This book contributes fresh theoretical and empirical evidence on patterns of regional production structures, specialization, regional disparities, convergence and divergence processes and evaluation of cohesion policies in both current and future European Union (EU) member states in the context of increased integration. These subjects are addressed in both individual and cross-country analyses using innovative methodologies. The book is an essential reading for a large audience including researchers and policy makers working in the fields of economic integration, transition economics and regional development. The thirteen contributions brought together in this book are the result of recent research undertaken in the framework of a larger project initiated and coordinated by the Center for European Integration Studies (ZEI) of the University of Bonn on determinants of regional specialization, growth and convergence in the context of European integration. A number of these papers were presented to a conference on European integration, regional convergence, location of industrial activity and labour market adjustment initiated by the Center for European Integration Studies of the University of Bonn and organized jointly with the Center for European Studies of the University Alexandru Ioan Cuza of Iasi, Romania. We gratefully acknowledge the financial support from the European Commission Framework Programme and the Center for European Integration Studies of the University of Bonn.

Unique data sets from EU accession countries Unified theoretical framework

Klappentext

Integration, Growth and Cohesion in an Enlarged European Union

Edited by: Bradley, Petrakos, and Traistaru

This book's thirteen contributions bring together the results of recent research on determinants of regional specialization, growth, and convergence in the context of European integration. They offer fresh theoretical and empirical evidence on patterns of regional production structures, specialization, regional disparities, convergence and divergence processes, and evaluation of cohesion policies on both current and future European Union (EU) member states in the context of increased integration. These subjects are addressed in both individual and cross-country analysis using innovative methodologies. They examine structural changes and economic performance differentials across regions and countries in an enlarged EU as well as on evaluating existing policies aimed at reducing economic imbalances.

This unique empirical analysis uses data sets in particular from the EU accession countries, and it presents for the first time in a unified framework theoretical foundations and empirical results of models used in the evaluation of cohesion politics. The evaluation of cohesion policies in Ireland is used as a benchmark to compare recent evaluation experiences with models in Estonia, Hungary, and Poland.

Integration, Growth and Cohesion in an Enlarged European Union will be of particular interest to researchers and policy makers working in the fields of economic integration, transition economies, and regional development.

Inhalt
Integration, Growth and Cohesion in an Enlarged European Union: An Overview.- Integration, Growth and Inequalities.- Regional Inequalities in the European Union.- Regional Inequalities in the EU Accession Countries: Evolution and Challenges.- Total Factor Productivity and Economic Freedom - Implications for EU Enlargement.- What Determines Relative Sectoral Investment Patterns in EU Regions?.- Catching-Up Process, South-South Integration and Location of Industrial Activity.- A Historical Investigation of Regional Patterns of Specialization: The Case of Italy.- Evaluations of Cohesion Policies.- Promoting Cohesion in the Enlarged EU: Is there a Role for National Development Plans?.- HERMIN: A Macro Model Framework for the Study of Cohesion and Transition.- Macro Impact Evaluation of National Development Plans: Ireland and Estonia.- The Role of Ex-Ante Evaluation in CEE National Development Planning: A Case Study Based on Polish Administrative Experience.- Normative and Positive Problems of Regional Policies.- Fiscal Transfer Mechanisms and Asymmetric Shocks in EMU.