Obstacles to investments at local and regional level

Investment in the EU as a whole and in two-thirds of the Member States remains below the pre-crisis level, and at local and regional level there has been an alarming decline in public investment. The EU response is spearheaded by the Investment Plan for Europe with its main instrument being the new European Fund for Strategic Investments. With public and private investment levels in the EU still below the pre-crisis level, the persisting 'investment gap' is a key area of concern at all levels, throughout the European Union. This study considers the issues associated with easing or removing obstacles to investment at local and regional level. Its methodology relies mainly on desk research and eight case studies in identifying and removing territorial obstacles to investment in different Member States (IT, PT, UK, SE, DE, PL, SK and EE).