Katana VentraIP

Regional policy of the European Union

The Regional Policy of the European Union (EU), also referred as Cohesion Policy, is a policy with the stated aim of improving the economic well-being of regions in the European Union and also to avoid regional disparities. More than one third of the EU's budget is devoted to this policy, which aims to remove economic, social and territorial disparities across the EU, restructure declining industrial areas and diversify rural areas which have declining agriculture. In doing so, EU regional policy is geared towards making regions more competitive, fostering economic growth and creating new jobs. The policy also has a role to play in wider challenges for the future, including climate change, energy supply and globalisation.

The EU's regional policy covers all European regions, although regions across the EU fall in different categories (so-called objectives), depending mostly on their economic situation. Between 2007 and 2013, EU regional policy consisted of three objectives: Convergence, Regional competitiveness and employment, and European territorial cooperation; the previous three objectives (from 2000 to 2006) were simply known as Objectives 1, 2 and 3.


The policy constitutes the main investment policy of the EU, and is due to account for around of third of its budget, or EUR 392 billion over the period of 2021-2027.[1] In its long-term budget, the EU's Cohesion policy gives particular attention to regions where economic development is below the EU average.[2][3]

Notion of territorial cohesion[edit]

Territorial cohesion is a European Union concept which builds on the European Spatial Development Perspective (ESDP).[4][5] The main idea of territorial cohesion is to contribute to European sustainable development and competitiveness. It is intended to strengthen the European regions, promote territorial integration and produce coherence of European Union (EU) policies so as to contribute to the sustainable development and global competitiveness of the EU. Sustainable development is defined as development that "meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs".


The main aim of the territorial cohesion policy is to contribute to a balanced distribution of economic and social resources among the European regions with the priority on the territorial dimension. This means that resources and opportunities should be equally distributed among the regions and their populations. In order to achieve the goal of territorial cohesion, an integrative approach to other EU policies is required.

Bulgaria – all (except Southwestern region)

Croatia - all

Czech Republic – all (except )

Prague

Estonia – all

France – , Guadeloupe, Martinique, Réunion

French Guiana

Greece – Anatoliki Makedonia Thraki, Dytiki Ellada, Ipeiros, Kentriki Makedonia, Thessalia

Hungary – all (except )

Central Hungary

Italy – , Calabria, Campania, Apulia, Sicily

Basilicata

Latvia – all

Lithuania – all

Poland – all (except the Warsaw Metro NUTS2 Unit carved out of )

Masovian Voivodeship

Portugal – , Azores, Centro, Norte

Alentejo

Romania – all (except )

Bucharest

Slovakia – all (except )

Bratislava

Slovenia –

Vzhodna Slovenija

Spain –

Extremadura

United Kingdom – and the Isles of Scilly, West Wales and the Valleys

Cornwall

Assisted areas (United Kingdom)

Council of European Municipalities and Regions

European Grouping for Territorial Cooperation

European Structural and Investment Funds

Euroregion

List of micro-regional organizations

– for how the EU defines regions

Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics

(2008). Working for the regions. Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities. ISBN 978-92-79-03776-4. Cat. No. KN-76-06-538-EN-C. Retrieved 28 July 2010.

DG REGIO

Overview of EU regional policy on the European Union's website

Official EU website for regional policy

Overview of regional policy objectives

The Council of European Municipalities and Regions