The uneven regional distribution of projects funded by the EU Framework Programmes

The Framework Programmes (FPs) represent one key supply-side instrument in the innovation policy mix implemented directly by the European Union (EU). Since its final goal is fostering innovation and competitiveness, it is advisable to analyze the spatial distribution of this instrument across EU reg...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Pedro Varela-Vázquez, Manuel González-López, María del Carmen Sánchez-Carreira
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Cognitione Foundation for the Dissemination of Knowledge and Science 2019-01-01
Series:Journal of Entrepreneurship, Management and Innovation
Subjects:
Online Access:http://jemi.edu.pl/uploadedFiles/file/all-issues/vol15/issue3/JEMI_Vol15_Issue3_2019_Article2.pdf
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850032781685424128
author Pedro Varela-Vázquez
Manuel González-López
María del Carmen Sánchez-Carreira
author_facet Pedro Varela-Vázquez
Manuel González-López
María del Carmen Sánchez-Carreira
author_sort Pedro Varela-Vázquez
collection DOAJ
description The Framework Programmes (FPs) represent one key supply-side instrument in the innovation policy mix implemented directly by the European Union (EU). Since its final goal is fostering innovation and competitiveness, it is advisable to analyze the spatial distribution of this instrument across EU regions. The main aim of this paper is to analyze the regional allocation of the coordination and participation in projects under the 6th and the 7th FPs, as well as the distribution of funds from Horizon 2020 (the 8th FP). For this purpose, a comprehensive database regionalized at NUTS 2 level was elaborated based on the data supplied by CORDIS and the Smart Specialisation Platform. Moreover, in order to tackle the relationship between FPs and regional development, NUTS 2 regions were classified into three groups: less developed regions, middle-income regions and developed regions. Our empirical evidence underlines different trends in this tool of the innovation policy mix. The general trend points to a positive correlation between the level of development and the capacity to attract FPs projects and funds. Therefore, FPs might contribute to reinforcing pre-existing innovation hubs and long-term growth disparities. Thus, coordination and participation in projects, as well as the funds allocated in the FPs are heavily concentrated in the developed regions. Middle-income regions attract more projects on average than less develop regions, although the disparities among them are not particularly high. Concerning less developed regions, there are two different groups of regions. One of them is characterized by a remarkable number of project coordinations that attract funds, even higher than some middle-income regions; while the other group shows a low number of coordinations or participations in projects. Comparing the 6th and the 7th FPs, we observe a slight reduction of the disparities, particularly due to the higher participation of regions from Spain, Portugal and Italy, which were among the hardest hit by the economic recession in Europe. This trend could be explained by the need to compensate the reduction of regional and national funds by means of being more active in capturing EU funds.
format Article
id doaj-art-771c16cda85f4d4b948aeb62eeff25b3
institution DOAJ
issn 2299-7326
language English
publishDate 2019-01-01
publisher Cognitione Foundation for the Dissemination of Knowledge and Science
record_format Article
series Journal of Entrepreneurship, Management and Innovation
spelling doaj-art-771c16cda85f4d4b948aeb62eeff25b32025-08-20T02:58:30ZengCognitione Foundation for the Dissemination of Knowledge and ScienceJournal of Entrepreneurship, Management and Innovation2299-73262019-01-01153457210.7341/20191532The uneven regional distribution of projects funded by the EU Framework ProgrammesPedro Varela-Vázquez0Manuel González-López1María del Carmen Sánchez-Carreira Ph.D., Lecturer at the Department of Business Management and ICEDE Research Group. Faculty of Economics and Business. Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Avenida do Burgo s/n, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, Spain Ph.D., Assistant Professor at the Department of Applied Economics and ICEDE Research Group. Faculty of Economics and Business. Universidade de Santiago de Compostela. Avenida do Burgo s/n, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, Spain The Framework Programmes (FPs) represent one key supply-side instrument in the innovation policy mix implemented directly by the European Union (EU). Since its final goal is fostering innovation and competitiveness, it is advisable to analyze the spatial distribution of this instrument across EU regions. The main aim of this paper is to analyze the regional allocation of the coordination and participation in projects under the 6th and the 7th FPs, as well as the distribution of funds from Horizon 2020 (the 8th FP). For this purpose, a comprehensive database regionalized at NUTS 2 level was elaborated based on the data supplied by CORDIS and the Smart Specialisation Platform. Moreover, in order to tackle the relationship between FPs and regional development, NUTS 2 regions were classified into three groups: less developed regions, middle-income regions and developed regions. Our empirical evidence underlines different trends in this tool of the innovation policy mix. The general trend points to a positive correlation between the level of development and the capacity to attract FPs projects and funds. Therefore, FPs might contribute to reinforcing pre-existing innovation hubs and long-term growth disparities. Thus, coordination and participation in projects, as well as the funds allocated in the FPs are heavily concentrated in the developed regions. Middle-income regions attract more projects on average than less develop regions, although the disparities among them are not particularly high. Concerning less developed regions, there are two different groups of regions. One of them is characterized by a remarkable number of project coordinations that attract funds, even higher than some middle-income regions; while the other group shows a low number of coordinations or participations in projects. Comparing the 6th and the 7th FPs, we observe a slight reduction of the disparities, particularly due to the higher participation of regions from Spain, Portugal and Italy, which were among the hardest hit by the economic recession in Europe. This trend could be explained by the need to compensate the reduction of regional and national funds by means of being more active in capturing EU funds.http://jemi.edu.pl/uploadedFiles/file/all-issues/vol15/issue3/JEMI_Vol15_Issue3_2019_Article2.pdfFramework Programmesinnovation policiescohesion policyregional developmentless developed regions
spellingShingle Pedro Varela-Vázquez
Manuel González-López
María del Carmen Sánchez-Carreira
The uneven regional distribution of projects funded by the EU Framework Programmes
Journal of Entrepreneurship, Management and Innovation
Framework Programmes
innovation policies
cohesion policy
regional development
less developed regions
title The uneven regional distribution of projects funded by the EU Framework Programmes
title_full The uneven regional distribution of projects funded by the EU Framework Programmes
title_fullStr The uneven regional distribution of projects funded by the EU Framework Programmes
title_full_unstemmed The uneven regional distribution of projects funded by the EU Framework Programmes
title_short The uneven regional distribution of projects funded by the EU Framework Programmes
title_sort uneven regional distribution of projects funded by the eu framework programmes
topic Framework Programmes
innovation policies
cohesion policy
regional development
less developed regions
url http://jemi.edu.pl/uploadedFiles/file/all-issues/vol15/issue3/JEMI_Vol15_Issue3_2019_Article2.pdf
work_keys_str_mv AT pedrovarelavazquez theunevenregionaldistributionofprojectsfundedbytheeuframeworkprogrammes
AT manuelgonzalezlopez theunevenregionaldistributionofprojectsfundedbytheeuframeworkprogrammes
AT mariadelcarmensanchezcarreira theunevenregionaldistributionofprojectsfundedbytheeuframeworkprogrammes
AT pedrovarelavazquez unevenregionaldistributionofprojectsfundedbytheeuframeworkprogrammes
AT manuelgonzalezlopez unevenregionaldistributionofprojectsfundedbytheeuframeworkprogrammes
AT mariadelcarmensanchezcarreira unevenregionaldistributionofprojectsfundedbytheeuframeworkprogrammes