The European Union aims at economic and social cohesion. European and national structural policies allocate substantial financial means on regional and structural programmes to induce sustainable growth in regions lagging behind. Which consequences and potentials do these regional and structural measures exert on regional development? Assessment of the Structural Funds requires knowledge of the economic context of regions. This knowledge opens up new opportunities for policymakers on advanced economic policies to promote the welfare position of regions with low income and to improve labour market outcomes.

The GEFRA focuses on identifying the forces promoting regional economic growth. We provide extensive scientific knowledge on economic policy and are experts in monitoring and evaluating regional and structural interventions particularly within European Structural Funds in Objective-1 and Objective-2 regions as well as the funding within the German Joint Task "Improving regional economic structure". Highlights in evaluation are the model-based evaluation of short and long-term macroeconomic effects applying the HERMIN-model and scoring systems (i.e. Sachsen-Anhalt).