- Docente: Akos Miklos Kengyel
- Credits: 4
- SSD: SECS-P/02
- Language: English
- Teaching Mode: Traditional lectures
- Campus: Forli
- Corso: Second cycle degree programme (LM) in Interdisciplinary research and studies on Eastern Europe (cod. 8049)
Learning outcomes
The students are expected to have learned the theoretical background of regional development policies and the rationale for an EU level intervention. They should be familiar with the regulatory background (instruments, common objectives, principles) and operation (institutional preconditions and processes, contents of development plans and operational programmes) of EU level cohesion policy. They should be able to analyse and compare the experiences of less developed member states in implementing EU funded programmes. They should be able to evaluate the new member states' national development programmes and their role in economic and social development. They should be able to analyse preconditions of successful absorption of EU funds in individual member states.
Course contents
One of the major endeavours as well as one of the consequences of the European integration process is to reduce the differences in development between individual countries and regions and to support the less developed areas in catching up with the others. This process requires joint action to strengthen the predominance of free market forces, as well as the establishment of a support system for the regional policy managed at EU level. An effective common regional (or cohesion) policy is crucial to the future development of an enlarged EU. If the EU does not have a commitment to reduce the disparities in income differences and living standards, the future of the integrative process would be undermined. It would be unacceptable for citizens in differing parts of the Union to be subject to significantly different standards. The new members can use the Structural Funds as major instruments to support their modernisation process. Although the future resource transfer was not the only reason to become full members of the EU, this field played a very important role for the Central and Eastern European countries. There is no doubt that it is of high importance for the historically undercapitalised countries to accelerate their modernisation process, among others, also by having access to EU funds.
The course is dealing with the operation of the common regional (cohesion) policy within the European Union and focuses on the extension of the policy towards Central and Eastern new member states. We analyse the impacts of Structural Funds and Cohesion Fund supports on development of the backward regions. We evaluate the economic, legal and institutional preconditions of successful absorption of EU transfers. The course focuses on the experience of Visegrad Countries in using these transfers in their economic and social modernization and their catching up processes.
Third Report on Economic and Social Cohesion. Luxembourg, 2004.
European Commission: Growing Regions, growing Europe. Fourth Report on Economic and Social Cohesion. Communication from the Commission. Office for Official Publications of the European Communities. May 2007. Luxembourg
Farole, T. – Rodríguez-Pose, A. – Storper, M.: Cohesion Policy in the European Union: Growth, Geography, Institutions. Jornal of Common Market Studies. Vol. 49, Issue 5, September 2011. 1089-1111 o.
Kengyel, Á.: The potential role of EU cohesion policy in funding social economy projects. In: Viñals, C. R. – Rodríguez, C. P.: Social Innovation. New forms of organisation in knowledge-based societies”. Routledge. London-New York, 2013. pp. 159-187.
Kengyel, Á.: The Future of EU Cohesion Policy. Endogenous Development – Added Value of Intervention – Regulatory Frameworks. EU Working Papers. 3/2011. Vol. XV. No. 3. pp. 51-74.
Kengyel, Á.: Evaluating the added value of EU level regional policy. Society and Economy. Vol. 30 (2008) No 2, December 2008. pp. 303-322.
Kengyel, Á.: The EU's regional policy. In: Palánkai, Tibor (ed.): Economics of European Integration. Akadémiai Kiadó. Budapest, 2003., pp. 355-375.
Kengyel, Ákos: The EU's Regional Policy and its Implications on Economic Strategies within an Enlarged EU. Galileu Revista de Economia e Direito. Vol. IX. No. 2, 2004., pp. 35-48.
Varga, J. – in't Veld, J.: The Potential Impact of EU Cohesion Policy Spending in the 2007-2013 Programming Period: A Model-Based Analysis. European Economy. Economic Papers 422, September 2010
Wintjes, R. - Hollanders H.: Innovation pathways and policy challenges at the regional level: smart specialization. UNU-MERIT Working Paper Series no. 2011-027
Additional readings:
Frank, K. − Hvozdíková, V. - Kvetan, V.: Slovakia and Cohesion Policy. In: Eriksson, Jonas et al.: From Policy Takers to Policy Makers.: Adapting EU Cohesion Policy to the Needs of the New Member States. Stockholm: Swedish Institute for European Policy Studies, september 2005. ISBN 91-85129-27-5. S. 158-183. (SIEPS Study – From Policy Takers to Policy makers, http://www.sieps.se/publ/rapporter/bilagor/20055.pdf)
Kvetan, V –
Mlýnek, M. – Radvanský, M. – Páleník, V.:
Construction of HERMIN and CGE models as a tool for evaluation
of National Strategic Refference Framework. In: Forum
Statisticum Slovacum [seriál]. - ISSN 1336-7420. - Roč. 3,
č.1 (2007), s. 115-123
Ministry for Regional Development of the Czech Republic: EU Funds Management. www.strukturalni-fondy.cz/implementace-rizeni
Ministry for Regional Development of the Czech Republic: National Development Strategy 2007-2015, Ministry of Regional Development, Warsaw, November 2006 (available at: http://www.mrr.gov.pl/srk/).
Ministry for Regional Development of the Czech Republic: Programmes 2007-2013. www.strukturalni-fondy.cz/operacni-programy-2007-2013
Ministry for Regional Development of the Czech Republic: Regional Policy 2007-2013. www.strukturalni-fondy.cz/regionalni-politika
Ministry of Regional Development of the Republic of Poland: National Strategic Reference Framework 2007-2013 in support of growth and jobs, Ministry of Regional Development, Warsaw, May 2007 (available at: http://www.funduszestrukturalne.gov.pl/NSS/INFORMACJE+PODSTAWOWE/)
Ministry of Regional Development of the Republic of Poland: National Development Plan 2004-2006, Adopted by the Council of Ministries on the 14th of January 2003 (available at: http://www.funduszestrukturalne.gov.pl/English/National+Development+Plan/ ).
Ministry of Regional Development of the Republic of Poland: Community Support Framework, “Promoting economic growth and an environment for job creation”, Brussels-Warsaw, December 2003 (available at: http://www.funduszestrukturalne.gov.pl/English/Community+Support+Framework/General+description/ ).
Ministry of Regional Development of the Republic of Poland: Documents concerning the EU operational programmes for years 2004-2006 available at the web site of the Ministry of Regional Development (http://www.mrr.gov.pl/english/European+Founds+0406/ ).
National Development Agency of the Republic of Hungary: National Development Plan (2004-2006). www.nfu.hu/national_development_plan_
National Development Agency of the Republic of Hungary: New Hungary Development Plan
Useful link:
The European Commission's regional policy website:
http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/index_en.htm
Teaching methods
Lecture, presentations, case studies and discussions.
Assessment methods
Students are required to prepare a presentation in 20-25 minutes about a country case, which will be presented and discussed during the classes.
Grading: 30% presentation, 70% written exam.
The presentation should contain:
- Presentation of the country's economic development and present situation. Economic and social problems and regional disparities based on statistical figures (indicators) should be explained.
- The former experience with EU funding and the impact of the Structural Funds on catching up should be summarized.
- A short description of the strategy, basic goals and priorities of the National Strategic Reference Framework 2007-2013 should be given. Contents of operational programmes should be summarized and the budgetary background (EU funding + national public and private contributions) should be explained.
- The ex-ante and mid-term evaluations (the expected result of intervention) should be explained.
Teaching tools
Computer and projector for presentation of the drafts of the lectures (in power point presentation format).
Office hours
See the website of Akos Miklos Kengyel