This paper argues that EU structural policy administered through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the European Social Fund (ESF) had a relatively limited impact in addressing competitiveness and productivity weaknesses in the English regions due to the emphasis on supply-side policies and deficiencies within the institutional framework for governing economic development. By analysing projects supported by the ERDF and the ESF in England from 2007 to 2013, we demonstrate that funding was used to shape self-organising networks of private and public sector actors, notably local councils, to encourage the development of entrepreneurship, research and development, the creative industries, transport services, and universities and educational providers. In the absence of an overarching strategic vision, and given long-standing socio-economic and political weaknesses, the effect of EU structural funding on the English regions was nonetheless marginal at best. Our case-study highlights that England’s path-dependent and ungrounded statism combined with a neoliberal supply-side logic Structural Funds to create an empty signifier of regional development that failed to adequately respond to the structural needs of less affluent regions. Meanwhile, the post-Brexit approach to regional development, namely the levelling up agenda, represents a continuation of this empty signifier rather than a significant break with the past.

中文翻译：

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从欧盟结构基金到升级：空符号、无根据的国家主义和英国的区域政策

本文认为，通过欧洲区域发展基金 (ERDF) 和欧洲社会基金 (ESF) 管理的欧盟结构性政策在解决英国地区的竞争力和生产力弱点方面的影响相对有限，因为它强调供给侧政策和管理经济发展的体制框架内的缺陷。通过分析 2007 年至 2013 年英格兰 ERDF 和 ESF 支持的项目，我们证明资金被用于塑造私营和公共部门参与者（尤其是地方议会）的自组织网络，以鼓励创业、研究和开发的发展、创意产业、交通服务、大学和教育机构。在缺乏总体战略愿景的情况下，鉴于长期存在的社会经济和政治弱点，欧盟结构性资金对英国地区的影响充其量是微不足道的。我们的案例研究强调，英格兰的路径依赖和无根据的国家主义与新自由主义的供给侧逻辑结构基金相结合，创造了一个空洞的区域发展能指，未能充分响应较不富裕地区的结构性需求。同时，英国脱欧后的区域发展方法，即升级议程，代表了这一空洞能指的延续，而不是与过去的重大突破。我们的案例研究强调，英格兰的路径依赖和无根据的国家主义与新自由主义的供给侧逻辑结构基金相结合，创造了一个空洞的区域发展能指，未能充分响应较不富裕地区的结构性需求。同时，英国脱欧后的区域发展方法，即升级议程，代表了这一空洞能指的延续，而不是与过去的重大突破。我们的案例研究强调，英格兰的路径依赖和无根据的国家主义与新自由主义的供给侧逻辑结构基金相结合，创造了一个空洞的区域发展能指，未能充分响应较不富裕地区的结构性需求。同时，英国脱欧后的区域发展方法，即升级议程，代表了这一空洞能指的延续，而不是与过去的重大突破。