The EU Regional Policy and Lisbon Strategy - allies or enemies? Case study of Poland and region of Lodzkie (original) (raw)
Related papers
The role of regional and local authorities in EU development strategies. SRi L 2013
the Role of Regional and local authoRities in eu… development policies in the peRspective of the committee of the Regions. multi-level goveRnance Revisited in the times of cRisis Summary: Regional and local authorities today face a twofold challenge of delivering locally responsive policies in accordance with EU development goals. For this reason they need to align their development strategies with European guidelines. This paper determines the drivers and hindering factors behind the effective involvement of local and regional authorities in drafting and implementing EU policies with territorial impact. It evaluates several examples of multi-level governance operating in the institutional context of the EU and identifies its most important weaknesses such as lack of regional administrative capacities; insufficient Europeanization of subnational elites and inadequate communication between EU, national and regional levels.
Regional Dimension of the EU Economic Policy in Poland
This book, entitled ‘Regional Dimension of the EU Economic Policy in Poland’, has been prepared within the framework of a research project coordinated by the Jean Monnet Chair of European Integration in the Collegium of World Economy at the Warsaw School of Economics. The main objective of the research was to assess the consequences and compatibility of state interventions in regions in Poland with the EU economic policy during the period 2007–2013. These interventions at the regional level were examined in terms of both theoretical considerations and empirical experiences. Support schemes targeting entrepreneurs have become one of the major pillars of the EU economic policy in almost all of its areas, including improving the human capital base, encouraging innovation, and assistance in meeting the increasingly restrictive environmental requirements. The study focused on the support provided, analysed in terms of programme-related, legislative, administrative and financial aspects.
Studia Europejskie - Studies in European Affairs, 2019
The effectiveness of Operational Programmes under the regional policy is a key issue of spending of EU funds in Poland. One of the most important priorities of the mentioned Programmes in the last fi nancial perspectives is innovation, treated as an essential factor of development. In Poland, we can talk about treating innovation as a priority starting from the period 2007-2013. At that time, about 17% of funds under regional policy (about PLN 49.7 billion) were allocated to activities related to innovativeness and competitiveness of the economy, similarly is in the current perspective for 2014-2020. It can be argued that funds under the EU Regional Policy Operational Programmes in Poland contribute to the achievement of innovation goals in a highly diversifi ed manner. There are areas in which the effects should be assessed negatively (eg some dependence of Business environment institutions on EU funds). There are also such effects that are defi nitely positive (eg improvement of public research infrastructure).
Poland's imminent accession to the European Union has made it necessary to work out new rules of programming and implementing regional policy consistent with the EU standards. The changes in the implementation of the new model of regional policy can be divided into two periods. The first (2000-2003) started with the coming into operation of the Principles of Regional Development Support Act on 12 May 2000 and was devoted to the working out of the new model of programming and implementing regional policy that the Act demanded. The other period (2004-2006) marks the beginning of Poland's membership of the EU, and hence the necessity of preparing further strategic documents and a full adjustment of Polish regional policy to the EU standards. The basic document required by the EU that defines Poland's socio-economic strategy in the first years of its membership is The National Development Plan, 2004-2006 (NDP). NDP implementation rests on six operational programmes. One of them is The Integrated Operational Programme of Regional Development (IOPRD), which defines priorities, directions, and means earmarked for the implementation of the state's regional policy and coming partly from the Structural Funds. The strategic goals set in the Programme are consistent with directions defined in The National Strategy for Regional Development, 2001-2006, while the rules of its implementation are based on those of the EU Structural Funds and the domestic rules controlling public finance, public assistance, and the division of responsibilities in pursuing and implementing regional policy between the central government and local authorities. The aim of the present paper is to describe the mechanism of programming and implementing the state's regional policy during Poland's first years in the European Union, as defined by The Integrated Operational Programme of Regional Development, 2004-2006.
