Promoting stakeholder engagement and public awareness for a participative governance of the Europ... more Promoting stakeholder engagement and public awareness for a participative governance of the European bioeconomy This project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 652682. Neither the European Commission nor any person acting on behalf of the Commission is responsible for how the following information is used. The views expressed in this publication are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Commission. Reproduction and translation for non-commercial purposes are authorised, provided the source is acknowledged and the publisher is given prior notice and sent a copy.
Kwartalnik naukowy. Studia Regionalne i Lokalne, 2001
Artykuł przedstawia zagadnienie ewaluacji polityki regionalnej w Unii Europejskiej. W pierwszym r... more Artykuł przedstawia zagadnienie ewaluacji polityki regionalnej w Unii Europejskiej. W pierwszym rozdziale omawia niekto ´re koncepcje lez ˙a˛ce u jej podstaw i czynniki, kto ´re powoduja˛, z ˙e podejs ´cie do niej jest zro ´z ˙nicowane. W naste ˛pnym ukazuje sposoby ewaluacji polityki regionalnej w ro ´z ˙nych krajach członkowskich, przeciwstawiaja˛c pan ´stwa, w kto ´rych ewaluacja jest kluczowym elementem kształtowania polityki regionalnej tym, w kto ´rych jej zastosowanie jest ograniczone. Nastepnie opisuje role monitoringu i ewaluacji w kształtowaniu polityki zwia˛zanej z funduszami strukturalnymi w Unii Europejskiej. We wnioskach przedstawione sa˛najwaz ˙niejsze problemy zwia˛zane z tymi zagadnieniami.
EU compliance scholarship has expanded rapidly over the last decade but has neglected the financi... more EU compliance scholarship has expanded rapidly over the last decade but has neglected the financial dimension of compliance in terms of Member States' conformity with EU financial rules on the regularity and legality of EU spending. This article makes the case for a multi-dimensional approach to compliance research and provides a cross-national assessment of financial compliance in EU Cohesion policy, employing quantitative and qualitative methods. To account for cross-national variations in the application of financial corrections for non-compliant spending, several factors are explored, focusing on regional autonomy, administrative capacity and goodness-of-fit. The quantitative analysis finds strong support for the impact of administrative capacity on cross-national compliance patterns and some evidence for the role of goodness-of-fit. Contrary to expectations, regional autonomy is not associated with compliance in this critical case of EU multi-level governance. Qualitative analysis reinforces these findings and reveals additional factors of relevance. implementation of the EU budget, notably under budget headings subject to 'shared management'. Consequently, since the early 2000s and particularly over the 2007-13 period, EU regulatory frameworks for financial management, control and fraud prevention have been progressively strengthened. The investigative and coordinative capabilities of the Commission have been enhanced, and Member States have been subject to greater accountability for their financial management and more coercive measures in the form of payment interruptions, suspensions and corrections (Mendez and Bachtler 2011; Porras-Gómez 2013). EU compliance scholarship has mushroomed during the last decade (Mastenbroek 2005; Toshkov 2010; Angelova et al. 2012). However, the financial dimension has been overlooked in these studies, which focus mainly on the legislative transposition of EU Directives across a range of regulatory policies. This may reflect the popularity of a regulatory conception of the EU, which downplays the EU's role in budgetary policies. Yet, the EU budget is substantial in some policy areas, plays a fundamental role in delivering the EU's regulatory objectives, and provides the political and financial underpinning for economic and monetary union, the single market, the Europe 2020 strategy and EU enlargements. Further, measures of financial regularity provide quantifiable and internationally comparable data on noncompliance during implementation. This has the potential to take compliance research beyond transposition and open up the 'black box' of the application of EU law (Hobolth and Martinson 2013), testing whether the cross-national compliance patterns and determinants in studies of EU Directives remain valid at the implementation stage. Against this background, the aims of this article are two-fold. First, it makes the case for a multi-dimensional understanding of EU compliance by going beyond the legislative and legal dimensions (transposition or infringement proceedings) and introducing a financial dimension (the regularity and legality of EU expenditure). Second, it undertakes an empirical assessment of financial compliance patterns and determinants, using EU Cohesion policy as a case study, to establish whether and how the financial dimension of compliance differs from the legislative and legal dimensions. EU Cohesion policy, implemented in all 28 Member States through Structural and Investment (Cohesion) Funds, is a relevant domain for investigating financial compliance given that it accounts for a third of the EU budget with an allocation of €347 billion in 2007-13. It suffers from a major compliance 'problem' reflected in the consistently higher level of 'irregularities' (infringements of financial rules) than in other areas of EU expenditure .
