
The Objective of Economic and Social Cohesion in the Economic Policies of Member States
This study identifies which are the most relevant policies of Member States for the objective of economic, social and territorial cohesion enshrined in the Treaty of the European Union. It describes how such policies are designed and implemented with a view to determining how and to what extent they contribute to the achievement of these objectives. The study contains a main part which presents the main results for the whole EU and then a second part with a single country report per Member State.
Final Report : Part 1
- Part 2
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Report on joint study on regional policies in China and EU
A study which compares aspects of regional policy in China with cohesion policy in the European Union – financed by the Commission under its EU-China Policy Dialogues Support Facility - has been carried out in 2008-2010. The study examines the regional policies of the European Union and China to assess their potential to speed the economic growth of regions which are lagging behind. The study is on practical aspects of policy-making and regional development. It concentrates, in particular on: the definition and economic classification of regions; the governance and co-ordination of regional policy; and the role of regional policy in improving competitiveness, sustainable development and urban and rural development. As illustrations, the study report describes examples of best practice in these subject areas in China and the EU.

Regional governance in the context of globalisation: reviewing governance mechanisms and administrative costs
This is the first study to provide a systematic evidence-based survey of the administrative workload and costs for Member State public authorities of the implementation of the European Regional Development Fund and Cohesion Fund during the 2007-2013 period.
The study concluded that:
Final report ![]()
- Annex 1 ![]()
- Annex 2 ![]()

Etude sur l’évolution des diagnostics et des stratégies régionales d’innovation dans les régions françaises dans le cadre des PO FEDER 2007-2013
L'objectif de cette étude était d'analyser l'évolution des diagnostics et des Stratégies Régionales d'Innovation (SRI), et plus particulièrement à rendre compte: de l'organisation et du déroulement du processus d'élaboration ou d'adaptation de la SRI mis en place en région, ainsi que des modes de gouvernance retenus; des principales évolutions ou inflexions par rapport à la situation de départ en 2007 et de la manière dont le processus et ses caractéristiques ont pu y contribuer; et des principaux enseignements tirés de cet exercice SRI, notamment dans la perspective de la révision à mi-parcours des programmes opérationnels du FEDER.
Avant-propos
- Résumé
- Synthèse
- Fiches régionales

The regional impact of technological change in 2020
This study highlights the great diversity in development pathways and trajectories of innovation across European regions. A regional knowledge-based economy has multidimensional aspects. It includes a variety of knowledge activities and multiple interactions among a range of actors including universities, research institutes, enterprises, knowledge workers and institutions. The spatial patterns and trends for the different aspects of the knowledge-based economy vary significantly across Europe. Most aspects show convergence and generate catching-up processes, while some show divergence between European regions.

Défis régionaux à l’horizon 2020 - Disparités régionales et défis à venir (Regional Challenges in the Perspective of 2020 - Regional disparities and future challenges) - December 2009
L’étude contribue à définir deux scénarios globaux de disparités régionales à l’horizon 2020, ainsi qu’à intégrer les problèmes de voisinage aux discussions relatives aux défis. Cinq ateliers thématiques ont été réalisés avec le concours de la Banque mondiale et de la Fondation Bertelsmann. Un rapport de synthèse résume les documents d’information émanant des différents ateliers. Cette étude élargit et approfondit l’analyse réalisée dans le cadre de «Régions 2020». Elle s’intéresse aux impacts de cinq principaux défis que les régions devront relever à l’avenir:
Synthèse
- Mondialisation
- Evolution démographique
- Changement climatique
- Energie durable et compétitive
- Risques sociaux
The Regional Focus is a series of relatively short papers on a specific theme prepared by the Directorate General for Regional Policy.
n° 03/2010 : The Regional Lisbon Index
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n° 02/2010 : Regional Innovation Governance
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n° 01/2010 : Does population decline lead to economic decline
in EU rural regions?
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n° 02/2009 : Public investment in Spain
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n° 01/2009 : Metropolitan regions in the EU
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n° 02/2008 : Labour mobility between the regions
of the EU-27 and a comparison with the USA
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n° 01/2008 : Remote Rural Regions -
How proximity to a city influences the performance of rural regions
- Urban/Rural classification of NUTS3 regions
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A series of short papers on regional research and indicators produced by the Directorate-General for Regional Policy
n°03/2010 : Patterns and trends of public investment in the new Member States of the European Union
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n°02/2010 : Modelling the Policy Instruments of the EU Cohesion Policy
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n° 01/2010 : The economy of the
Italian regions: recent
developments and
responses to the
economic crisis
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n° 03/2009 : The Future of Cohesion
Policy in Richer Regions
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n° 02/2009 : Territories with specific geographical features
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n° 01/2009 : A Cross-Country
Impact Assessment of
EU Cohesion Policy - Applying the Cohesion System
of HERMIN Models
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n° 01/2008 : Convergence of EU regions -
Measures and evolution
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Report on joint study on regional policies in China and EU
A study which compares aspects of regional policy in China with cohesion policy in the European Union – financed by the Commission under its EU-China Policy Dialogues Support Facility - has been carried out in 2008-2010. The study examines the regional policies of the European Union and China to assess their potential to speed the economic growth of regions which are lagging behind. The study is on practical aspects of policy-making and regional development. It concentrates, in particular on: the definition and economic classification of regions; the governance and co-ordination of regional policy; and the role of regional policy in improving competitiveness, sustainable development and urban and rural development. As illustrations, the study report describes examples of best practice in these subject areas in China and the EU.
| Preparatory studies for the fourth cohesion report (2007)
The studies listed above were commissioned by the European Commission as part of the preparatory work for the fourth report on economic and social cohesion. The contents of these studies are the responsibility of their authors and do not bind the Commission.
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Vol. II Country Reports :
: Austria - Belgium - Cyprus - Czech Republic - Denmark - Finland - France - Germany - Greece -Hungary - Ireland - Italy - Luxemburg - Netherlands - Portugal - Slovakia - Spain - Sweden - United Kingdom
Vol. III : Discussion Papers by the Scientific Committee’s Members
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| Preparatory studies for the second cohesion report (January 2001)
The studies listed above were commissioned by the European Commission as part of the preparatory work for the second report on economic and social cohesion. The contents of these studies are the responsibility of their authors and do not bind the Commission.
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