Additional state intervention harbours the danger of increasing inconsistencies; this is especially true if there is no clear demarcation of duties between authorities at different levels, as is the case in many spheres within the EC. The plans to double the size of the EC Structural Fund by...

Most of the newly acceded central and east European EU countries are among the main beneficiaries of EU Cohesion Policy. The main objective of this policy is to improve the long-term growth and employment prospects of the supported regions, and thereby to support convergence towards higher...

The European Structural and Investment Funds make up more than 40% of the EU budget and are thereby the EU's most important financial support to growth, employment, investment and structural change. The funds are programmed for (overlapping) seven-year periods, and all programmes for the new...