Back to the member states? Cohesion Policy and the national challenges to the European Union

Abstract

In a context of rising economic nationalism and Euroscepticism, the value added of a supranational Cohesion Policy of the European Union is constantly under scrutiny. In parallel, a growing body of empirical evidence uncovers a significant heterogeneity of national and regional impacts. This editorial argues that member states should take full responsibility and ownership of Cohesion Policy and its impacts, regaining a substantive role between Brussels and the regions. Strong national leadership and coordination will allow ‘weak’ regions (in terms of institutional quality and governance) to gain momentum, better reconciling ‘unity with (national and regional) diversity’.