Purpose This paper aims to examine a cluster-based strategy implemented in the German federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia under the 2007-2013 “Regional Competitiveness and Employment” programme. Departing from traditional discretionary approaches, a substantial share of the funds was now...

European Cohesion Policy has traditionally been considered as a useful tool to advance in the economic integration of the European Union by helping less developed regions in their convergence process with more developed ones. Nowadays European Cohesion Policy and Structural Funds are one of the...