02a_EU_policies-regional_policy

MANAGEMENT

Some outputs…..

•Increasing per capita GDP in Greece, Spain, Ireland and Portugal – ( Greece increased from 74% of the EU average to 88% between 1995 and 2005)

•By 2015, it is estimated that regional policy will have generated an additional 440,000 jobs in Poland, as well as contributing an extra 6% to GDP and 21% to investment

•Over 44,000 km of road were built or reconstructed in the period 2000-2006. The equivalent figure for rail was nearly 12,000 km

•Supporting more than 250,000 small businesses in the UK

•Over 25,000 R&D co-operation projects were supported in the period 2000-

2006

MANAGEMENT

What is the added value?

•Leverage effect of additional resources

•Multi-annual planning, partnership, monitoring and evaluation

•Support for other EU objectives such as internal market, sustainable development

•Ring-fencing public resources

•Interregional cooperation and sharing of best practice

But

•Complexity of management and control structures

•Reality on ground can be very variable

•Unclear in some MS if effects are consistent or attributable to policy

•Effectiveness of monitoring and evaluation undermined by poor data

Source: Cohesion Report, Bachtler and Gorzelak

MANAGEMENT

Five things to remember

1.It has successfully reduced the gaps between regions in Europe and made a major contribution to prosperity and democratic stability.

2.It has improved management and governance in the regions by decentralising management and devolving responsibility: the

Commission does not select projects!

3.It is, with research, the EU’s biggest budget heading;

4.It works by investing in infrastructure, training, innovation and research. No hand outs.

5.Its success is recognised by all candidate countries and by many others (China, S. Africa, Russia, Brazil…)

MANAGEMENT