021. "EU regional convergence in the agricultural sector: Are there synergies between agricultural and regional policies?," Papers in Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 100(1), pages 23-50, February.
    11. Cerciello, Massimiliano & Agovino, Massimiliano & Garofalo, Antonio, 2019. "The caring hand that cripples? The effects of the European regional policy on local labour market participation in Southern Italy," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    12. Paolo Di Caro & Ugo Fratesi, 2022. "One policy, different effects: Estimating the region‐specific impacts of EU cohesion policy," Journal of Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 62(1), pages 307-330, January.
    13. Lukasz Pietak, 2021. "Structural Funds and Convergence in Poland," Hacienda Pública Española / Review of Public Economics, IEF, vol. 236(1), pages 3-37, March.
    14. Scotti, Francesco & Flori, Andrea & Pammolli, Fabio, 2022. "The economic impact of structural and Cohesion Funds across sectors: Immediate, medium-to-long term effects and spillovers," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 111(C).
    15. bouayad-agha-Hamouche, salima & turpin, nadine & védrine, lionel, 2012. "Fostering the potential endogenous development of European regions: a spatial dynamic panel data analysis of the Cohesion Policy," MPRA Paper 65470, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    16. Mohl, P. & Hagen, T., 2010. "Do EU structural funds promote regional growth? New evidence from various panel data approaches," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 40(5), pages 353-365, September.
    17. Mazzeo Rinaldi, Francesco, 2016. "From local development policies to strategic planning—Assessing continuity in institutional coalitions," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 76-87.
    18. Wolfgang Eggert & Maximilian Von Ehrlich & Robert Fenge & Günther König, 2007. "Konvergenz‐ und Wachstumseffekte der europäischen Regionalpolitik in Deutschland," Perspektiven der Wirtschaftspolitik, Verein für Socialpolitik, vol. 8(2), pages 130-146, March.
    19. Davide Fiaschi & Andrea Mario Lavezzi & Angela Parenti, 2018. "Does EU cohesion policy work? Theory and evidence," Journal of Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 58(2), pages 386-423, March.
    20. Fabien Candau, 2008. "Entrepreneurs' Location Choice And Public Policies: A Survey Of The New Economic Geography," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 22(5), pages 909-952, December.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    cohesion; regional policy; growth policy; EU Structural Funds;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H7 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations
    • R5 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Regional Government Analysis

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:zbw:ifwkwp:2037. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/iwkiede.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.