Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/238459 
Authors: 
Year of Publication: 
2020
Series/Report no.: 
ADBI Working Paper Series No. 1102
Publisher: 
Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI), Tokyo
Abstract: 
Since the Lisbon Process, the EU has changed its function from a mere economic common market into a social union. The EU addressed its future policy also to sustainability with increasing employment and better jobs, and greater social cohesion. That implies the acknowledgment of social inclusion and solidarity. The key words are convergence and improving competitiveness. The EU's regional policy therefore addresses less developed regions. Furthermore, leaving the existing regional disparities in place would lead to unwanted migration: the less developed regions would be deprived through the brain drain and would lack a qualified workforce for their own future investments and for economic progress. On the other hand, migration to highly developed centers would increase traffic problems and housing prices. This situation was essentially apparent after the enlargement to include the central and eastern former socialist states, which are the poorest states in the EU. Aside from improving the GDP of the poorer countries, there are some other objectives, like improving education and employment or regional cooperation. The Europe 2020 strategy again changed the targets, with concrete objectives to fight climate change and achieve higher employment rates. To improve the results, EU funding no longer addresses the central states but involves regional and local partners. The aim is to increase the chance of engaging citizens in their own affairs and adopting tailor-made strategies (Hübner 2005). The question then is whether these goals have led to a harmonious development of convergence in Europe. Despite some successes, there are doubts, because we face welfare chauvinism and eroding solidarity between the rich and the poor regions. Furthermore, political reactions to the budget crisis have counteracted the EU's convergence policy objectives.
Subjects: 
disparity of regions
goals of the EU's regional policy
regional funding
partnership principle and engagement of civil society
influence of the austerity policy
JEL: 
H5
O23
Creative Commons License: 
cc-by-nc-nd Logo
Document Type: 
Working Paper

Files in This Item:
File
Size





Items in EconStor are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.