ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the historical role of EU Cohesion policy. It summarises the findings of the empirical research conducted on the reform, including a discussion of the theoretical implications and contribution to the existing literature. The chapter reflects on the implications for policy, in particular for the 2013 reform of Cohesion policy. It explores the dynamics of Cohesion policy reform, based on a historically-grounded analysis of the origins and evolution of the policy and an in-depth case study of the reform. Employing a process-tracing methodology and drawing on elite interviews, the main objectives have been to examine how the reform was shaped and the key factors explaining the nature of the process and the final outcomes. The chapter draws together the key findings and examines the implications more generally for our understanding of policy dynamics, budgetary politics and EU integration.
