Summary : Urban areas with a legacy of “old industries” have faced large-scale investment needs in the regeneration of derelict land, rehabilitation of housing and infrastructure and in addressing ecological challenges, in addition to massive changes in economic activities and jobs. Cohesion policy has contributed to rehabilitation and new development. These regions depend on national and European industrial policy as well as on the capacity of local and regional actors to plan and develop a new and amenable space and a base for future economic development. This briefing note explains how urban areas like Manchester, Essen, Lille and Bilbao have mastered reconversion. In the future, urban areas could greatly benefit from the new possibilities offered through the Integrated Territorial Investment foreseen for the upcoming Cohesion policy period, 2014-2020.

Authors : Herta Tödtling-Schönhofer (Metis GmbH) and Sara Davies (EPRC)

Committees : Regional and cohesion policy

Summary : This note provides an overview of Croatia, its political, economic and administrative system, together with a description of European Union support to Croatia, and the planned cohesion policy budget for the period 2007-2013. Special attention is given to the pre-accession support of the European Union for Croatia. The note has been prepared in the context of the foreseen accession of the Republic of Croatia to the European Union.

Authors : Marek Kołodziejski (Policy Department B: Structural and Cohesion Policies, European Parliament)

Committees : Regional and cohesion policy

Summary : This note discusses the European Commission’s proposal to introduce wide-scale macro-economic conditionalities in cohesion policy. In essence, this would make cohesion funding dependent on respecting the European economic governance rules. The note finds that such conditionality would be advantageous for economic governance, but it is likely to have a negative impact on cohesion policy. More importantly, it is doubtful that the European Commission’s proposal would contribute to achieving the overarching goal of both policies: balanced economic growth in Europe.

Executive summary :

Authors : Stijn Verhelst (EGMONT - Royal Institute for International Relations)

Committees : Regional and cohesion policy

Summary : This note provides an overview and assessment of the ex-ante conditionalities, fulfilment criteria and delivery mechanisms outlined in the draft Common Provisions Regulation adopted by the European Commission. The aim is to identify critical aspects of the proposed ex-ante conditionality mechanism and to contribute to the current debate.

Authors : Gelsomina Catalano, Massimo Florio, Julie Pellegrin and Davide Sartori (CSIL - Centre for Industrial Studies) ; Haroldas Brozaitis (PPMI - Public Policy and Management Institute )

Committees : Regional and cohesion policy

Summary : The study deals with the interaction between integrated urban transport plans (sustainable urban mobility/transport plans, SUMP) and the cohesion policy of the European Union. After tackling the concept of SUMP and the role of transport/urban transport in cohesion policy, eight case studies analyse the link between integrated urban transport planning and funding for transport policies/projects by cohesion policy. Finally, the study provides policy recommendations including on the 2011 cohesion policy reform proposals.

Executive summary :

Authors : Stefan Klug, Wolfgang Schade and André Kühn (Fraunhofer Institute for System and Innovation Research ISI) ; Bettina Kampman and Arno Schroten (CE Delft) ; Samantha Jones and David Blackledge (Transport and Travel Research Ltd - TTR)

Committees : Regional and cohesion policy

Summary : The report describes four fields of bio-engineering: engineering of living artefacts (chapter 2), engineering of the body (chapter 3), engineering of the brain (chapter 4), and engineering of intelligent artefacts (chapter 5). Each chapter describes the state of the art of these bio-engineering fields, and whether the concepts “biology becoming technology” and “technology becoming biology” are helpful in describing and understanding, from an engineering perspective, what is going on in each R&D terrain. Next, every chapter analyses to what extent the various research strands within each field of bio-engineering are stimulated by the European Commission, i.e., are part and parcel of the European Framework program. Finally, each chapter provides an overview of the social, ethical and legal questions that are raised by the various scientific and technological activities involved. The report’s final chapter discusses to what extent the trends “biology becoming technology” and vice versa capture many of the developments that are going on in the four bio-engineering fields we have mapped. The report also reflects on the social, ethical and legal issues that are raised by the two bioengineering megatrends that constitute a new technology wave.

Executive summary :

Authors : Rinie van Est (Rathenau Instituut), Dirk Stemerding (Rathenau Instituut), Piret Kukk (Fraunhofer ISI), Bärbel Hüsing (Fraunhofer ISI), Ira van Keulen (Rathenau Instituut), Mirjam Schuijff (Rathenau Instituut), Knud Böhle (ITAS), Christopher Coenen (ITAS), Michael Decker (ITAS), Michael Rader (ITAS), Helge Torgersen (ITAS) and Markus Schmidt (Biofaction)

Committees : Science and Technology Options Assessment (STOA), Environment, public health and food safety, Industry, research and energy, Employment and social affairs, Development, Regional and cohesion policy

Summary : This note provides an overview of France, its political, economic and administrative system, together with a description of European Union support to France, and the Operational Programmes contained in the National Strategic Reference Framework for the period 2007-2013. Special attention is given to the border between France and Spain in the Languedoc-Roussillon and the cross-border cooperation of the local and regional authorities in this area. The note has been prepared in the context of the Committee on Regional Development's delegation to France, 29-31 October 2012.

Authors : Marek Kołodziejski (Policy Department B: Structural and Cohesion Policies, European Parliament)

Committees : Regional and cohesion policy

Summary : This study focuses on the Europe 2020 strategy with particular reference to its seven Flagship initiatives (Innovation Union, Digital Agenda, Industrial Policy, Resource-efficient Europe, Youth on the Move, New Skills and Jobs, and the European Platform against Poverty). It explores their coherence with Cohesion Policy with a view to the 2014-20 programming period and identifies ways of integrating the Flagship initiatives into the future Common Strategic Framework. Using a number of detailed case studies, the report thoroughly examines experience in the implementation of the Lisbon strategy in the context of the Structural Funds. Detailed roadmaps are provided for each Flagship initiative, indicating what, when, how and by whom actions should be carried out over short-, medium- and long-term perspectives. Lastly, the report delivers recommendations related to the implementation of the Flagship initiatives using Cohesion Policy instruments.

Executive summary :

Authors : Herta Tödtling–Schönhofer, Christine Hamza, Angelos Sanopoulos and Alice Radzyner (Metis GmbH) ; John Bachtler and Stefan Kah (EPRC, University of Strathclyde)

Committees : Regional and cohesion policy

Summary : This study provides a critical analysis of the draft legislative package for EU Cohesion Policy after 2013. On the basis of a literature review and budgetary modelling, it identifies the main strengths and weaknesses of the proposals and offers recommendations to inform the position of the European Parliament in the negotiations.

Authors : Carlos Mendez, John Bachtler and Fiona Wishlade

Committees : Regional and cohesion policy