CPS seminar: Understanding Cohesion: Pathways to Regional Development and EU Identity Building in Eastern Europe

The Cohesion Policy is the most important source of EU investment for the development of the least advantaged regions. Since accesion, East European states have been major benefiaries of EU’s structural funds in areas as diverse as: infrastructure, regional development, education, social inclusion or employment. But has the EU financial help through the Cohesion Policy contributed to an improved perception of the EU amogst citizens? Did the Cohesion Policy contribute to the creation of an EU identity? And how does the communication of the Cohesion Policy impact these outcomes? In this presentation some preliminary findings of the project were discussed, focusing especially on the third question – how the Cohesion policy is communicated in the case of three East European countries: Hungary, Slovenia, and Romania.