How to Measure Cohesion in the EU?
How to Measure Cohesion in the EU?

Author(s): Dimitar Hadjinikolov
Subject(s): Politics / Political Sciences, Politics, Economy, EU-Accession / EU-DEvelopment, Socio-Economic Research
Published by: Университет за национално и световно стопанство (УНСС)
Keywords: cohesion; cohesion policy; cohesion indicators; European Union
Summary/Abstract: To implement common policies in the EU, the Member States need to have a very strong cohesion among them in all the three dimensions of the cohesion specified in the EU treaties - economic cohesion, social cohesion, and territorial cohesion. But how do we determine the size of cohesion? How can we assess whether the financial means used for cohesion measures in the EU have in fact given the necessary result? If we want to measure cohesion, we must define a proper set of indicators that actually measure it and not only various side effects associated with it. This article examines two possible approaches to assessing cohesion in the EU. The first of them is labeled by the author as a traditional approach. It is based on the understanding that the convergence process is a kind of catch-up development of the Member States and regions that lag EU average in various aspects. Another approach proposed by the author is labeled as a new approach and is focused more on the fitness and readiness of Member States and regions to function together as one organism.

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