Projects

The project provided an overview of recent developments in regional State aid control by the European Commission. In particular, it set out the main implications for Scotland of DG Competition’s proposals for reforming the Regional Aid Guidelines and other relevant provisions for the post-2006 period.

This project involved research and policy advice for the Interreg IIIC project TouriSME - 'Tourism and SMEs for Sustainable and Balanced Development'. The study was undertaken on behalf of a partnership of business development organisations in four regions: North East England, Valencia, Limburg and Sachsen Anhalt. Two comparative studies were undertaken, focused on Business support services, and Exports/internationalisation of regional businesses. Each study aimed to benchmark relevant support services in each region, to allow relative strengths and weaknesses to be identified and highlight potential opportunities for the implementation of new approaches and joint concepts. The content of subsequent project activities will be established on the basis of the benchmark results.

The project involved assessment of the lessons from INTERREG and external cooperation programming experience in order to identify a list of priorities for enhancing the effectiveness of INTERREG Programmes. The study informed both the operational support services provided by INTERACT to INTERREG actors during the 2000-06 programming period, and contributed to the strategic debate on the future of Cohesion policy.

The project comprised the Territorial Impact Assessment of past Structural Fund programmes and the appraisal of the potential territorial impact of current Structural Funds programmes. The study was undertaken with a view to formulating policy recommendations for the reform of the Funds for the post 2006 period and to improving their capacity of delivering enhanced territorial cohesion. In particular, the research has the following objectives: elaboration and application of a methodology for the territorial impact assessment of Structural Fund policies; presentation of Structural Fund policies with reference to the territorial dimensions and the governmental level responsible; ­development of a set of indicators and of a database for capturing the spatial effects of Structural Fund programmes; ­analysis of the result of EU Structural and Cohesion policies as regards balanced territorial development; development of policy recommendations on future implementation of Structural Fund programmes in an enlarged EU in relation to strategic focus, area designation and delivery mechanisms.

The project involved research on the territorial effects of applying the EU acquis, Community policies and pre-accession Instruments. The study was undertaken with a view to formulating policy recommendations for the support of territorial cohesion in an enlarged EU. In particular the research focused on: the development and application of a methodology for the territorial impact assessment of past pre-accession programmes and of the adoption of the acquis; investigate the interplay between EU policies and national spatial policies; recommend further policy developments for the support of territorial cohesion. Working as part of an international consortium, EPRC is responsible for a number of thematic components of the research and for the country analysis of the Czech Republic.

The project involved research on regional development patterns and trends in Scotland and the options for regional policy.

The project involved evaluation of the impact and added value of INTERREG IIIB Community Initiative in UK (2000-2006) which was led by EKOS. . The INTERREG IIIB Programmes: Atlantic Area; North Sea Region; and North West Europe were included in the study.

The project involved research on the expected shifts in the future of Cohesion policy after 2006. The study considered: the likelihood of Cohesion Policy becoming much more oriented towards growth and will, in a much more profound way than in the past, contributing directly to the fulfilment of the Lisbon strategy; geography becoming a less important component of any replacement of Objective 2; many aspects related to the future delivery of policy being unclear, with in particular the possibility of Cohesion support being subject to some sort of Community Framework under the open method of coordination; uncertainties regarding any future funding criteria which may be used to allocate resources from the EU to the Member States and, thereafter, from the Member States to the sub-national level.

The project comprised an evaluation of the Austrian regional management structure, including an international perspective designed to situate the Austrian experience in the wider European context.

This project addressed the Scottish framework for economic development policy and was commissioned by IRPET, the Tuscan regional research institute on economic programming, as a case study for a broader comparative analysis of methods and practices of economic programming in EU regions other than Toscana. The research covered the following themes: the devolution of economic development competences in the UK; the governance of economic development in Scotland; the strategic priorities and instruments for economic development in Scotland; the Scottish policy-making process for economic development; the implementation of economic development activities; the evaluation of economic development policies. The report, delivered in Italian, concluded with some considerations on the strengths and weaknesses of the Scottish model, drawing some lessons for the Italian experience in the field of economic development policy-making and implementation.