The EU cohesion policy is considered one of the most important policies implemented and financed through the EU common budget, as about a third of the EU budget is allocated to funds that are instruments of that policy. The goal of the EU regional policy is to reduce development disparities between EU regions by co-financing development projects. Given that the less developed regions benefit the most from this policy, it is extremely important for Croatia because it directly affects the country's economic and social development and helps it converge towards the EU average. Considering the above, this paper seeks to contribute to the scientific discourse on the use of regional policy funds by examining the topic beyond temporal boundaries of programming periods and by proposing an institutional framework model for the management of the EU regional policy instruments in Croatia. To empirically determine the key institutional factors in the absorption of EU funds, the paper considers the existing EU fund management systems of selected EU countries. Through scientific research and comparative analysis of management systems in nine Central and Eastern European countries and drawing on the experience of the Croatian system and its functioning, an optimal model for the management of the EU regional policy funds at the national level was formulated. The proposed model should improve strategic decision making by the executive branch and help Croatia make the best possible use of EU regional policy funding, which should in turn reflect positively on economic growth.
The EU cohesion policy is considered one of the most important policies implemented and financed through the EU common budget, as about a third of the EU budget is allocated to funds that are instruments of that policy. The goal of the EU regional policy is to reduce development disparities between EU regions by co-financing development projects. Given that the less developed regions benefit the most from this policy, it is extremely important for Croatia because it directly affects the country's economic and social development and helps it converge towards the EU average. Considering the above, this paper seeks to contribute to the scientific discourse on the use of regional policy funds by examining the topic beyond temporal boundaries of programming periods and by proposing an institutional framework model for the management of the EU regional policy instruments in Croatia. . To empirically determine the key institutional factors in the absorption of EU funds, the paper considers the existing EU fund management systems of selected EU countries. Through scientific research and comparative analysis of management systems in nine Central and Eastern European countries and drawing on the experience of the Croatian system and its functioning, an optimal model for the management of the EU regional policy funds at the national level was formulated. The proposed model should improve strategic decision making by the executive branch and help Croatia make the best possible use of EU regional policy funding, which should in turn reflect positively on economic growth.
Način funkcioniranja i prilagodba nacionalnog sustava upravljanja i provedbe instrumenata kohezijske (u nastavku: regionalne) politike Europske unije (u nastavku: EU) te, posljedično, učinkovitost toga sustava, ima presudan utjecaj na dinamiku i svrsishodnost povlačenja sredstava fondova regionalne politike EU. Uzimajući u obzir aktualnost te teme uslijed završetka proračunskog razdoblja EU, 2014. - 2020. i perspektivu novog proračunskog razdoblja EU (2021. - 2027.), doktorska disertacija izdiže se iznad vremenskih ograničenja proračunskih razdoblja jer analizira problematiku korištenja sredstava regionalne politike EU u kontekstu znanstvenog doprinosa predlaganju modela institucionalnog okruženja sustava upravljanja instrumentima (fondovima) regionalne politike EU u Hrvatskoj. U tom kontekstu, jedan od najvećih problema i izazova je činjenica da je Hrvatska zadnja država koja je postala članica EU te istovremeno i jedina koja koristi fondove regionalne politike EU samo jednu proračunsku perspektivu. Stoga je i dodatni izazov prikupiti dostatne empirijske i ekonometrijske spoznaje o funkcioniranju sustava upravljanja fondovima regionalne politike u odabranim državama EU, a da bi zaključci bili primjenjivi na Hrvatsku. Posebna pozornost posvećena je prikazu sustava upravljanja fondovima regionalne politike EU u državama sličnih usporednih karakteristika kao i Hrvatska, putem empirijskih spoznaja i zakonitosti, suvremenih pristupa i teorija koje pridonose rješavanju aktualnih, kompleksnih, teorijskih i praktičnih problema, a koji do sada nisu dovoljno istraženi niti prisutni u nacionalnom istraživačkom području. Rezultati organizacijske analize te analize učinkovitosti sustava upravljanja fondovima EU u odabranim državama u fokusu je istraživanja provedenog u okviru ove doktorske disertacije. Znanstveno istraživanje temelj je za davanje smjernica pri definiranju optimalnog modela sustava upravljanja fondovima regionalne politike EU u Hrvatskoj koji, do trenutka izrade doktorske disertacije, zbog svoje nedovoljne učinkovitosti, kompleksnosti sustava donošenja odluka i svojevrsne "isprepletenosti" institucija u procesu pripreme i implementacije, negativno utječe na maksimiziranje iskorištavanja sredstava fondova regionalne politike EU. Kako bi se iz postojećih sustava upravljanja odabranih država EU empirijski mogli utvrditi ključni institucionalni čimbenici apsorpcije fondova EU, uzimaju se u obzir postojeći sustavi upravljanja. Znanstvenim istraživanjem i komparativnom analizom sustava upravljanja fondovima regionalne politike EU u devet država središnje i istočne Europe te iskustvima funkcioniranja hrvatskog sustava, nastoji se formulirati optimalni okvir nacionalnog sustava upravljanja fondovima regionalne politike EU koji bi mogao omogućiti donošenje kvalitetnijih strateških odluka izvršnoj vlasti kako bi se isti, u što je moguće većoj mjeri, odrazio na gospodarski rast putem učinkovitosti korištenja sredstava fondova regionalne politike EU. Rezultati provedene ekonometrijske analize doprinose zaključcima koji potvrđuju da su primljene bespovratne pomoći EU dovele do povećanja gospodarskog razvoja država EU. Međutim, sama alokacija sredstava pomoći nije nužno dovela do povećanja kvalitete institucionalnog okvira te konkurentnosti analiziranih