Multilateral research project

The monograph “ABSORPTION CAPACITY OF EU PRE-ACCESSION PROGRAMS IN THE WESTERN BALKAN COUNTRIES” contains research papers which were created during activities of the EU supported Project realization. The collected research papers analyze and present different aspects of the EU financial funds creation, allocation, and use within practical implementation of the EU Cohesion Policy. The research results presented in the book, range from analyzing the formal and implementation specifics of the Cohesion Policy in the EU members states and extend to critical assessments of the economic results reached following the Policy implementation. The specific Project focus was on absorption realization and problems related in the area of the South East European Countries (SEECs). The conceptual and economic impacts similarities between precession and cohesion EU Funds were proven in practical terms. Within the time span of the Project realization one of the SEECs – Croatia – has successfully changed its status from the candidate country into the new EU member state. After July 2013 Croatia has become a partner in the EU Cohesion policy, while before was absorbing the pre-accession support Funds (IPA). Formalities of allocation and use, together with potentially available amounts of the EU financial resources, were obviously changed and increased by the membership. But the major objective of EU Funds absorption, in the economic terms was still focused on improving the economic - market efficiency – necessary to develop necessary level of regional and national economic cohesion.