EUROPEAN UNION cohesion POLICY AS A PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION TOOL AND TERRITORIAL DEVELOPMENT FINANCING: A PROJECT APPROACH
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.34132/pard2026.32.08Keywords:
cohesion policy, public administration, territorial development, regional policy, EU funds, public investments, programming, sustainable development, project approach, territorial development strategies, territorial communityAbstract
This article considers the features of the European Union’s cohesion policy as a comprehensive mechanism for public management of territorial development and the funding of regional development programmes (projects). It is argued that, in the context of globalisation, the intensification of inter-regional, socio-economic disparities and the need to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, regional policy instruments aimed at ensuring the balanced development of territories are of particular importance. It has been found that the EU’s cohesion policy is a key investment instrument that aims to reduce territorial imbalances, increase the competitiveness of regions and ensure social and territorial cohesion. The regulatory framework for cohesion policy has been analysed, in particular the provisions of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and Regulation (EU) No 2021/1060. The main principles of cohesion policy—concentration, programming and partnership—are considered. It has been found that the principle of programming ensures a systematic approach to the planning and use of financial resources through long-term programmes based on an analysis of territorial needs, an assessment of investment priorities and the taking into account of prior experience in project implementation (‘lessons learnt’). Special attention is paid to the characteristics of the main EU funds, in particular the European Regional Development Fund, the Cohesion Fund, the European Social Fund+ and the Just Transition Fund. It has been proved that the effectiveness of cohesion policy implementation is ensured through the use of Integrated Territorial Investment and Community-Led Local Development approach, which fosters the combination of ‘bottom-up’ and ‘top-down’ approaches in the process of territorial development management. The importance of European experience for improving the system of public management of regional development in Ukraine is substantiated in the context of the country’s European integration course and post-war recovery.
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