On 4-6 February, the Regional Studies Association (RSA), European Commission (DG Regio) and Latvian EU Presidency organised a conference"Challenges for the New Cohesion Policy 2014-2020: An Academic-Policy Debate" held at the University of Latvia in Riga.
John Bachtler, a Board Member of the RSA, was the academic organiser of the Conference which brought together 140 participants from the academic community, EU institutions, and national government authorities from 14 countries. Attended by the Director-General of DG Regio and the Chair of the European Parliament's REGI Committee, two and half days of discussion focused on the regional development challenges for European Structural and Investment Funds, the role of Cohesion policy in strengthening public administration and effective Funds management, the performance and results of the policy, the use of different types of instrument, and the implications of EU economic governance reforms for Cohesion policy.
John Bachtler presented a plenary paper in the opening session of the conference reviewing the challenges for Cohesion policy, and presented a paper in one of the workshops on the long-term impact of Cohesion policy 1989-2012 based on an study undertaken by EPRC for DG Regio, as well as moderating the concluding session of the Conference.
Fiona Wishlade and Arno van der Zwet also participated in the Conference on behalf of EPRC. Fiona Wishlade presented a paper co-authored with Rona Michie "Financial Instruments in 2014-2020: Learning from 2007-13 and Adapting to the New Environment drawing on an extensive programme of EU-wide research and knowledge exchange being conducted on financial instruments. Arno van der Zwet presented a paper co-authored with Carlos Mendez "Towards a Europe of the Localities? Integrated Place-Based Approaches in 2014-20 and Beyond" based on research conducted by EPRC under the IQ-Net programme during 2014 on Integrated Territorial Investments and Community-Led Local Development.