Sage Journals: Discover world-class research

Abstract

This article discusses the reforms to European Union (EU) regional development policy, or more precisely EU Cohesion Policy, which have been taking place over recent years. Following a discussion of the evolution of the policy, the changes in the rationale, the logic, the architecture, and the outcomes of the policy are examined from the start of the reform process in 2008 right up to the current context. The implications of these changes for the future functioning of the policy are examined in the context of wider impacts of globalization, institutional reform, and changing thinking in economic geography and development economics.

Keywords

European Union cohesion policy place-based institutions globalization economic geography

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Acemoglu

Johnson

S. H.

. 2006a. “De Facto Political Power and Institutional Persistence.” American Economic Review 96:325–30.

Acemoglu

Johnson

S. H.

. 2006b. “Unbundling Institutions.” Journal of Political Economy 113:949–95.

Bachtler

Turok

. 1997. eds. The Coherence of EU Regional Policy: Contrasting Perspectives on the Structural Funds. London, UK: Jessica Kingsley.

Barca

2009. “An Agenda for A Reformed Cohesion Policy: A Place-Based Approach to Meeting European Union Challenges and Expectations.” Independent Report Prepared at the Request of the European Commissioner for Regional Policy, Danuta Hübner, European Commission, Brussels, Belgium.

Barca

2011. “Alternative Approaches to Development Policy: Intersections and Divergences.” OECD Regional Outlook 2011: Building Resilient Regions for Stronger Economies. Paris, France: Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.

Barca

McCann

. 2011. Methodological Note: Outcome Indicators and Targets – Towards a Performance Oriented EU Cohesion Policy. http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/sources/docgener/evaluation/performance_en.htm.

Barca

McCann

Rodrigues-Pose

. 2012. “The Case for Regional Development Intervention: Place-Based versus Place-Neutral Approaches.” Journal of Regional Science 52:134–52.

Bel

Fageda

. 2008. “Getting There Fast: Globalization, Intercontinental Flights and Location of Headquarters.” Journal of Economic Geography 8:471–95.

Broersma

Van Dijk

. 2005. “Regional Differences in Labour Productivity in The Netherlands.” TESG Journal of Economic and Social Geography Tijdschrift voor Economische en Sociale Geografie 96:334–43.

10.

Broersma

Van Dijk

2008. “The Effect of Congestion and Agglomeration on mfp-growth in Dutch Regions.” Journal of Economic Geography 8:181–209.

11.

CAF (Corporación Andina de Fomento). 2010, Desarrollo Local: Hacia un Nuevo Protagonismo de Las Ciudades y Regiones. Caracas, Venezuela: Corporación Andina de Fomento.

12.

Cantwell

Iammarino

. 2003. Multinational Corporations and European Regional Systems of Innovation. London, UK: Routledge.

13.

Charron

Lapuente

Dijkstra

. 2012. Regional Governance Matters: A Study on Regional Variation in Quality of Government within the EU. Brussels, Belgium: Directorate-General for Regional Policy.

14.

Constantin

Goschin

McCann

, 2012. “Globalisation, the CEECs, and European Policy,” in Societies in Motion: Regional Development, Industrial Innovation and Spatial Mobility, edited by Frenkel

Nijkamp

Cheltenham

P. McCann.

, UK: Edward Elgar.

15.

Dijkstra

Garcilazo

McCann

. 2012. “The Economic Performance of European Cities and City-Regions: Myths and Realities.” European Planning Studies, Forthcoming. DOI:10.1080/09654313.2012.716245.

16.

Drabenstott

2005. A Review of the Federal Role in Regional Economic Development. Kansas City, MO: Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, First Quarter.

17.

Dreher

2009. “IMF Conditionality: Theory and Evidence.” Public Choice 141:233–67.

18.

EC (European Commission). 2004. “The Cohesion Fund.” Panorama Inforegio. September 14.

19.

EC (European Commission). 2007. “Cohesion Policy 2007-13.” Commentaries and Official Texts. January.

20.

EC (European Commission). 2008. “Regions 2020: An Assessment of Future Challenges for EU Regions.” Commission Staff Working Document, European Commission, Directorate-General for Regional Policy, Brussels, November 2008, SEC(2008) 2868 Final.

21.

EC (European Commission). 2009a. “Cohesion Policy 2009.” The Control System for Cohesion Policy. How it works in the 2007-13 budget period. Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, Directorate-General for Regional Policy

22.

EC (European Commission). 2010a. Investing in Europe: Fifth Cohesion Report on Economic, Social and Territorial Cohesion. Brussels, Belgium: Directorate-General for Regional Policy, European Commission.

23.

EC (European Commission). 2010b. “Regional Policy, an Integrated Approach. A 360º View.” Panorama Inforegio Summer 34, 2010. Directorate-General for Regional Policy, Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg.

