By European Policies Research Centre (EPRC), 2016
The future of Cohesion policy is often uncertain at this stage in the MFF reform cycle but the options for change are currently more uncertain than in previous periods. Over the past three decades, there has been significant change in the mandate of the policy, to the extent where its role as a policy for ‘cohesion’ needs to be reassessed. The policy is in danger of being overloaded with numerous and contradictory objectives, diluting its Treaty focus on cohesion and reducing the importance of ‘place’ and ‘territory’ in the design and implementation of programs. The growing top-down prescription of ever-more regulatory requirements also runs counter to the principle of subsidiarity and weakens the ability of countries and regions to address development needs and challenges in ways most appropriate to national and regional circumstances. There is a strong argument for refocusing the policy on its Treaty mandate as a distinctively ‘regional’ policy; the question is whether this is achievable in the current environment while defending the significant resource allocation to Heading 1b.
 European Policies Research Centre (EPRC) | [ ] |