The study is devoted to the currently implemented in Poland information and promotion policy related to the European Funds. Since the Polish accession to the European Union (2004), these funds have been one of the most important sources of financial support for the development of the country and its regions. The European funds are of particular importance for the Polish underdeveloped eastern regions, including the Lublin region, on the example of which the author discusses the operation of this policy. A key role in promoting the European Funds is played by provincial governments, not only because their management of information institutions in their areas, but also by their own example of effective managing of aid from the European Union. The author of the study presents the legal basis of this policy, its objectives, tool used for the purpose of this policy and the structure and operation of the Information System of the European Funds in the programming period 2007-2013.
REGIONAL PROGRESS OF THE LISBON STRATEGY OBJECTIVES IN THE EUROPEAN REGION
2007
As it is clear from the foregoing, the countries/country groups analyzed by education, R&D and labor market characteristics show a rather mixed picture. There is a lot more work to do at community, regional and national levels. This is true not only for the member states but also for the candidate countries. Cluster 1 and Cluster 2 proceed well on the road towards achieving the objectives of more and better jobs, full employment and social cohesion. These are open countries and most of them do not hinder the free flow of persons regarding the citizens of the new member states. As to competitiveness, these countries are among the best not only in Europe but also in the world. The best example for using synergies is the Scandinavian cooperation in the form of the Nordic Council (Cluster 1). Within this regional partnership arrangement (which even has its own parliament and budget) the member states cooperate in more than 25 topics, covering also the employment-education fields. The difference from the average is not so great in the case of education financing but it is rather substantial in R&D support. The new member states, the cohesion countries and the candidate countries must significantly increase the current level and encourage the business sector through enterprise-friendly policies in order for the support from the business sector to reach the desired 2/3 level. The resulting impacts will be visible also in the correlation between employment, unemployment, economic activity and long-term unemployment. It is a particularly important issue in Poland, Malta, Italy, Hungary and Greece. It should be acknowledged that the progress is rather difficult with regard to community-level arrangements. It is enough to mention the progress of the strategy during the first five years, or the fact that the European Commission to give new dynamics to it in 2005. The process is progressing well at the level of resolutions. Although the member states have prepared their national programs, they contain rather heterogeneous issues and targets. Considering only the R&D expenditures and the relevant target deadlines, the various countries wish to reach the following rates by 2010: Malta 0.75%, Cyprus 1.0%, Greece 1.5%, Poland 1.65%, Slovakia and Hungary 1.8%. Ireland and the United Kingdom set 2013-2014 as a deadline for reaching the desired rates. As a next step, the European Commission will urge the prime ministers and heads of state to make the necessary commitments within the framework of the European Council and will provide support for each member state. What is more, the Commission would use the Cohesion Fund, together with other EU tools, to finance the objectives of growth and
Regional Studies, 2009
The article focuses on the relationship between the strategic planning and operational programming in the Polish regional development policy in the period before the accession to the European Union, and in the first years of the EU membership. Specifically, it offers an analysis of the configuration of legal acts and programming documents, which establish the formal framework for the regional development policy. It is demonstrated that the programmatic framework of the Polish regional policy has been marked by a split between strategic and operational planning and the construction of framework operational programmes, with possible hindering effects for regional development.
Implementation of the Lisbon Strategy Targets at the Regional Level in the EU and Slovenia
Central European Public Administration Review
In 2000, the European Union set itself a target in the Lisbon Strategy to become the most dynamic, competitive and knowledge-based economy in the world in ten years, whereas during the mid-term review, which was held five years later, it redefined its two main objectives: creation of new and better jobs and achievement of stronger, lasting economic growth. This paper aims to study the current situation in the European Union and Slovenia regarding the implementation of the targets of the renewed Lisbon Strategy. The analysis focuses on establishing at what stage the EU is in the attainment of its goals and how successfully it has implemented the strategy at the regional level of the EU Member States. The basic tools in the analysis included the time-distance monitoring method and a presentation of the time lead or lag in the implementation of the selected Lisbon Strategy targets at the NUTS 2 regional level of the enlarged EU and Slovenia.