The Intensity of Interregional Cooperation in Information and Communication Technology Projects: An Empirical Analysis of the Framework Programme

The cohesion across European member states and regions has been constantly promoted by European Union science policy, particularly through the Framework Programme. This paper investigates the intensity of bilateral collaborations between European Union regions (at the NUTS-2 level) in information and communication technology (ICT)-related projects. Results show that the geographical distance reduces the strength of cooperation, while cultural proximity, individual regions’ involvement in research collaborations and the strength of the ICT sector have a positive effect. Cooperation between regions belonging to different tiers of European Union member states (EU15 and EU27) and between regions belonging to the second tier of European Union member states (EU27 and EU27) is weaker than other bilateral ties, putting into question the ability of the Framework Programme to promote cohesion.