Economic convergence and divergence in Europe: Growth and regional development in an enlarged European Union

Book abstract:

This book takes on the issues of economic integration and divergence throughout the EU (European Union) in all their intricacy. It situates the problems in their historical and contemporary contexts, as well as dealing with the difficult situation in Eastern Europe and Russia. The development of convergence or accession is investigated at both the level of individual countries and at those countries' regional levels.

Divided into seven governing parts, each containing several pieces of work from different contributors, the book begins with an 'introductory session'. This negotiates the problems of past convergence within Europe, monetary unification and the single market. Part two consists of analyses of the influence of European convergence on growth, regional convergence in Spain (from the mid-sixties to the mid-nineties), the re-organisation of industrial areas, and economic re-unification in Germany. In part three, on the achievements of accession countries, there are discussions of developments in ten candidate countries, the restructuring of companies in Eastern Europe, regional problems within accession countries and the status quo between the EU and candidate countries. Part four consists of explorations of, for example, real and nominal convergence, the question of early EMU participation for Hungary, and the cases of Slovakia and Estonia, part five looks at how the financial sector impacts on real growth in the EU, and part six turns to Russia and the Ukraine, with further discussions of the Balkans. Part seven closes the work with investigations into how an enlarged EU can cultivate greater economic integration in the future.

The book is intended for researcher and economists, especially those concerned with the problem of integration.