Redressing the Regional Deficit? Regionalisation in the Czech Republic with respect to EU Accession Cover Image

Směrem ke snižování regionálního deficitu?
Redressing the Regional Deficit? Regionalisation in the Czech Republic with respect to EU Accession

Author(s): Michael Baun, Dan Marek
Subject(s): Politics / Political Sciences
Published by: Ústav mezinárodních vztahů
Keywords: Regionalisation; decentralisation; regional policy; structural funds; EU; Czech Republic;

Summary/Abstract: EU accession had an ambiguous impact on regionalisation in the Czech Republic and the other new member states. While EU membership necessitated the creation of new regional authorities where they did not previously exist, the role of these authorities was often undermined by the centralised nature of the accession process itself. Developments since accession have created a new dynamic in the debate on regional policy and regionalisation in the Czech Republic. Most significant are the increased political importance of the new regions and changes in party’s attitudes towards regionalisation. The impact of these developments is evident in the debate on regional policy planning for 2007–2103. This article argues that despite its limited initial impact, EU accession has created the structural potential for increased regionalisation in the Czech Republic which has been actualised by the changing constellation of political forces and altered preferences of key political actors in the country.

  • Issue Year: 41/2006
  • Issue No: 1
  • Page Range: 44-57
  • Page Count: 14
  • Language: Czech