Alignment or Divergence? Meeting the Outermost Regions' Specific Needs through EU Regional Development Policies
Author
Nikolajsen, Mads Bylov
Term
4. semester
Education
Publication year
2025
Submitted on
2025-01-31
Pages
53
Abstract
The European Union’s Outermost Regions are EU territories located far from mainland Europe and recognised in the EU Treaties (TFEU, Article 349). Because of distance and historical dependencies, they face distinctive economic, social, environmental, and infrastructure challenges. This thesis examines whether EU regional development policies match these regions’ specific needs. The study reviews European Parliament resolutions, European Commission communications, and how two major funds—the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+)—are put into practice. It uses a neoliberal lens, meaning it looks at how policies prioritise open markets, competition, and structural reforms. Findings show that EU strategies often stress economic liberalisation and competitiveness. In the Outermost Regions, however, implementation frequently requires exemptions and targeted financial measures to address local disparities. This exposes tensions between the EU’s broad aims—such as market integration and trade—and the regions’ urgent needs for economic diversification, better infrastructure, and social sustainability. By critically assessing policy design and delivery, the thesis contributes to the debate on regional cohesion (reducing disparities between EU regions), questioning whether current approaches build long-term resilience or maintain structural dependencies. It concludes that more tailored, inclusive, and place-specific policies are needed to connect EU economic objectives with the social, economic, and environmental realities of the Outermost Regions.
De yderste regioner er EU-områder, der ligger langt fra det europæiske fastland og er anerkendt i EU-traktaten (TEUF, art. 349). På grund af afstand og historiske afhængigheder står de over for særlige økonomiske, sociale, miljømæssige og infrastrukturelle udfordringer. Dette speciale undersøger, om EU’s regionale udviklingspolitik svarer til disse regioners konkrete behov. Analysen gennemgår Europa-Parlamentets beslutninger, Europa-Kommissionens meddelelser og, hvordan to centrale fonde – Den Europæiske Fond for Regionaludvikling (EFRU) og Den Europæiske Socialfond Plus (ESF+) – omsættes til praksis. Undersøgelsen anvender et neoliberalt perspektiv, dvs. ser på, hvordan politikker vægter frie markeder, konkurrence og strukturelle reformer. Resultatet viser, at EU’s strategier ofte betoner økonomisk liberalisering og konkurrenceevne. I de yderste regioner kræver gennemførelsen dog ofte undtagelser og målrettede finansielle indsatser for at afbøde lokale skævheder. Det afslører spændinger mellem EU’s overordnede mål – som markedsintegration og handel – og regionernes akutte behov for økonomisk diversificering, bedre infrastruktur og social bæredygtighed. Specialet bidrager til debatten om regional samhørighed (at mindske forskelle mellem EU-regioner) ved kritisk at vurdere, om de nuværende tilgange opbygger langsigtet modstandskraft eller fastholder strukturelle afhængigheder. Konklusionen peger på behovet for mere skræddersyede, inkluderende og stedsspecifikke politikker, der bedre forbinder EU’s økonomiske mål med de yderste regioners sociale, økonomiske og miljømæssige realiteter.
[This apstract has been rewritten with the help of AI based on the project's original abstract]
Keywords