Regional development is one of the main EU spending priorities through its Cohesion Policy. Brexi... more Regional development is one of the main EU spending priorities through its Cohesion Policy. Brexit is one of several influences on the future of the policy, whose evolution is part of a wider reshaping of the principles and practice of regional policy in Europe. In the context of emerging policy challenges and recent contributions to the regional policy literature, the article highlights innovation, human capital and effective institutions as three crucial dimensions of future policy. It argues that a shift in regional policy priorities, governance and territorial focus is underway -partly influenced by placebased policy thinking -at EU level under Cohesion Policy as well as under national regional policies in the EU27 and the UK.
Since 1988, when the current EU Cohesion Policy was introduced, it has played an influential role... more Since 1988, when the current EU Cohesion Policy was introduced, it has played an influential role in setting priorities for policies aimed at dealing with the effects of European economic integration on regional and social disparities. Although, latterly, the amount of money spent in the UK through the European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF) has declined, EU programmes have had a disproportionate effect on the design and implementation of UK policies shaping regional and local economic and social development. This paper starts by recalling how EU Cohesion Policy has functioned in the UK, then considers how Brexit may affect regional and social development and the need for a corresponding policy response, focusing on the sorts of policies currently supported by the ERDF and the ESF. The paper shows that filling the policy vacuum will be far from straightforward because complementary national policies and institutional frameworks have lacked consistency or coherence. It concludes by examining the wider policy issues arising from rethinking domestic policy outside the ESIF framework. The sub-national level, in particular, will need a fresh approach following Brexit.
Cohesion and solidarity between member states are fundamental values of the European Union (EU), ... more Cohesion and solidarity between member states are fundamental values of the European Union (EU), recognised in Article 3 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU (TFEU). The goal of cohesion is to reduce regional disparities across the EU, usually measured in terms of GDP per head and unemployment. The main instruments of Cohesion Policy are the European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF), which comprise the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the European Social Fund (ESF) and the Cohesion Fund (CF) -as well as agriculture and fisheries funds. Cohesion Policy accounts for a major share of the EU budget, around €370 billion (or a third of the total budget) over the 2014-20 period and a major share of public investment in many less-developed countries. The policy is the most direct expression of financial solidarity in the EU budget. Funding is highly concentrated on the least developed EU countries and regions in the form of investment strategies and projects in areas such as transport infrastructure, business development, training and education with a view to fostering sustainable growth and improving citizens' daily lives.
The COVID-19 pandemic started as a health crisis with a spatially uneven incidence of infections ... more The COVID-19 pandemic started as a health crisis with a spatially uneven incidence of infections and fatalities across countries and regions, and across sections of society and age groups. A number of factors have influenced the spatial concentration of cases including population density, economic activity, demographic and health factors. The initial socio-economic impact of the crisis has also been uneven across individual countries, regions and cities, determined not only by the severity of the health outbreak and the stringency of the containment measures, but also by other factors such as economic exposure and fiscal capacity of discretionary policies
ESIF funding to the Czech Republic is expected to decline after 2020, due to an EU-level shift to... more ESIF funding to the Czech Republic is expected to decline after 2020, due to an EU-level shift towards other budget headings. A key priority is therefore to assess opportunities to increase revenue from other EU funding programmes in future, notably those where projects are selected at EU level on a competitive basis i.e. where the budget allocated to the Czech Republic is not pre-determined. One possible means of increasing receipts from EU funding programmes could be to improve coordination between Czech entities responsible for managing and implementing ESIF and other EU programmes. This study examines varied approaches to the coordination of ESIF and directly-managed EU funding programmes (COSME, Creative Europe, EaSI, Horizon 2020, and LIFE) in four Member States (Austria, Belgium, Estonia and Spain) and provides recommendations for improving coordination in the Czech Republic. It examines coordination at three levels (strategic planning; OP-level management and implementation; and project level engagement and implementation) and considers different intensities of coordination (active cooperation, consultation and dialogue, exchange of information and experience, and complementarity and coherence). Coordination may be hindered by political, institutional and cognitive lock-in to existing networks and routines. Development policies (e.g. smart specialisation strategies or place-based approaches) often aim to open up the development process and funding opportunities to a wider range of stakeholders and to stimulate new forms of coordination and cooperation. High-level political commitment and practical incentives are needed to ensure that new ideas and connections are implemented and maintained over time. Boundary spanners and cross-sectoral forums can help to build and nurture connections across sectoral, thematic and organisational boundaries
This study provides a critical analysis of the draft legislative package for EU Cohesion Policy a... more This study provides a critical analysis of the draft legislative package for EU Cohesion Policy after 2013. On the basis of a literature review and budgetary modelling, it identifies the main strengths and weaknesses of the proposals and offers recommendations to inform the position of the European Parliament in the negotiations.
