This paper analyses the economic growth effects of EU structural funds extending the current literature by at least three aspects: Firstly, we make use of a new structural funds dataset of 126 ...NUTS-1/NUTS-2 regions as well as more precise measures of structural funds by distinguishing between Objective 1, 2, and 3 payments. In doing so, we include the Financial Perspective 2000–2006, which has not been analysed before. Secondly, we address the problem of endogeneity in a panel context by basing the identification on internal instruments via a system GMM estimator. Finally, we control for spatial spillover effects by applying a spatial panel econometric estimator.
Our results show that Objective 1 payments in particular do, in fact, promote regional economic growth, whereas the total amount of Objectives 1, 2, and 3 do not have a positive and significant impact on the EU regions' growth rates.
The European Union (EU) provides grants to disadvantaged regions of member states to allow them to catch up with the EU average. Under the Objective 1 scheme, NUTS2 regions with a per capita GDP ...level below 75% of the EU average qualify for structural funds transfers from the central EU budget. This rule gives rise to a regression-discontinuity design that exploits the discrete jump in the probability of EU transfer receipt at the 75% threshold for identification of causal effects of Objective 1 treatment on outcome such as economic growth of EU regions. We find positive per capita GDP growth effects of Objective 1 transfers, but no employment growth effects.
Covid-19 is the first emergency that affected Italy in its regional institutional set-up. Through a qualitative-quantitative analysis of the regional resolutions in 2020, the article proposes a first ...analysis of the regional system. Drawing from their own resources, the regions have deployed 7.3 billion euros, of which two billion is intended for interventions to support families and 5.3 to support the production system. The regions that have implemented the most significant interventions per capita are the Autonomous Provinces, the regions with special statute and the large southern regions, the latter largely drawing on the resources of the structural funds. We observe an evolution in the allocation of resources from general and emergency aspects to specific characteristics of the regional production sectors. The regional system has shown a certain ability to mobilize financial resources and a significant degree of differentiation.
In order to reduce the economic and social development gaps between the Member States, structural funds are allocated in the European Union, which are non-reimbursable financing instruments, being a ...main source of funding, which helps reduce the disparities between the Member States through the development of sustainable projects. This paper focuses on the case of Romania and it aims to examine the implementation status of the social projects contracted at regional level through the Human Capital Operational Programme of the European Social Fund for the 2014-2020 period. As regards Romania, the implementation of these projects leads to the development of communities and vulnerable groups in each development region. An extremely important role in the implementation of projects is played by local and regional authorities that must support local sustainability by stimulating investments, creating jobs, and improving infrastructure.
Through its structural funds the European Union (EU) has invested €1.17 billion in the aquaculture sector over the period 2000–2014. In addition, the EU plans to spend a further €1.72 billion on the ...sector over the period 2014–2020 through the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF). Despite this support, EU aquaculture production has not taken off. Indeed, EU production volume in 2016 was 8% less than in 2000, while global production increased by more than 150%. These investments aim to make the EU aquaculture sector more successful and competitive by focusing on quality, health and safety, as well as, eco-friendly production to provide consumers with high-quality, highly nutritional and trustworthy products. This study provides the first comprehensive overview on the allocation of the different structural funds in the aquaculture sector and across EU Member States from the year 2000–2020. The importance of these subsidies is put into perspective by comparing their evolution within and across the development of the different EU countries’ aquaculture sectors.
•We use value-based DEA in the efficiency assessment of structural funds.•We address the specific case of the competitiveness of SMEs across different EU beneficiary regions.•National inefficient ...programmes mainly need to reduce their dependence on EU co-funding to become efficient.•Almost all inefficient regional programmes need to improve their capacity of execution.•Differences were found on the factors that require adjustments when considering regions’ categories.
The funds dedicated to the cohesion policy are aimed at attaining the convergence of wealth levels across the European Union (EU) member states. These constitute the second-highest group of expenditures in the EU budget and thus their evaluation assumes a prominent role. Their assessment can be carried out through different tools and methodologies, all of them with their own merits and flaws. For instance, macroeconomic models allow assessing the potential impact of EU funds on economic growth, but disregard management issues. Other modelling approaches consider direct econometric estimations which might bring biased estimates of the impacts of Structural Funds if some variables are omitted. A different possible tool is Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA), which is a non-parametric method to measure the relative efficiency of Decision-Making Units (DMUs), allowing for the consideration of multiple inputs and outputs in global performance evaluation. In this work we employ the Value-Based DEA approach, which combines DEA with Multiple Criteria Decision Aiding (MCDA) and enables performing a robustness analysis of the results in face of uncertain information, considering the main factors that might influence the efficiency of the implementation of Structural Funds. Specifically, we address the assessment of its application in the competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in different beneficiary regions of the EU. Our analysis helped in the identification of best practices, sources of inefficiency and gaps regarding the benchmark regions/countries, thus leading to shape opportunities for improvement. Overall, we were able to ascertain that national inefficient programmes mainly need to reduce their dependence on EU co-funding to become efficient, whereas almost all inefficient regional programmes need to improve their capacity of execution. Nevertheless, differences were found on the factors that require adjustments when considering regions’ categories.
Within debates on rural development, Neo-Endogenous Development has emerged as the consensus ‘best-practice’ approach. Central to this approach is the role of the Expert Knowledge Broker – the ...conduit that brings local and ‘extra-local’ together. This paper contests that, despite a wealth of research on this paradigm and the knowledge flows that operate within, little research has been conducted regarding the decision-making process of the Expert Knowledge Broker. However, this is arguably decisive in which type of rural development is enacted. Using the allocation of funding for Renewable Energy projects in Greece as a critical context, this paper explores the decision-making approach of experts using Analytic Hierarchical Process analysis. We find that the type of rural development enacted is contingent upon the funding decision and the balance between local and extra-local funding decisions vary depending upon heterogeneous criteria. The paper contributes to knowledge through a nuanced explanation of the role of the Expert Knowledge Broker and suggests how EU Renewable Energy policy funding decisions can become more effective.
•Renewable energy plays an important role in rural development.•The type of rural development enacted is contingent upon the funding decision balance.•Rural funding decisions vary depending upon heterogeneous criteria.•Social acceptance defines decisions in renewable energy expansion in rural areas.
Industry 4.0 (I4.0), driven by the need to access real-time insights and information across the manufacturing process, creates a disruptive impact on industries. Large-scale machine-to-machine ...communication, virtual reality (VR), the Internet of Things (IoT), simulation technologies and network management are integrated for increased automation, machine learning, self-controlled social and technical systems (Smart Factories). The uptake of advanced manufacturing solutions represents a challenge for businesses and SMEs in particular. SMEs possess neither the organisational capability nor financial resources to systematically investigate the potential and risks of introducing Industry 4.0. However, the so-called Fourth Industrial Revolution is a matter of technology and cooperation between European regions to share knowledge concerning alternative regional and national approaches to reinforcing the I4.0 uptake. Therefore, this paper primarily aims to analyse practical experience on how European policies related to the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) can unlock the full potential of Industry 4.0 and overcome the fragmentation of Industry 4.0 solutions. Case studies of successful transfer of I4.0 to SMEs in Europe and supporting regional policy instruments presented in the paper could inspire and enable the potential of digitalisation by dealing with main challenges hampering their diffusion into the business ecosystem.
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