Distinguer les « bons » élèves des « mauvais » : l’allocation des fonds structurels européens comme différenciation à vocation gestionnaire

Abstract

Cet article analyse les critères et les mécanismes d’attribution des fonds structurels européens à l’échelon local. La Politique de cohésion communautaire, dotée d’un budget qui atteint désormais le tiers de celui de l’UE, repose en effet sur ces fonds structurels européens destinés à financer des projets menés à l’échelon local dans des domaines variés. À partir d’une enquête menée dans trois régions françaises, on cherchera ici à montrer que les porteurs de projet font l’objet d’un processus de différenciation largement basé sur des critères gestionnaires qui ne sont pas sans conséquences sur le fonctionnement interne des structures sélectionnées.

The European Investor State has no clothes. Generic promises and local weaknesses of green public subsidies in France

“…First, operators encounter challenges in allocating subsidies within the limited timeframe, especially to potential investees with fewer resources and less capacity. This situation leads to an increasing trend of non-recourse from these potential beneficiaries, as already highlighted by Vincent Lebrou in relation to ERDF funding (Lebrou, 2020). This trend is particularly evident in French overseas territories, 21 such as Guadeloupe, where communities grapple with significant debt issues and a consistent lack of technical capacities (AUTHORS, 2022).…”

“…(Former office member of Ségolène Royal, Ministry of Environment, September 24, 2021) Second, territorial administrations-either decentralized services or local authorities' administrations (e.g., from a regional council)-play a pivotal role by distributing public subsidies at the local level. Project managers and instructors, responsible for daily allocation tasks, select "suitable" projects based on the subsidy's terms of reference, as well as their local relationships, knowledge, and past experiences (Lebrou, 2020). The territorial and social dimensions of subsidy allocation become evident when examining the differences between regions.…”

“…A third group of stakeholders plays a significant role in this project-based funding model: the beneficiaries or investees. In project-based funding strategies, beneficiaries, primarily local authorities or private companies, allocate time and resources to ensure their project aligns with the subsidy’s terms of reference (AUTHORS, 2022; Breton, 2014; Büttner and Leopold, 2016; Lebrou, 2020). Moreover, beneficiaries contribute to the financing of these project-based funding strategies, as European jurisdiction restricts public subsidies to 80% of eligible expenses for local authorities and 40% for the private sector.…”