Globalisation and competitivity of the late developing European areas - the case of Sicily

...the objectives of the single European regions for the next cycle of planning 2007-2013 are without a doubt orientated towards full respect of the Community Strategic Orientations on the subject of cohesion ... It is necessary, however, to reflect upon the efficaciousness of the action of structural funds on the whole European territory, in that if on the one hand it is true that during the past economic- financial planning cycles some European regions have benefited from specific funds and actions aimed at reducing the gap between them and other regions, on the other hand it can be seen that the efficaciousness and efficiency of spending has not been guided by the attainment of a common objective and shared as part of precise development strategy. On the contrary, most times the Administrations have been guided by the attainment of an objective linked to overall spending, or to expenditure in relation to the financial resources employed, thus not contributing to generating the primary conditions for the economic development of a territory.