Regional policy in the Baltic States

Abstract

Regional development in nowadays have focus primary on local governments and interests and initiatives of their inhabitants. After accession to the European Union, the regional development legislation base in the Baltic States is governed by EU regional policy. Therefore countries that make up the European Union have joined their sovereignty to gain power and influence upon the world - something they could not have reached on their own. Practically, the joint sovereignty means that the member states delegate part of their decision making power to different entities set up by the member states to make sure that the decisions made on the European level ensure democracy and common interests. The main instrument that is used to implement the regional policy in the EU member states are the European Union Structural Funds. © 2011 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.