Regional development agencies in the European Union and applicability in Turkey: An evaluation of Serhat Development Agency

The EU, whose foundations were laid in 1957, expanded by taking important steps on the basis of socio-economic and political integration throughout the continent and today it has become a large union with 28 members. In the EU, which has undergone six enlargement processes, the difference in the level of development between the regions that become evident in the community with each enlargement wave has been tried to be coordinated by the Community in economic, social and physical terms, and it has become necessary to reduce the differences for a balanced development based on sustainable global competition. The understanding of regional development requires maximum benefit from existing natural, economic and technological resources. The regional development agencies established to meet this requirement, taking into account the problems and potential of the region, to create new investments to ensure the long-term development of the region, to provide all kinds of financial assistance and support, as well as to enable developments and innovations in the social field and to improve the business efficiency and competitiveness of the region within the Community. It aims to achieve harmony and solidarity. In the study, the historical development, reasons, goals, principles and procedures of regional policy implementation throughout the EU, and the hierarchical structure of the regional classification system used in the Union's regional policy implementation were discussed; Structural funds within the scope of the basic financial instruments of the European Union regional policy and the institutions that play a role in the European Union regional policy were evaluated. The establishment of Regional Development Agencies in Turkey is based on the year 2006, the legal basis has been created. In our study, after examining the structure of regional development agencies actively working in 26 regions today, in the first part of our study, the studies carried out by Serhat Development Agency, which is effective in the Eastern Anatolia region, are examined in the third part and how they contribute to the socio-economic development of the region is evaluated. In the second part of our evaluations, a framework regarding the European Union Regional Policies; The European Union regional policies and the development agencies that ensure the implementation of these regional policies have been established by examining the UK, Spain, Germany, Austria France, Italy, Poland and the Czech Republic.