EU Cohesion Policy and the Europeanization of Central and East European Regions

Abstract:
This article probes the extent to which politics in Central and Eastern European (CEE) regions are becoming Europeanized. Existing analyses suggest that Europeanization and regionalization in CEE have been loosely related phenomena. These claims, along with broader forecasts about the waning post-accession influence of the European Union (EU), generate predictions that the politics of the regions will be 'lightly Europeanized'. The article presents evidence to refute these predictions. It shows that EU norms, incentives and discourses are being transmitted through EU cohesion policy and becoming deeply embedded in the identities and strategies of Polish, Czech and Slovak regional officials. It further suggests that subnational actors are drawing on EU resources to reinforce their traditionally weak positions vis-a-vis their respective central states.