24.

EC (European Commission). 2010c. Panorama Inforegio 36, 2010/2011, “Delivering Smart, Sustainable and Inclusive Growth,” Directorate-General for Regional Policy, Brussels, Winter 2010/2011. ISSN: 1608-389X.

25.

EC (European Commission). 2010d. Europe 2020: A European Strategy for Smart, Sustainable and Inclusive Growth Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union.

26.

EC (European Commission). 2010e The European Union Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region. Background and Analysis, May 2010, Luxembourg: Directorate-General for Regional Policy, Publications Office of the European Union.

27.

EC (European Commission). 2011a. “Directorate-General for Regional Policy.” Regional Policy in China and the EU. A Comparative Perspective. Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union.

28.

EC (European Commission). 2011b. “Directorate-General for Regional Policy.” Cohesion Policy 2014-20. Investing in Growth and Jobs. Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union.

29.

EC (European Commission). 2011c. “Directorate-General for Regional Policy.” Cohesion Policy 2014-2020. Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union.

30.

EC (European Commission). 2011d. “Directorate-General for Regional Policy.” Cities of Tomorrow. Challenges, Visions, Ways Forward. Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union.

31.

EC (European Commission). 2011e. “Directorate-General for Regional Policy.” The Urban and Regional Dimension of Europe 2020. Seventh progress report on economic, social and territorial cohesion, November 2011. Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union.

32.

EC (European Commission). 2011f. “Directorate-General for Regional Policy, The Role of Regional Policy in the Future of Europe.” Panorama Inforegio, Autumn 39, 2011, Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union.

33.

EC (European Commission). 2011g. Directorate-General for Regional Policy, “Investing in Europe’s Regions”, Panorama Inforegio, 40, Winter 2011/2012, Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg

34.

EC (European Commission). 2011h. Directorate-General for Regional Policy, “The EU Strategy for the Danube Region. A United Response to Common Challenges.” Panorama Inforegio, Spring 37, 2011, Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union.

35.

EC (European Commission). 2011i. Connecting Universities to Regional Growth: A Practical Guide. Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union.

36.

EC (European Commission). 2011j. Guide to Broadband Investment. Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union.

37.

EC (European Commission). 2012a. Elements for a Common Strategic Framework 2014 to 2020 the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund, the Cohesion Fund, the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund, Commission Staff Working Document, Brussels, 14.3.2012, SWD (2012) 61 Final Part I and II

38.

EC (European Commission). 2012b. The Partnership Principle in the Implementation of the Common Strategic Framework Funds—Elements for a European Code of Conduct on Partnership, Commission Staff Working Document, Brussels, 24.4.2012, SWD (2012) 106 Final

39.

European Union. 2010. “Committee of the Regions.” Consultation Report: The White Paper on Multi-Level Governance. Building Europe in Partnership. Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union.

40.

Feldman

Martin

. 2005. “Constructing Jurisdictional Advantage.” Research Policy 34:1235–49.

41.

Foray

David

Hall

. 2009. “Smart Specialisation—The Concept.” Knowledge Economists Policy Brief No 9, June 2009.

42.

Fujita

Krugman

. 2004. “When is the Economy Monocentric? Von Thunen and Chamberlin Unified.” Regional Science and Urban Economics 25: 505–28.

43.

Fujita

Krugman

Venables

A. J.

. 1999. The Spatial Economy: Cities, Regions and International Trade. Cambridge MA: MIT Press.

44.

Glaeser

E. L.

2011. Triumph of the City: How Our Greatest Invention Makes Us Richer, Smarter, Healthier and Happier. New York, NY: Penguin Press.

45.

Glaeser

E. L.

Scheinkman

Shleifer

. 1995. “Economic Growth in a Cross-Section of Cities.” Journal of Monetary Economics 36:117–43.

46.

Haussmann

Rodrik

. 2003. “Economic Development as Self-Discovery.” Journal of Development Economics 72:603–33.

47.

Krugman

Venables

A. J.

. 1995. “Globalization and the Inequality of Nations.” Quarterly Journal of Economics 110:857–80.

48.

McCann

2008. “Globalization and Economic Geography: The World is Curved, Not Flat.” Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society 1:351–70.

49.

McCann

Acs

Z. J.

. 2011. “Globalisation: Countries, Cities and Multinationals.” Regional Studies 45

50.

McCann

Ortega-Argilés

. 2013. “Some Practical Elements Associated with the Design of and Integrated and Territorial Place-Based Approach to EU Cohesion Policy.” in Geography, Institutions and Regional Economic Performance, edited by Crescenzi

Berlin

M. Percocco.

, Germany: Springer.

51.

