EU Cohesion policy: some fundamental questions

Publishing date: 31 May 2009
Authors: Indhira Santos

Indhira Santos analyses the impact of the European Union‘s cohesion policy both in terms of economic efficiency and redistribution to needy areas of the EU. She illustrates with data the confusion created by the multiple objectives of current EU cohesion policy and by the political horse-trading over levels of aid granted to different member states and regions. Finally, sh shows how a significant part of EU structural funds involves ine net economic terms simply transferring funds between individuals within one and the same region.

About the authors

Indhira Santos

Indhira Santos was Research Fellow at Bruegel in June 2007 until July 2009, when she left to join the World Bank. She holds a PhD in Public Policy from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University with a specialisation in economic development and public economics.

She was born and raised in the Dominican Republic where she studied economics as an undergraduate. She was Chief Researcher at the Economic research center of PUCMM University and worked for the Ministry of Finance. She has also worked for the central Bank of Turkey.

Indhira's research interests are development microeconomics, public economics and organisational analysis.

She coordinated Bruegel‘s project on the EU budget.

She is fluent in Spanish and English.