This paper presents new evidence on the last concluded wave (2007-2013) of the EU cohesion policy. We depart from the broadly used GDP-growth approach and evaluate the impact of EU Structural Funds (SFs) on a battery of regional well-being indicators including economic, educational, health, and...

In the past, the European Union seems to have been able to tame Euroscepticism through regional 'convergence' funding. After the Eastern enlargement of the Union, however, this relationship needs to be put to the test. Not only have the new member states become the main recipients of EU funding,...

Stage 1. Assessing the problems and defining the main policy orientations -- Stage 2. Designing a solution-oriented intervention system -- Stage 3. Specifying objectives and matching these with instruments -- Stage 4. Implementing actions and delivering results -- Stage 5. Checking effectiveness...

This paper provides an analysis of intra-regional disparities in Bulgaria during the EU post-accession period. Bulgaria joined the EU together with Romania on 1 January 2007. In accordance with the EU legislation, six NACE 2 planning regions have been established – three in the southern part...

As the World Bank's 2012 Golden Growth report emphasized, the European Union, since its founding, has been a 'convergence machine,' generating wealth and a higher quality of life for the poorest in the 28 EU member states. More recently, the Growing United report highlighted that while the...