PERCEIVE. WP1. Framework for comparative analysis of the perception of Cohesion Policy and identification with the European Union at citizen level in different European countries. Task1.2. Focus group with Cohesion Policy practitioners

The data set consists of transcripts of interviews to practitioners, beneficiaries and targets of the Cohesion Policy projects in the selected case-study regions of seven different countries (Austria, Italy, Poland, Romania, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom). Interviewees are asked to provide their views and perceptions on the multilevel governance system, on the communication activities of the Operational Programmes and on the effectiveness of Cohesion Policy. The issues related to the governance schemes in the selected case-study regions were addressed in focus groups with practitioners of Cohesion Policy programmes. Between February and March 2017, eight focus groups were organised by partners of the PERCEIVE consortium with the only exception of WU Vienna who organised in-depth interviews. UNIBO, leader of the Work Package, provided a semi-structured questionnaire that was designed to explore the multilevel governance system, the communication strategies and the policy effectiveness as perceived by the practitioners. The aims of the questionnaire, in regards to governance, were to collect qualitative information about the strengths and weaknesses of the governance model adopted by each of the case-study MAs. In order to grasp the multitude and the complexity of the issues involved, invitations were sent to both internal and external members of the MAs. This assembled a panel of directors and managers from the MAs, relevant stakeholders of the CP programmes and beneficiaries. The questionnaire was designed in such a way that all participants could be able to answer to all the questions throughout the entire focus group, regardless of their affiliations, to ensure that the focus group could generate a fruitful discussion between the participants. The Austrian case is an exception because, in conformity with the confidentiality agreement based on the Austrian Data Protection Act, the transcripts of the interviews must not be made publically available, reproduced, or distributed in any way.