Ex-Post Evaluation of the European Regional Development Fund and the Cohesion Fund 2014-2020. Work Package 13. Territorial Instruments. Final Report

Martin Ferry, Alina Makarevičienė, Julia Bachtrögler, Klaus Nowotny, Stefan Kah, Neli Georgieva, Marcin Dabrowski and Martijn De Bruijn
Additional contact information
Martin Ferry: University of Strathclyde, European Policies Research Centre
Alina Makarevičienė: Public Policy and Management Institute
Stefan Kah: University of Strathclyde, European Policies Research Centre
Neli Georgieva: University of Strathclyde, European Policies Research Centre
Marcin Dabrowski: Delft University of Technology

in WIFO Studies from WIFO

Abstract: This study assesses implementation of Territorial Delivery Mechanisms (TDMs) introduced under the 2014-20 European Structural and Investment Funds framework. These were designed to enhance place-based approaches to regional development, aiming to improve the responsiveness of Cohesion Policy investments to local needs through integrated strategies and territorial governance. The five TDM types — Sustainable Urban Development (SUD, delivered as Integrated Territorial Investments (ITIs), programme Priority Axes or dedicated programmes), Community-led Local Development (CLLD), and non-SUD ITIs — were applied across Member States with considerable variation in design and uptake. The study applied a Theory of Change framework through three ‘causality pathways’ to assess the role of TDMs in promoting territorial development. It took a mixed-methods approach, including data analysis, a survey, case studies, and focus groups. Findings highlight the potentials and challenges of TDMs: while they fostered strategic territorial planning, local engagement, and sectoral coordination, their novelty, limitations in administrative capacity and regulatory complexity represented substantial challenges. Despite initial delays and implementation difficulties, TDMs contributed to decentralisation, strategic coherence, and increased local ownership in some contexts. The study concludes that while TDMs represent innovative tools for place-based development, further regulatory flexibility, capacity building, and evidence generation are essential for maximising their long-term impact.

Date: 2025 Written 2023-12-11
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.wifo.ac.at/?p=270920 abstract (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:wfo:wstudy:49889285

Access Statistics for this book

More books in WIFO Studies from WIFO Contact information at EDIRC.
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Florian Mayr ().