THE EUROPEAN REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT POLICY (2007-2013) IN THE FRAME OF THE CONVERGENCE

In 2005 the Council of the European Union determined the new budget framework of the regional policy for 2007-2013 periods, which focuses on the competitiveness, cohesion and growth. In this article we will concentrate on the important relation between the priorities of the European Regional Development Policy (2007-2013) and the convergence process of the European Union's new member states. According to the statement of Danuta Hübner, member of the European Commission being responsible for Regional Policy, the Union's European regional policy has the potential to turn common challenges into opportunities (Laissy A.-P., 2008). The purpose of EU cohesion policy is to promote economic and social cohesion across Europe by reducing disparities between regions and countries, and it contributes to intensifying economic growth and to the creation of more jobs in the poorer Member States and regions. Although the objectives of policy can be traced back to the Treaty of Rome in 1957, the European Regional Development Fund, which is the main structural funds policy instrument, was created only in 1975. The objectives remained to all intents and purposes a 'national' policy, financing predetermined projects in the Member States with little supranational or subnational influence (Bachtler-Mendez, 2007). If the EU does not have a commitment to reduce the disparities in income differences and living standards, the future of the integrations process would be undermined. The paper is dealing with the operation of the common regional policy. I analysed the impacts of Structural Funds and Cohesion Fund supports on development of the backward regions. It is also important to analyse the Hungarian aspects of implementation of EU rules and the content of the New Hungarian National Development Plan. In the present economic situation of the world it is relevant to examine, how it is able to reduce the disparities between the old and the new member states.