Bridging Gaps: EU Cohesion Policy 2014-2020 - Creating a better life for Europeans

Creating a better life for Europeans

The European Union’s Cohesion Policy is vital in reducing economic and social disparities and promoting harmonious development across the continent. The policy, implemented together with the EU countries and regions, gives active, timely support for employment, entrepreneurship, research & development, infrastructure, environment, human capital and much more in line with objectives of smart, sustainable, and inclusive growth. The title of the publication, Bridging Gaps, refers to exactly that: it is through Cohesion Policy that regions can address their needs and capitalise their advantages for everyone’s benefit.  

In 2014-2020, the EU invested €405 billion into European economies and societies (an estimated total of €551 billion with national contributions) through Cohesion Policy. While Cohesion Policy is delivered through three funds: European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), European Social Fund (ESF), and Cohesion Fund (CF), this publication focuses mainly on the results enabled by the ERDF and CF, as well as the instruments that are deployed through these funds.

This publication offers a deep dive into the policy, its objectives, and most importantly in the results of the 2014-2020 funding period. While there are thousands of local projects worth showcasing, the pages of this publication showcase a limited number of them in the hope these will convey the essence of the impact achieved over the years – regionally, nationally and Europe wide.