Syllabus
Programme *
1. Introduction, Distribution of Presentation Topics, Introduction to common policies of the European Union *
2. History of EU Cohesion Policy, Regional Problems and Dispartities, Reasons for Cohesion Policy, Aims and Means of Cohesion Policy in European Communities’ history "What are the Structural Funds? A powerful tool of regional development, or a useless redistribution mechanism, alms for the poor and a space for fraud and corruption?" *
3. Cohesion Policy Reforms, Enlargement of the EU (concepts of enlargement, widening and deepening of the EU), The 2004 Enlargement, Impact of the 2004/2007 Enlargements on Cohesion Policy "Was the 2004 enlargement a hazardous risk or a well-planned step?" *
4. Basic Principles of EU Cohesion Policy (concentration, programming, partnership, additionality, subsidiarity, transparency), Decision-making in Cohesion Policy, Economic Aspects, Budgeting "Is the decision-making process in the field of cohesion policy transparent and democratic?" *
5. Tools of EU Cohesion Policy - Overview, Cohesion Policy in the 2014 - 2020 Programming Period (I.) - ESIF (European Structural and Investment Funds) "Are the priorities of Structural Funds for 2014-2020 reasonable?" *
6. Cohesion Policy in the 2014 - 2020 Programming Period (II.) - Non-ESI Funds "Do the Community programmes deserve a higher share of funding compared to ESI Funds?" *
7. Financial Mechanisms available for CEE countries besides EU funding "Swiss and Norwegian Funds, Visegrád Fund and others - duplicating or complementing EU Funds?" *
8. EU Funds in the Czech Republic 2007 - 2013 and 2014 - 2020, Specific Aspects of Cohesion Policy implementation in the Czech Republic, Differences in the Use of EU Funds in EU-15 and in the "New" Member States "Are the Structural Funds used effectively in the Czech Republic?" *
9. EU Funds in Candidate Countries, IPA "Is the pre-accession aid effective?" *
10. Conceptualizing COhesion Policy; Case Studies - Analysis of a Particular Problems of Regional Development in Selected Regions in CEE Countries"Finding feasible theoretical approaches to Cohesion Policy""Finding examples of good and bad practices in CEE countries"*
11. Cohesion Policy and Society - media coverage, key cases in CEE, Key Problems in Structural Funds Implementation in CEE"Facts or myths dominant in CEE media coverage of Cohesion Policy?"*
12. The Future of Europe’s Regional Policy: Cohesion Policy in the 2021+ Programming Period, Prospects of CEE Countries"What can we expect from ongoing reforms of Cohesion Policy with regards to CEE-specific situation?""Will Cohesion Policy survive Brexit?"
Annotation
The course focuses on history and recent developments in the field of European Union’s Cohesion policy and its implementation in Central and Eastern European countries, including both new member states and candidate countries. Starting with introduction to common policies and the origins of Cohesion policy, the course will focus on operation of Cohesion policy, the impacts of Eastern enlargements on current Cohesion policy, principles of its implementation, budgeting, aims and means of achieving them, and on possible future developments.
Within the course, the students will also discuss various tensions, contrasts and myths present within the field of Cohesion policy.