Regional Autonomy and Regional Development
EU Programmes in Poland and the Czech Republic in Comparison
Michael W. Bauer, Jutta Kuppinger
Deutsche Fassung
Abstract
The creed of European regional policy so far has been that regional development programs are best implemented in decentralised state structures. A comparison of the implementation of community initiative Intereg III A in Poland and the Czech Republic leads to the opposite conclusion: The more centralised a state in structure, the more successful the implementation of European regional assistance in Eastern-Central Europe. While disputes over responsibility between regional administrative units and the national level prevent prompt and effective regional development, the Czech Republic’s clear, centralised state structure contributes to the successful deployment of EU funds.
(Osteuropa 10/2006, pp. 105–116)