EPRC research on Structural Funds was presented as part of an EU Slovenian Presidency 'Conference on the Future of Cohesion Policy' held in Maribor on 7-8 April 2008.
The paper by Professor John Bachtler, one of four invited expert contributions, discussed the evidence for the variable performance of Cohesion policy over the past 15 years and highlighted the role of institutional capacity as an explanatory factor.
The Conference - which involved over 170 invited participants representing all 27 Member States, the European Commission, European Parliament, European Court of Auditors and other international institutions - was arranged in the context of the current EU budgetary review to re-examine the rationale of EU Cohesion policy in terms of its structure, scope and objectives, as well as possible improvements to the delivery mechanisms. This EPRC contribution to the Slovenian Presidency represents the fifth consecutive EU presidency in which EPRC has been invited to play a role by drafting policy papers, chairing debates or presenting conference papers. Further information on the Conference is available here