Acta Universitatis Danubius. Œconomica, Vol 9, No 4 (2013)

Abstract

Nowadays, we talk about economic crisis, financial crisis, political crisis, Eurozone’ crisis and the criticisms on 2007-2013 EU cohesion policy is facing makes me wonder if it isn’t about a crisis of European integration? The economic booms of 1993-2007 as well as the recession started by the end of 2008 have fallen unequally across EU population, regions and cities, increasing spatial economic inequality. This is because regions differ with respect to their local economic activity, employment opportunities, social and cultural infrastructure, public services, governance structure, environmental quality and so on. Therefore, EU cohesion policy must not be concerned only with reduction of regional inequalities of prosperity across Europe, but also with the construction of a European regional identity, with the aim to promote regional development in a globalized world. Through this paper I want to explore the question of whether there is a path not to lose our European sense in these tormentors’ times. This is because the EU anti-crisis marathon started and there are already many debates regarding the Multiannual Financial Framework for the EU Budget 2014-2020 and which instruments must be developed in order to maintain the accent of cohesion policy over the delivery of the Europe 2020 objectives.