zemalja. Stoga se potvrđuje važnost uspostavljanja institucionalnog okvira upravljanja fondovima EU koji, ne samo da će dovesti do povećanja apsorpcije fondova EU, nego će unaprijediti opću djelotvornost javnog sektora te konkurentnost države. Stoga je, temeljem sustavnog i sveobuhvatnog znanstvenog istraživanja u ovoj doktorskoj disertaciji, predložen i argumentiran model institucionalnog sustava za upravljanje i provedbu instrumenata (fondova) regionalne politike EU u Hrvatskoj, a primjenjiv je u kratkom i dugom roku. ; The national system of management and implementation of the European Union (hereinafter: EU) cohesion (hereinafter: regional) policy, its manner of functioning, its adjustment and, consequently, the effectiveness of this system, has a decisive influence on the dynamics and expediency of drawing from EU regional policy funds. Considering the relevance of this topic due to the end of the European budgetary period 2014-2020, and the perspective of the new budgetary period (2021-2027), this doctoral thesis rises above the time limits of budget periods because it analyses the use of EU regional policy funds in the context of scientific contribution to a draft model of the institutional framework for managing EU regional policy instruments (funds) in Croatia. In this context, one of the biggest problems and challenges is the fact that Croatia was the last to become an EU member country and at the same time the only one that uses EU regional policy funds for only one budgetary period. Therefore, it is an additional challenge to gather enough empirical and econometric knowledge about the functioning of the EU regional policy funds management system in selected EU countries, for the conclusions to apply to Croatia. Special attention was paid to the presentation of the EU regional policy funds management systems in countries with similar characteristics comparative to Croatia, through empirical knowledge and laws, modern approaches and theories that contribute to solving current, complex, theoretical and practical problems, which have not been sufficiently researched or present in the national research area. The results of the organizational and efficiency analyses of the EU funds management system in selected countries are the focus of the research conducted within this doctoral thesis. Scientific research served as the basis for providing guidelines for defining the optimal model of the EU regional policy funds management system in Croatia, which, by the time of this analysis, due to its low efficiency, the complexity of the decision-making system and a kind of "intertwining" of institutions in the process of preparation and implementation, has failed to maximize the utilization of EU regional policy funds. To be able to empirically determine the key institutional factors for the EU funds absorption from the existing management systems of selected EU countries, the existing management systems are considered. Through scientific research and comparative analysis of the EU regional funds management system in nine Central and Eastern European countries, along with the experiences of the Croatian system, this paper aims to determine an optimal framework for a national EU regional policy fund management system that would enable the executive power to adopt better strategic decisions. The abovementioned framework should, to the greatest extent possible, stimulate economic growth through the efficient use of EU regional policy funds. The results of the conducted econometric analysis contribute to the conclusions confirming that the received EU grants have led to an increase in the economic development of EU countries. However, the allocation of funds alone did not necessarily lead to an increase in the quality of the institutional environment and the competitiveness of the countries analysed. Furthermore, it is confirmed that an institutional framework for the management of EU funds should be established, which will not only increase the absorption of EU funds but will also improve the overall efficiency of the public sector and the competitiveness of the state. Therefore, this doctoral thesis, based on systematic and comprehensive scientific research, proposes and asserts a model of an institutional system for management and implementation of instruments (funds) of EU regional policy in Croatia that is applicable in the short and long term.
Način funkcioniranja i prilagodba nacionalnog sustava upravljanja i provedbe instrumenata kohezijske (u nastavku: regionalne) politike Europske unije (u nastavku: EU) te, posljedično, učinkovitost toga sustava, ima presudan utjecaj na dinamiku i svrsishodnost povlačenja sredstava fondova regionalne politike EU. Uzimajući u obzir aktualnost te teme uslijed završetka proračunskog razdoblja EU, 2014. - 2020. i perspektivu novog proračunskog razdoblja EU (2021. - 2027.), doktorska disertacija izdiže se iznad vremenskih ograničenja proračunskih razdoblja jer analizira problematiku korištenja sredstava regionalne politike EU u kontekstu znanstvenog doprinosa predlaganju modela institucionalnog okruženja sustava upravljanja instrumentima (fondovima) regionalne politike EU u Hrvatskoj. U tom kontekstu, jedan od najvećih problema i izazova je činjenica da je Hrvatska zadnja država koja je postala članica EU te istovremeno i jedina koja koristi fondove regionalne politike EU samo jednu proračunsku perspektivu. Stoga je i dodatni izazov prikupiti dostatne empirijske i ekonometrijske spoznaje o funkcioniranju sustava upravljanja fondovima regionalne politike u odabranim državama EU, a da bi zaključci bili primjenjivi na Hrvatsku. Posebna pozornost posvećena je prikazu sustava upravljanja fondovima regionalne politike EU u državama sličnih usporednih karakteristika kao i Hrvatska, putem empirijskih spoznaja i zakonitosti, suvremenih pristupa i teorija koje pridonose rješavanju aktualnih, kompleksnih, teorijskih i praktičnih problema, a koji do sada nisu dovoljno istraženi niti prisutni u nacionalnom istraživačkom području. Rezultati organizacijske analize te analize učinkovitosti sustava upravljanja fondovima EU u odabranim državama u fokusu je istraživanja provedenog u okviru ove doktorske disertacije. Znanstveno istraživanje temelj je za davanje smjernica pri definiranju optimalnog modela sustava upravljanja fondovima regionalne politike EU u Hrvatskoj koji, do trenutka izrade doktorske disertacije, zbog svoje nedovoljne ...