Paper to a 'sub rosa' seminar on the future of EU regional and rural policies, sponsored ... more Paper to a 'sub rosa' seminar on the future of EU regional and rural policies, sponsored by the Scottish Government EU Office, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and Scotland Europa, 1 March 2008
How will foreign investment plans for the UK be affected by the single European market? This repo... more How will foreign investment plans for the UK be affected by the single European market? This report answers this important question and highlights many other concerns. What do foreign investors feel about the single European market - a business opportunity for expanding their interests in Europe or a non- event? Is the UK a more favourable location for investment than other European countries, or is it likely to lose its attractions to continental countries? How will the combination of the single European market and the channel tunnel affect investment preferences within the UK? The observations and conclusions made are based on discussions with business, sector and trade organizations in the UK and abroad, and interviews with senior representatives of multi-national firms in Germany, the Netherlands, Japan and the United States. They provide original views of the changing world of business and industry.
Promoting stakeholder engagement and public awareness for a participative governance of the Europ... more Promoting stakeholder engagement and public awareness for a participative governance of the European bioeconomy This project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 652682. Neither the European Commission nor any person acting on behalf of the Commission is responsible for how the following information is used. The views expressed in this publication are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Commission. Reproduction and translation for non-commercial purposes are authorised, provided the source is acknowledged and the publisher is given prior notice and sent a copy.
Kwartalnik naukowy. Studia Regionalne i Lokalne, 2001
Artykuł przedstawia zagadnienie ewaluacji polityki regionalnej w Unii Europejskiej. W pierwszym r... more Artykuł przedstawia zagadnienie ewaluacji polityki regionalnej w Unii Europejskiej. W pierwszym rozdziale omawia niekto ´re koncepcje lez ˙a˛ce u jej podstaw i czynniki, kto ´re powoduja˛, z ˙e podejs ´cie do niej jest zro ´z ˙nicowane. W naste ˛pnym ukazuje sposoby ewaluacji polityki regionalnej w ro ´z ˙nych krajach członkowskich, przeciwstawiaja˛c pan ´stwa, w kto ´rych ewaluacja jest kluczowym elementem kształtowania polityki regionalnej tym, w kto ´rych jej zastosowanie jest ograniczone. Nastepnie opisuje role monitoringu i ewaluacji w kształtowaniu polityki zwia˛zanej z funduszami strukturalnymi w Unii Europejskiej. We wnioskach przedstawione sa˛najwaz ˙niejsze problemy zwia˛zane z tymi zagadnieniami.
