Regional Actor Constellations in EU Cohesion Policy: Differentiation along the Policy Cycle
Regional Actor Constellations in EU Cohesion Policy: Differentiation along the Policy Cycle

Summary/Abstract: The aim of this article is to offer an empirical description and comparison of governance arrangements across different phases of EU cohesion policy and to offer explanations for national and regional variations in the prevalence of governance arrangements in non-Cohesion (Germany and Italy), old Cohesion (Greece and Spain), and CEE countries (Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland), covering two regions for each country. Drivers of actor participation on the regional level are often linked to legal and normative requirements regarding the partnership principle. However, we conclude that Europeanization is far from being a straightforward process. The transformation of established vertical power relations within the political system as well as state-society relations at the national and sub-national level in accordance with the partnership principle are mediated by domestic and regional factors – including given responsibilities and administrative capabilities of regional government.

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