Regional Allocation of Structural Funds in the European Union

10.1068/c21m ◽  
2002 ◽  
Vol 20 (5) ◽  
pp. 655-677 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carlos Gil ◽  
Pedro Pascual ◽  
Manuel Rapún

Economic disparities among the regions of the European Union are more pronounced than among countries. Structural Funds have played a crucial compensatory role, promoting the economic development and real convergence of lagging regions. The amount of resources destined to regional policy and the conflicts arising from its funding and distribution create the need for an adequate theoretical foundation or model to help politicians solve the distribution problem. In this paper we propose an empirical procedure to carry out and evaluate different distributions of funds for the periods 1989 – 93 and 1994 – 99. We begin with the estimation of an augmented production function to permit the calculation of the expected GDP per capita. We then propose a nonlinear programming method to simulate alternative distributions of Structural Funds among Objective 1 regions, based upon two different approaches: equal development, and equal opportunities. For these two approaches we calculate different possibilities, ranging from highly efficient to highly equitable, with the result that we are able to show the ‘frontier’ of optimal distributions. Finally, we evaluate these results and compare them with the real distribution.

Author(s):  
Florina Popa

The ability to finance and absorb more efficiently Eropean Union Funds has an important role in the process of real convergence of Romania, reported to the European Union, and recovery of gaps to other Member States. The study reveals both the essential elements of the absorption capacity and cofinancing, as well as the challenges related to structural funds absortion. Finally, we try a case study on Romania, with regard to the degree of European Funds absorption, made on the basis of statistics, in development (2007-2011).


2016 ◽  
pp. 88-109
Author(s):  
Wiktoria Domagała

The article undertakes the issue of gender equality policies in the context of its indicators. The main purpose of the paper is to identify the areas of gender inequality, its scale and determinants. Firstly, the article presents the legislation of gender equality policies – its main objectives. Next, the paper discusses indicators that were implemented by organisations such as the Organisation of the United Nations and the European Union. These selected indicators are presented, taking into account the situation in Poland. In conclusion, the paper highlights the main obstacles to the pursuit of equal opportunities for women and men in Poland.


Journalism ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 520-534
Author(s):  
Henrik Bødker

The attack on the Bataclan Theatre in Paris in November 2015 arguably targeted a transnational community of youths able to move and convene freely; as such, it was an attack on the liberal and cosmopolitan core of the European project. Cafébabel (cafebabel.com), a multilingual current affairs online magazine co-funded by the European Union, is intricately linked to this project. This article consequently investigates how Cafébabel, in the aftermath of the attack, appropriated the notion of ‘Génération Bataclan’ from a front page of Libération and how this may be seen as a constructive intervention in the relations between terrorism and journalism in Europe. Cafëbabel’s coverage was, it will be argued, linked to efforts to reflect and/or construct a generational and transnational ‘cosmopolitan identity’ within journalistic practices that largely can be called participatory. Following this, the article consequently argues for seeing Cafébabel’s coverage as instances of constructive news as participation in the European project, which is related to how the outlet perceives the news by national legacy media as un-constructive (conflict, scepticism, nationalism, sensationalism, etc.). In analysing a sample of articles from Cafébabel following the Paris attacks, the article consequently employs a theoretical foundation that merges elements from writings applying three distinct concepts, namely, constructive journalism, journalism as practice and cosmopolitanism.


Author(s):  
Xiaochun Zhang

Disability is viewed as part of the human condition. Measures aimed at promoting accessibility ensure that individuals with a disability can participate fully in society and on an equal footing with those who do not have a disability. Accessibility has been prioritized through regulations both nationally and globally. The Accessible Culture and Training project was funded by the ERASMUS + Programme of the European Union;[i]it promoted equal opportunities and access to cultural events across countries and languages. One of the main objectives of the project was to design a new job role entitled Accessibility Manager and to provide training associated with the position. This article reports on some of the intellectual outputs from the project, explains the process of defining the new job profile and discusses the skill set that has been identified. It concludes that the Accessible Culture and Training project responds appropriately to the formation of the new discipline, Accessibility Studies.[i] The Accessible Culture and Training project was funded by the ERASMUS + Programme of the European Union under the call Knowledge Alliance 2 with the reference 2015-1-ES01-KA203-015734.


Author(s):  
Michael A. Landesmann ◽  
Roman Stöllinger

This chapter reviews the industrial policy in the European Union in the light of the revived interest in the subject and the most pressing challenges ahead. In the current global context these challenges are (i) to keep pace at the technology frontier with the technologically most advanced economies; (ii) to meet the challenges of fast catching-up emerging economies; (iii) to contribute to the convergence and cohesion processes within the European Union; and (iv) to deal with climate change and environmental sustainability issues more generally. A quantitative exercise that makes use of the European Union’s budget data, including the structural funds, and member states aid expenditures, is used to identify the European Union’s current industrial policy priorities. The results are the basis for an assessment of the extent to which the key challenges are addressed at the supranational level and which aspects are primarily dealt with by national governments.


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