THE COHESION POLICY AND THE EUROPEAN STRUCTURAL INVESTMENT FUNDS: WHY AND HOW IS VENETO REGION INVOLVED?

Abstract

The main theme of my dissertation are the Cohesion Policy and the Regional Funds connected to it. In my thesis it will be analysed how and why Veneto region is involved and how the general situation of Italian and European economy influences the concession of Funds to our region. The main focus of the thesis is the Cohesion Policy, which is a quite important theme for the actual UE. The poorer areas of the European Union have always been an issue, since the beginning, when the Founders had the responsibility to create a financing pool in order to help the last regions that joined the Union. For this reason, my thesis is focalized, also, on the description of these events and on the history of the Cohesion Policy and ESIF Funds. The EU has always been dedicated to harmonizing and equalizing the situation of each country belonging to it. It is a true mission for EU, which dedicates a huge part of its programme to the development of new strategies and management of funds destinated to harmonization. The UE Parliament and Commission are aware of this situation and always try to analyse it and improve the policies related to it. The last UE government has focused on five concrete objectives which are expressed by the enhancement of subject such as employment, innovation, education, social inclusion, and climate/energy, finalized to concrete the Europe 2020 strategy to guarantee UE regions and citizens a smart, sustainable and inclusive growth. The 2014-2020 Funds are having an important role, because they are focused on maximise the impact of the previous funding. The UE 2020 strategy and related funds will also be the focus of the new UE Government until the closure of the year. Obviously, each Member State has adopted its own national targets in these areas, with a concrete help of European Funds. Overall, the financial impact of Cohesion Policy is important for further public and private funding, not only because it obliges Member States to co-finance from the national budget, but it also creates investor confidence. Nevertheless, the Cohesion Policy funding is concentrated on less developed European countries and regions in order to help them to catch up and to reduce the economic, social and territorial disparities that still exist in the EU. Italy is surely an interested area, mostly concerned in developing and innovating Southern regions. The dissertation will be focalized on Veneto, since it is one of the most productive and rich between the Italian regions. I try to bring up the main funds and co-funds dedicated to Veneto, in order to understand and analyse why and how the poorest and most needy areas are helped and improved, how the funds are treated and spread and if they are functional to the areas interested. The conclusion of my dissertation will focus on the importance of the Funds not only for less developed areas, but also for richest areas, which benefits of them principally in a transverse manner. My prevision for the future is that the newly formed Parliament and Commission will continue to focus on the enhancement of the sustainability both for the environment and on the innovation and promotion of smart cities and a more harmonized community free from racism and immigration-related problems.