EU compliance scholarship has expanded rapidly over the last decade but has neglected the financi... more EU compliance scholarship has expanded rapidly over the last decade but has neglected the financial dimension of compliance in terms of Member States' conformity with EU financial rules on the regularity and legality of EU spending. This article makes the case for a multi-dimensional approach to compliance research and provides a cross-national assessment of financial compliance in EU Cohesion policy, employing quantitative and qualitative methods. To account for cross-national variations in the application of financial corrections for non-compliant spending, several factors are explored, focusing on regional autonomy, administrative capacity and goodness-of-fit. The quantitative analysis finds strong support for the impact of administrative capacity on cross-national compliance patterns and some evidence for the role of goodness-of-fit. Contrary to expectations, regional autonomy is not associated with compliance in this critical case of EU multi-level governance. Qualitative analysis reinforces these findings and reveals additional factors of relevance. implementation of the EU budget, notably under budget headings subject to 'shared management'. Consequently, since the early 2000s and particularly over the 2007-13 period, EU regulatory frameworks for financial management, control and fraud prevention have been progressively strengthened. The investigative and coordinative capabilities of the Commission have been enhanced, and Member States have been subject to greater accountability for their financial management and more coercive measures in the form of payment interruptions, suspensions and corrections (Mendez and Bachtler 2011; Porras-Gómez 2013). EU compliance scholarship has mushroomed during the last decade (Mastenbroek 2005; Toshkov 2010; Angelova et al. 2012). However, the financial dimension has been overlooked in these studies, which focus mainly on the legislative transposition of EU Directives across a range of regulatory policies. This may reflect the popularity of a regulatory conception of the EU, which downplays the EU's role in budgetary policies. Yet, the EU budget is substantial in some policy areas, plays a fundamental role in delivering the EU's regulatory objectives, and provides the political and financial underpinning for economic and monetary union, the single market, the Europe 2020 strategy and EU enlargements. Further, measures of financial regularity provide quantifiable and internationally comparable data on noncompliance during implementation. This has the potential to take compliance research beyond transposition and open up the 'black box' of the application of EU law (Hobolth and Martinson 2013), testing whether the cross-national compliance patterns and determinants in studies of EU Directives remain valid at the implementation stage. Against this background, the aims of this article are two-fold. First, it makes the case for a multi-dimensional understanding of EU compliance by going beyond the legislative and legal dimensions (transposition or infringement proceedings) and introducing a financial dimension (the regularity and legality of EU expenditure). Second, it undertakes an empirical assessment of financial compliance patterns and determinants, using EU Cohesion policy as a case study, to establish whether and how the financial dimension of compliance differs from the legislative and legal dimensions. EU Cohesion policy, implemented in all 28 Member States through Structural and Investment (Cohesion) Funds, is a relevant domain for investigating financial compliance given that it accounts for a third of the EU budget with an allocation of €347 billion in 2007-13. It suffers from a major compliance 'problem' reflected in the consistently higher level of 'irregularities' (infringements of financial rules) than in other areas of EU expenditure .
Regional development is one of the main EU spending priorities through its Cohesion Policy. Brexi... more Regional development is one of the main EU spending priorities through its Cohesion Policy. Brexit is one of several influences on the future of the policy, whose evolution is part of a wider reshaping of the principles and practice of regional policy in Europe. In the context of emerging policy challenges and recent contributions to the regional policy literature, the article highlights innovation, human capital and effective institutions as three crucial dimensions of future policy. It argues that a shift in regional policy priorities, governance and territorial focus is underway -partly influenced by placebased policy thinking -at EU level under Cohesion Policy as well as under national regional policies in the EU27 and the UK.
Since 1988, when the current EU Cohesion Policy was introduced, it has played an influential role... more Since 1988, when the current EU Cohesion Policy was introduced, it has played an influential role in setting priorities for policies aimed at dealing with the effects of European economic integration on regional and social disparities. Although, latterly, the amount of money spent in the UK through the European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF) has declined, EU programmes have had a disproportionate effect on the design and implementation of UK policies shaping regional and local economic and social development. This paper starts by recalling how EU Cohesion Policy has functioned in the UK, then considers how Brexit may affect regional and social development and the need for a corresponding policy response, focusing on the sorts of policies currently supported by the ERDF and the ESF. The paper shows that filling the policy vacuum will be far from straightforward because complementary national policies and institutional frameworks have lacked consistency or coherence. It concludes by examining the wider policy issues arising from rethinking domestic policy outside the ESIF framework. The sub-national level, in particular, will need a fresh approach following Brexit.
Cohesion and solidarity between member states are fundamental values of the European Union (EU), ... more Cohesion and solidarity between member states are fundamental values of the European Union (EU), recognised in Article 3 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU (TFEU). The goal of cohesion is to reduce regional disparities across the EU, usually measured in terms of GDP per head and unemployment. The main instruments of Cohesion Policy are the European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF), which comprise the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the European Social Fund (ESF) and the Cohesion Fund (CF) -as well as agriculture and fisheries funds. Cohesion Policy accounts for a major share of the EU budget, around €370 billion (or a third of the total budget) over the 2014-20 period and a major share of public investment in many less-developed countries. The policy is the most direct expression of financial solidarity in the EU budget. Funding is highly concentrated on the least developed EU countries and regions in the form of investment strategies and projects in areas such as transport infrastructure, business development, training and education with a view to fostering sustainable growth and improving citizens' daily lives.
