Mapping uncharted territory: research gaps in EU cohesion policy from a policy-making perspective

EU cohesion policy, the world’s largest regional development policy, aims to reduce territorial disparities and promote competitiveness across Europe’s regions. The policy has been subject to intense political debate and scholarly interest. However, a disconnect persists between academic research and policy discussions around cohesion policy funds. Academic research has yet to investigate aspects that are increasingly important in terms of policy development and implementation and have grown to become primary concerns for policy-makers and practitioners alike. The paper offers a framework aimed at best aligning the future direction of scholarly work with the discussion around cohesion funds in policy-making arenas. It identifies and explores four areas relevant for policy-making and implementation where additional empirical research is needed: (1) non-economic added values of cohesion policy, referring, amongst other things, to its insufficiently studied influence on countries' institutional quality, governance structures and domestic reforms; (2) evolving rationales, as the actual implications of the policy’s shift toward competitiveness, its expanding thematic scope, and increasing use for crisis-mitigation have not been adequately investigated to date; (3) efficiency challenges, including persistent issues related to funding absorption, administrative capacity and compliance, which require greater empirical scrutiny; and (4) policy design, as there is limited research examining how governance models, funding mechanisms and operational tools influence the effectiveness of the policy.