Ushakova Z. Refional policy of Italy in the contex of European regionalism processes.

The thesis is concerned with the analysis of regional policy of Italy within the framework of European regionalism processes. The aim of EU Regional Policy is to intervene effectively in regions that "lag behind" in economic terms and to finance development programmes through the allocation of Structural Funds which operate in accordance with the principles of subsidiarity, additionality and partnership. This policy should allow regions to converge with EU averages in terms of income and employment. Italy provides very good examples within the EU as a whole, of significant economic disparities between regions that still appear to be present. The author argues and provides substantial evidence of the fact that the persistence of such disparities is mainly due to inefficient administrative and institutional capacity at the regional level. Although some regions have brought themselves towards the average, in Italy, there is evidence that certain administrative, institutional and implementation problems have tended to appear, hampering the opportunities of regions to converge in the required way. Because of this, regional economic convergence and thereby socio-economic cohesion are still beyond reach. The special place in the work was given to the institutional structure of regional policy in Italy and EU. It proposes the recommendations about the most appropriative structure of regional development management system.