ESPON 2013 Programme Internal Seminar Territorial Evidence for

ESPON 2013 Programme Internal Seminar Territorial Evidence for Cohesion Policy 2014 -2020 and Territorial Agenda 2020 4 December 2013 Vilnius 8 th Progress Report: The urban and regional dimension of the crisis Eric von Breska, Head of Economic Analysis Unit, DG Regional and Urban Policy Regional & Urban Policy

Impact of the recession 2007 -2011 Regional & Urban Policy

Change in employment and GVA Regional & Urban Policy

Unemployment increases Regional & Urban Policy

Reversing convergence Regional & Urban Policy

More young people without a job or in training or education Regional & Urban Policy

Growing poverty and exclusion Regional & Urban Policy

Regional & Urban Policy

Public deficit (as % of EU GDP) at national level, EU-27, 2000 -2012 Source: Eurostat Regional & Urban Policy

Public investment at sub-national levels, EU-27, 1997 -2012 (% of EU GDP) Around 60% of total public investment in the EU-27 is carried out by sub-national authorities Source: Eurostat Regional & Urban Policy

In short…. • Impact of the crisis is uneven and unfinished • Trade and FDI are recovering, but unemployment remains high • Risk of poverty and exclusion is growing • Government finances including of sub-national authorities have deteriorated Regional & Urban Policy

Implications for cohesion policy • Important role of cohesion policy in supporting growth enhancing investments in Member States (3 rd pillar of EU's economic policy triangle) • Focus cohesion investments on key sectors for growth, employment and competitiveness • Need to increase value for money through a stronger focus on performance and results Regional & Urban Policy

Implications for ESPON 1. Focus • Research on fields linked to thematic objectives of cohesion policy which cover key aspects of Europe 2020 strategy. • Projects should identify how they will contribute to improve policy actions aiming at enhancing sustainable growth, employment and competitiveness in the EU. Regional & Urban Policy

Implications for ESPON 2. Support policy design, monitoring and evaluation of results • Help stakeholders to improve the design, implementation and/or evaluation of their actions. • Provide swift response to requests from policy makers at the European, national and regional level. • Produce short papers facilitating the use of research results in policy making. Regional & Urban Policy

Implications for ESPON 3. Enhance and reinforce ESPON • Alignment of research with policy agenda: Ø Improve interactions between scientists and policy makers Ø Enhance steering of research projects • Strengthen in-house expertise • Faster and more efficient procedures Regional & Urban Policy