A book written by Tà¶nshoff, Silke, Weida, Andreas, Marjorie Jouen et Bernard Chane-Kune published by Peter Lang Frankfurt Editions.

The necessity for regional policy-makers to find a balance between shaping and adapting to structural change is well-known. But to what extent does this apply to a European strategy with a «soft» governance process relying largely on benchmarking and peer pressure - the Lisbon Strategy for Growth and Jobs? Paradigms for an increase of competitiveness - also regional competitiveness - spelled out so often and vigorously lose their degree of assertiveness, when turning to economic theory for their foundations. The authors - economists and political scientists with practical experience in EU institutions - deal in their contributions with different issues relevant for decision-makers in modern regional policy. By doing so, it is possible to challenge the seemingly established consensus on what is feasible in the EU and what is not.

Contents: Marjorie Jouen: Endogenous Local Development versus Foreign Direct Investment Strategies: Are there alternative regional options in EU 27? - Andreas Weida: The Lisbon Strategy after its 2005 re-launch - Difficulties for regional economic concepts - Silke Tà¶nshoff: Horizon 2010: Local and Regional authorities in the strategy for Jobs and Growth - Bernard Chane-Kune: Decentralisation, decentralized cooperation and economic development - Andreas Weida: Concepts of a local business tax - an overview of criteria and argumen