The Structural Funds in Southern Italy : Focus on Calabria and Sicily

The South of Italy has been one of the main beneficiaries of Community funding, especially of structural funds, for decades. During the new programming period 2007-2013 the two region of South of Italy will receive around 6,28 Billion . This study will analyse the implementation of the structural funds in Italy and especially in Sicily and Calabria. To this end it will provide, an overall evaluation of the implementation of the structural funds ("value for money"), possible explanations for shortcomings, and an evaluation of the attempted remedies. The study will focus on the period 2000-2006, analysing, for example Southern Italy's absorption capacity for structural funds and the level of implementation of the Operational Programmes originally approved by the Commission.