ASSESSMENT OF THE INTENSITY AND ACTIVITY OF USE OF EU FUNDS IN ZEMGALE REGION

The research aim is to examine and assess the intensity and effectiveness of investment from the EU Structural Funds and the Cohesion Fund in Latvia as a whole as well as in Zemgale region municipalities. The research compared and assessed the intensity of investment of EU funds per capita in Latvia and CEE countries in the period 2007-2016 and identified the effect on GDP growth. To assess the attraction of EU structural and cohesion funding in Latvia, the following specific research tasks were set: to summarise and systemise information on changes in the absorption of EU funding in Latvia, including that for the development of Zemgale region municipalities in the period 2007-2015, to analyse the amount and intensity of absorption of EU structural and cohesion funding; to perform a quantitative assessment of the effect of EU funding on the development of Zemgale region municipalities in the period 2007-2015; to analyse the results of EU co-funded projects implemented in Zemgale region and the intensity of absorption of EU funding by priority and by activity as well as if measured per capita.