EU Structural Funds: How Regional Growth and Modified Rules Affect the Funding Landscape

Since the beginning of the financial crisis in 2008/2009, regional differences in economic power in the European Union (EU) have barely changed overall. On closer inspection, about half of the 242 European NUTS 2 regions moved away from the EU's actual convergence target due to heterogeneous regional growth. This is one reason for the changed funding landscape in the EU funding period 2021-2027, which is now starting. Another reason is the new distinction of the transition regions from the more developed regions of the EU.