Eu Structural Funding as Part of Eu Regional Policy

The main goal of European Union regional politics is reduction of the economical and social inequalities between the richest and poorest regions. These disproportions are often caused by peripheral geographical position, difficult weather conditions, insufficient infrastructure, disadvantageous structure of economy (with agriculture dominating), low level of qualification among the population etc. The differences in standard of living and economical growth is a barrier for EU integration. (http://www.biurose.sejm.gov.pl )

The problem was named by Western Europe in 30ties of the last century. In post-war period regional politics was limited to redistribution of the financial resources to poorer and underdeveloped regions mainly by supporting infrastructural investments in those areas. These actions were not deemed to be sufficient and resulted in appealing to planning instruments and gradual regionalisation of the state. European Union member states (EEC then) decided to incorporate regional policy into the European Community programme. (http://www.przysiek.pl/~uniawww/ fundusze_strukturalne/fundusze_idea.htm )

Treaty of Rome (1957) among three directions of activity also includes “increasing resources by valorisation of the underdeveloped regions and by using unemployed workforce.” (I. Pietrzyk, Warsaw 2002). The report also emphasized the importance of coordinating regional plans of the member states. Likewise it suggested founding of the special investment fund serving a purpose of creating an environment for balanced growth. Unfortunately all those statements were not reflected in practice. Besides the above Treaty of Rome mentioned the reduction of the disproportions and underdevelopment of regions, but in the budget framework was lacking the regional policy (I.Pietrzyk, Warsaw 2002)

The only common institution oriented for the regional development and raised by Treaty of Rome was European Investment Bank (EIB, 1958r). which for almost 20 years was the only common source of regional investments finance.

The first breakthrough in the development