The COVID-19 pandemic started as a health crisis with a spatially uneven incidence of infections ... more The COVID-19 pandemic started as a health crisis with a spatially uneven incidence of infections and fatalities across countries and regions, and across sections of society and age groups. A number of factors have influenced the spatial concentration of cases including population density, economic activity, demographic and health factors. The initial socio-economic impact of the crisis has also been uneven across individual countries, regions and cities, determined not only by the severity of the health outbreak and the stringency of the containment measures, but also by other factors such as economic exposure and fiscal capacity of discretionary policies
ESIF funding to the Czech Republic is expected to decline after 2020, due to an EU-level shift to... more ESIF funding to the Czech Republic is expected to decline after 2020, due to an EU-level shift towards other budget headings. A key priority is therefore to assess opportunities to increase revenue from other EU funding programmes in future, notably those where projects are selected at EU level on a competitive basis i.e. where the budget allocated to the Czech Republic is not pre-determined. One possible means of increasing receipts from EU funding programmes could be to improve coordination between Czech entities responsible for managing and implementing ESIF and other EU programmes. This study examines varied approaches to the coordination of ESIF and directly-managed EU funding programmes (COSME, Creative Europe, EaSI, Horizon 2020, and LIFE) in four Member States (Austria, Belgium, Estonia and Spain) and provides recommendations for improving coordination in the Czech Republic. It examines coordination at three levels (strategic planning; OP-level management and implementation; and project level engagement and implementation) and considers different intensities of coordination (active cooperation, consultation and dialogue, exchange of information and experience, and complementarity and coherence). Coordination may be hindered by political, institutional and cognitive lock-in to existing networks and routines. Development policies (e.g. smart specialisation strategies or place-based approaches) often aim to open up the development process and funding opportunities to a wider range of stakeholders and to stimulate new forms of coordination and cooperation. High-level political commitment and practical incentives are needed to ensure that new ideas and connections are implemented and maintained over time. Boundary spanners and cross-sectoral forums can help to build and nurture connections across sectoral, thematic and organisational boundaries
This study provides a critical analysis of the draft legislative package for EU Cohesion Policy a... more This study provides a critical analysis of the draft legislative package for EU Cohesion Policy after 2013. On the basis of a literature review and budgetary modelling, it identifies the main strengths and weaknesses of the proposals and offers recommendations to inform the position of the European Parliament in the negotiations.
Paper to a 'sub rosa' seminar on the future of EU regional and rural policies, sponsored ... more Paper to a 'sub rosa' seminar on the future of EU regional and rural policies, sponsored by the Scottish Government EU Office, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and Scotland Europa, 1 March 2008
How will foreign investment plans for the UK be affected by the single European market? This repo... more How will foreign investment plans for the UK be affected by the single European market? This report answers this important question and highlights many other concerns. What do foreign investors feel about the single European market - a business opportunity for expanding their interests in Europe or a non- event? Is the UK a more favourable location for investment than other European countries, or is it likely to lose its attractions to continental countries? How will the combination of the single European market and the channel tunnel affect investment preferences within the UK? The observations and conclusions made are based on discussions with business, sector and trade organizations in the UK and abroad, and interviews with senior representatives of multi-national firms in Germany, the Netherlands, Japan and the United States. They provide original views of the changing world of business and industry.
In 2015, the Regional Studies Association (RSA) celebrated 50 years and one of the keywords of th... more In 2015, the Regional Studies Association (RSA) celebrated 50 years and one of the keywords of this (hi)story is “impactful”. Having an impact requires to be able to bring research-based knowledge to policymakers moving out of the academic ‘Ivory Tower’ and engaging in policy debate, thus acknowledging the societal role of research. Yet, this requires changing the traditional approach to research, academic conferences, publications and scientific workshops. This volume aims to tackle the challenge of a research-policy dialogue addressing the case of the Cohesion Policy (CP), the most important EU regional policy and, probably, the most complex policy in the world for economic, social, geographical, cultural, administrative and legal reasons. This challenge is even more relevant in this period when Europe is showing difficulties to fully recover from the financial and economic crisis that started in 2008, and the following political crisis that culminated with ‘Brexit’. In this context, researchers are called to be ‘impactful’, proposing research-based policy lessons that can feed the political debate. In a period of crisis, research-policy dialogue is needed; however, how to make it happen is not easy. This volume adopts a ‘policy learning’ perspective proposing sixteen different research-based policy lessons to contribute to the debate on policy learning in the case of the EU Cohesion Policy, and beyond.
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Papers by John Bachtler