THE IMPACT OF COHESION POLICY AND OF MEMBER STATES EFFORT ON COMPETITIVENESS

To meet the challenges generated by globalization and the technological progress, the European cohesion policy through its financial instruments is a source of competitiveness, as it implements anticipation strategies in terms of research-development, innovation, firms’ competitiveness improvement, economic reorganization, in conditions of ensuring the social composition by creating new jobs. The paper analyzes the impact of EU financial effort combined with public and private national effort on the competitiveness of some European Union member states. Quantitative research carried out by econometric modeling confirms a correlation between the considered states score of competitiveness and the financial resources allocated for the objective Regional competitiveness and employment, the primary role exercised by the public and private sector contribution of states and the need to increase the European funds allocated to improve competitiveness and to achieve a prosperous economy based on knowledge.