Irish Regions Office Website

May 05, 2009

Regional Policy: a ''place-based'' future?

An independent review of EU Regional Policy's rationale, objectives, achievements and structures with the post-2013 period in mind was published on 27 April. The main thrust of 'An Agenda for a Reformed Cohesion Policy'
(Barca Report), authored by the Director General of Italy's Ministry of Finance and Economy, is that comprehensive reform is required to allow the policy to achieve maximum effect and that this will need renewed policy engagement, more concentrated priorities, and modified governance arrangements.

A central element of the findings is the need for what is termed a well-resourced 'place-based' economic and social development strategy approach tailored to the specific needs of very diverse regions and cities as a means of ensuring harmonious development and reducing disparities. This implies a spatially aware policy, probably operating at the level of functional regions, with an emphasis on addressing persistent underutilisation of potential, chronic economic inefficiencies, and persistent social exclusion. This differs from the current regime which is primarily based on a logic of redistribution to allow GDP per capita across the EU to converge.

The report suggests that the current funding architecture should be largely maintained but with greater coherence between the various programmes. As such, integrating all forms of support for territorial development including the rural development elements of the European Agriculture Rural Development Fund and the territorial actions of the Fisheries Fund under the umbrella of Cohesion Policy is one of its key recommendations. Barca also favours increased checks and balances on Member State spending with a greater role for the European Parliament; and enhanced strategic contracts between Member States/regions and the Commission in developing programmes in order to ensure the proper effect of subsidiarity and to guarantee quality performance and results.

http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/policy/future/barca_en.htm

Posted by iroronan at May 5, 2009 06:34 PM