| Abstract: | Under EMU, the less competitive regions of the EUusuallyassumed to be peripheralhave been widely expected tolose ground, yet it is the core of the EU that, so far, hasappeared to have suffered from the advent of the euro. Thispaper looks at the processes behind regional divergence in theEU, and presents evidence on recent and prospective trends asEMU is consolidated. Bearing in mind that the imminent enlargementof the EU will radically change the political economy of theEU's efforts to assure cohesion, policy issuesare then discussed. Looking forward to the next renegotiationof the Structural Funds, it is argued that difficult decisionshave to be taken about the extent and character of EU policy.The option of an open method of coordination for cohesion policyis put forward as a means of resolving some of the hard choices. |
