2014 – International Conference: Beyond Absorption
International Conference: Beyond “Absorption”: The Impact of EU Structural Funds on Greece (1981-2013)
Organised by the Department of Economics and the Department of Political Science and International Relations of the University of Peloponnese, the Greek Politics Specialist Group (GPSG) of the UK’s Political Studies Association (PSA), and the Hellenic University Association for European Studies (EPEES)
Athens, 19-20 September 2014
Since 1981, Greece has been a major beneficiary of EU structural funds (ERDF, ESF, CF and structural support for agriculture). For over 30 years, average EU transfers ranged from 2.4 to 3.3% of the country’s annual GDP. EU structural aid – around 22 billion euro for 2007-13 – still continues to finance thousands of projects all over the country in almost every sector of the economy – from the construction of motorways to the upgrading of human resources. The debate has often focused on the failure of the Greek government to “absorb” EU funds, instead of questioning their effectiveness for fostering growth and promoting development. Evaluations of these projects were usually confined to measuring quantifiable outputs. However, much less research has focused on the long term, non-economic and indirect impact of the structural funds. This conference aims at filling this gap.
The Department of Economics and the Department of Political Science and International Relations of the University of the Peloponnese, the Greek Politics Specialist Group (GPSG) of the UK’s Political Studies Association (PSA), and the Hellenic University Association for European Studies (EPEES) welcome papers from academics and other researchers, decision makers, bureaucrats, consultants and anyone who has been involved in the design, implementation and evaluation of EU-funded projects in Greece since its accession into the EC/EU.