McCann

Rodriguez-Pose

. 2011. “Why and When Development Policy Should be Place-Based.” OECD Regional Outlook 2011: Building Resilient Regions for Stronger Economies. Paris, France: Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.

52.

MGI (McKinsey Global Institute). 2011a. Urban World: Mapping the Economic Power of Cities. McKinsey Global Institute.

53.

MGI (McKinsey Global Institute).. 2011b. Urban America: US Cities in the Global Economy. McKinsey Global Institute

54.

OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development). 2004. New Forms of Governance for Economic Development. Paris, France: Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.

55.

OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development). 2005. Building Competitive Regions: Strategies and Governance. Paris, France: Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.

56.

OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development). 2007. Linking Regions and Central Governments: Contracts for Regional Development. Paris, France: Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.

57.

OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development). 2008. Making Local Strategies Work: Building the Evidence Base. Paris, France: Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.

58.

OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development). 2009a. How Regions Grow: Trends and Analysis. Paris, France: Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.

59.

OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development). 2009b. Regions Matter: Economic Recovery, Innovation and Sustainable Growth. Paris, France: Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.

60.

OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development). 2011a. OECD Regional Outlook 2011: Building Resilient Regions for Stronger Economies. Paris, France: Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.

61.

OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development). 2011b. Regions and Innovation Policy. Paris, France: Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.

62.

OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development). 2011c. OECD Regions at a Glance 2011. Paris, France: Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.

63.

OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development). 2012. Promoting Growth in All Types of Regions. Paris, France: Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.

64.

Ortega-Argilés

2012. “The Transatlantic Productivity Gap: A Survey of the Main Causes.” Journal of Economic Surveys 26:395–419.

65.

Partridge

M. D.

2010. “The Duelling Models: NEG vs Amenity Migration in Explaining US Engines of Growth.” Papers in Regional Science 89:513–36.

66.

Pellegrini

Terribile

Tarola

Muccigrosso

Busillo

. 2013. “Measuring the Effects of European Regional Policy on Economic Growth: A Regression Discontinuity Approach.” Papers in Regional Science Forthcoming.

67.

Reyes

Garcia

Lattimore

. 2009. “The International Economic Order and Trade Architecture.” Spatial Economic Analysis 4:73–102.

68.

Riché

2010. “Regional Innovation Governance.” Regional Focus: A series of Short Papers on Regional Research and Indicators produced by the Directorate-General for Regional Policy, 02/2010. Brussels, Belgium: European Commission.

69.

Rodrik

2004. “Industrial Policy for the Twenty-First Century.” Working Paper, Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, Cambridge MA

70.

Rosenthal

S. S.

Strange

W.C.

. 2004. “Evidence on the Nature and Sources of Agglomeration Economics.” in Handbook of Urban and Regional Economics Vol 4, edited by Henderson

Thisse

J-F.

, 2119–172. Amsterdam, The Netherlands: North-Holland.

71.

Sachs

2011. The Price of Civilization: Economics and Ethics after the Fall. London, UK: Bodley Head.

72.

Sassen

2002. ed. Global Networks: Linked Cities. London, UK: Routledge.

73.

Stiglitz

J. E.

Sen

Fitoussi

J-P.

. 2009. Report of the Commission on the Measurement of Economic Performance and Social progress. www.stiglitz-sen-fitoussi.fr/en/index.htm.

74.

Tabellini

2010. “Culture and Institutions: Economic Development in the Regions of Europe.” Journal of the European Economic Association 8:677–716.

75.

Wolfe

D. A.

2010. “The Strategic Management of Core Cities: Path Dependence and Economic Adjustment in Resilient Regions.” Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society 3:139–52.

76.

Wolfe

D.A..

2011. “Place-Based Development Policy: Implication for North America.” Paper prepared for the 6th International Seminar on Regional Innovation Policies, CIRCLE, Lund University, Sweden.

77.

World Bank. 2003. World Development Report: 2003: Transforming Institutions, Growth and Quality of Life. Washington DC: World Bank.

78.

World Bank. 2005. Conditionality Revisited: Concepts, Experiences and Lessons. Washington, DC: World Bank.

79.

World Bank. 2006. Local Economic Development: A Primer. Developing and Implementing Local Economic Development Strategies and Action Plans. Washington, DC: World Bank.

80.

World Bank. 2008. “Commission on Growth and Development.” Growth Report: Strategies for Sustained Growth and Inclusive Development. Washington, DC: World Bank.

81.

World Bank. 2009. World Development Report 2009: Reshaping Economic Geography. Washington, DC: World Bank.

82.

Zoellick

R. F.

2012. “Why We Still Need the World Bank: Looking Beyond Aid.” Foreign Affairs 91:66–78.

Redesigning and Reforming European Regional Policy

Abstract

Keywords

Get full access to this article

References