Cohesion or Confusion: A Policy Searching for Objectives

Cohesion is an important EU policy domain that was originally primarily about regional development, but which has since acquired wider objectives. This article examines the definition of cohesion and how cohesion policy has evolved in the EU. It then looks at the impact of cohesion policy as a process in European integration, before focusing on possible reforms of cohesion policy. Five main dimensions of reform explored are the underlying remit of the policy, whether it should be retained in richer member states and regions, the linkages between innovation and cohesion, legitimacy issues and the economic governance role of cohesion policy. The article concludes that new thinking is needed to deal with the many unresolved issues around the future of cohesion policy.