Czech regional policy. Trapped in the mode of centralisation

Abstract

This chapter analyses how regionalisation has developed as a consequence of EU conditionality in Czechia. Applying two models of hierarchical and cooperative governance, it shows that the Czech central government acted cooperatively only to a limited extent. Therefore, the access to structural funds was not followed by clear regionalisation. The EU induced cooperative forms of regional policy, but they were not developed systematically. The decentralisation was also inconsequential, as the regions’ financial autonomy remains limited. Hence, the Czech regions seek to use EU structural funds to compensate for their financial weakness. The limited performance of regional institutions boosted tendencies towards re-centralisation.