Coordinative Europeanization as a response to crisis: what lessons from the RRF for future EU cohesion policy?

Abstract A considerable amount of literature has been devoted to analysing the genesis, rationale and modus operandi of the NGEU and RRF. However, not much attention has been paid to the practical implications of the RRF, and potential lesson-drawing, for established EU policies. EU cohesion policy is particularly salient in this respect, given the RRF’s general objective of contributing to economic, social and territorial cohesion and the current discussions about the RRF serving as a model for future cohesion policy, to improve the policy’s effectiveness, rationalise spending in view of future enlargements and better tie EU funding with reforms. Starting with a comparison between the delivery arrangements of EU cohesion policy and of the RRF, the study identifies and tests four expectations about their timing and absorption, possible displacement effects, administrative burden, and the impacts to be achieved, and tackles the following research questions: is it realistic to expect the RRF and cohesion policy to work synergistically, given the diversity in their delivery arrangements? Is the RRF proving sufficiently effective and simple, to represent a good model for future EU cohesion policy? Could the coordinative Europeanization that is typical of the RRF be a viable decision-making and implementation mode beyond emergency?