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Unwritten Factors Affecting Structural Funds: The Influence of Regional Political Behaviours on the Implementation of EU Cohesion Policy

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  • Nicola Francesco Dotti

Abstract

While EU regional policy has the ambitious objective of supporting lagging regions and promoting inter-regional convergence, its impact is dependent on the ability of regional policymakers to secure and use EU funding to meet the region's needs. This paper aims to show under which conditions politics has a defining influence on the distribution, allocation and utilization of structural funds (SF), specifically in Objective 1 regions. The empirical analysis focuses on the 2000--2006 programming cycle in France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK. The results show that regions politically aligned with national governing coalitions tend to perform better in terms of received SF support and enjoy more flexibility in implementing SF. However, the influence of regional political behaviours on economic performances is very limited. The findings confirm the importance of politics in influencing SF implementation, but its limited influence on economic outcomes.

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  • Nicola Francesco Dotti, 2016. "Unwritten Factors Affecting Structural Funds: The Influence of Regional Political Behaviours on the Implementation of EU Cohesion Policy," European Planning Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 24(3), pages 530-550, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:eurpls:v:24:y:2016:i:3:p:530-550
    DOI: 10.1080/09654313.2015.1047328
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    2. Cristian Incaltarau & Gabriela Carmen Pascariu & Neculai‐Cristian Surubaru, 2020. "Evaluating the Determinants of EU Funds Absorption across Old and New Member States – the Role of Administrative Capacity and Political Governance," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 58(4), pages 941-961, July.
    3. Martin Gross, 2022. "Does Anyone Care? Cohesion Policy Issues in Sub‐national Politics," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 60(6), pages 1538-1555, November.
    4. Mindaugas Butkus & Alma Mačiulytė-Šniukienė & Kristina Matuzevičiūtė & Diana Cibulskienė, . "Does Financial Support from ERDF and CF Contribute to Convergence in the EU? Empirical Evidence at NUTS 3 Level," Prague Economic Papers, University of Economics, Prague, vol. 0, pages 1-43.
    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. Tancredi Buscemi & Giulia Romani, 2022. "Allocation of authority and tactical redistribution of public investments: A historical quasi-experiment," Working Papers 2022:18, Department of Economics, University of Venice "Ca' Foscari", revised 2024.
    7. Mindaugas Butkus & Alma Mačiulytė-Šniukienė & Kristina Matuzevičiutė & Diana Cibulskienė, 2020. "Does Financial Support from ERDF and CF Contribute to Convergence in the EU? Empirical Evidence at NUTS 3 Level," Prague Economic Papers, Prague University of Economics and Business, vol. 2020(3), pages 315-329.
    8. Mindaugas Butkus & Alma Mačiulytė-Šniukienė & Kristina Matuzevičiutė & Diana Cibulskienė, . "Does Financial Support from the ERDF and CF Contribute to Convergence in the EU? Empirical Evidence at NUTS 3 Level," Prague Economic Papers, University of Economics, Prague, vol. 0.
    9. Mindaugas Butkus & Alma Mačiulytė-Šniukienė & Kristina Matuzevičiūtė, 2020. "Mediating Effects of Cohesion Policy and Institutional Quality on Convergence between EU Regions: An Examination Based on a Conditional Beta-Convergence Model with a 3-Way Multiplicative Term," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-37, April.
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