Last updated on: 5/4/2005

Name (Last, First): Benini, Roberta
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Organization: University of Bologna in Ravenna
Mailing Address: University of Bologna in Ravenna Italy
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E-mail: beninir@nomisma.it
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Paper Title: Regional policy in Europe at the turning point: some of the most relevant and critical issues: There are some lessons for China to be learnt?

Abstract:
The paper will address some of the critical aspects that concern the ?uropean?regional policy: there is the need - widely recognised among both academicians and policy-makers - to up-date and revise deeply the conception of the ?uropean regional policy? that adopted the instrument of Structural Funds as fundamental tool for its policy implementation. The overall macro-economic conditions of Europe, in the last decade, have changed substantially with the increasing difficulties for the old European Member States to sustain a level of spending that the European policies have required: the cost of the regional policy has becomes critical and therefore there is the imperative need to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of such policies, in particular in light of the still persistent inter-regional disparities, instead of the positive convergence at the country level Some background questions will be mentioned, such as: ?The theoretical dimensions of the regional policy and the various policy implications, after many decades of confrontation between the mainstream economics and the regional economics perspective; ?The question of the importance of the region as economic entity, that has statistical and economic relevance, intermediary between the national level and the local level (municipalities), as indicator of wealth and development of a country in its territorial dimension. ?The relevance of the economic and social heritage that define the ?tarting conditions?of the regions as fundamental factors that can contribute to explain the present performances, together with the impact of the economic policies put in place. Some of the most critical points will be arisen: 1. New re-thinking of the linkages between regional policy and macro-economic policy. 2. The identification and measurement of the regional disparities, either at regional, local or other intermediary levels brings ?i per se?an objective controversial character. The complexity of the territory that has physical morphological differentiation, others than economic and social characteristics, implies that at each different layer there are different factors in play. Few cases will be brought in order to analysis some specific combination of structural and policy factors that could explain the relative failure or success of the policies put in place. ?East Germany- Is a good example where the assessment of the regional policy has been strongly criticised as source of mayor failure of the German re-unification policy; ?France is an excellent example of management of a strong ?entralised regional policy?but it is also the country in Europe where the inter-regional gaps are the less important, if we exclude the m?ropole Paris;. ?Italy? failure in addressing internal regional gaps between the two mayor historical areas: the Southern vis-?vis the Northern regions, instead of the wealthy ?hird Italy? ?Ireland, very successful case: however many specificities make the economic results strongly related to those socio-economic and size peculiarities. Some final considerations will be focused on possible tentative directions that could result useful for China addressing increasing regional disparities, that might treat its growth potential and stability in the future.