Towards cohesion at the interface between the European Union states? Cross-border asymmetry and convergence

Figures & data

Figure 1. Standard deviation of the relative asymmetry index in the period 1980–2015 in different spatial scales.

Source: Authors’ own elaboration based on the European Regional Database 2017 (European Commission – Joint Research Centre & Cambridge Econometrics, 2018).

A line graph plotting standard deviation of the relative asymmetry index (cross-border σ-convergence) in the period 1980–2015 for different groups of the EU Member States. The graph shows a significant decrease in disparities in the EU-10, EU-12 and EU-15 before 1999 and a moderate increase between 2000 and 2015, as well as a significant decrease in disparities in the EU-27 between 2004 and 2015.

Table 1. Results of the analysis of σ-convergence of the relative asymmetry index by enlargements of the EU.

Pairs (n observations)	Period	α1-coefficient	R^2
EU-10 (8)	1980–85	−1.017**	0.965
EU-10 (8)	1985–94	−0.393**	0.742
EU-10 (8)	1994–2004	0.049	0.045
EU-10 (8)	2004–15	0.168**	0.740
EU-12 (10)	1985–94	−0.468**	0.867
EU-12 (10)	1994–2004	0.039	0.037
EU-12 (10)	2004–15	0.151**	0.745
EU-15 (13)	1994–2004	−0.057	0.081
EU-15 (13)	2004–15	0.149**	0.583
EU-27 (33)	2004–15	−0.103***	0.847
EU-27 new internal borders (18)	2004–15	−0.208**	0.840
EU-27 new members (10)	2004–15	−0.219**	0.790
EU-27 old members (13)	2004–15	0.149**	0.583
EU-27 old members (13)	2004–08	0.163	0.554
EU-27 old members (13)	2008–14	0.012	0.003
EU-27 between (8)	2004–15	−0.173**	0.385

Note: *< 0.05, **< 0.01, ***< 0.001.

Source: Authors’ own elaboration based on data European Regional Database 2017 (European Commission – Joint Research Centre & Cambridge Econometrics, 2018).

Table 2. Results of the analysis of absolute β-convergence of the relative asymmetry index by enlargements of the EU.

Pairs (n observations)	Period	β-coefficient	R^2	Share negative
EU-10 (8)	1980–85	−0.110**	0.709	63%
EU-10 (8)	1985–94	−0.052**	0.560	100%
EU-10 (8)	1994–2004	−0.051	0.213	25%
EU-10 (8)	2004–15	0.019	0.106	50%
EU-12 (10)	1985–94	−0.073**	0.726	90%
EU-12 (10)	1994–2004	−0.052	0.215	30%
EU-12 (10)	2004–15	0.014	0.047	50%
EU-15 (13)	1994–2004	−0.079**	0.391	38%
EU-15 (13)	2004–15	0.019	0.066	54%
EU-27 (33)	2004–15	−0.035***	0.268	58%
EU-27 new internal borders (18)	2004–15	−0.043**	0.335	61%
EU-27 new members (10)	2004–15	−0.046	0.380	50%
EU-27 old members (13)	2004–15	0.019	0.066	54%
EU-27 old members (13)	2004–08	−0.077	0.091	31%
EU-27 old members (13)	2008–14	−0.002	0.001	85%
EU-27 between (8)	2004–15	−0.039	0.273	75%

Note: Share negative is the ratio of border regions for which the relative asymmetry index decreases. *< 0.05, **< 0.01, ***< 0.001.

Source: Authors’ own elaboration based on data European Regional Database 2017 (European Commission – Joint Research Centre & Cambridge Econometrics, 2018).

Figure 2. Asymmetry and cross-border convergence in the EU in 1980–85, 1985–94, 1994–2004 and 2004–15.

Source: Authors’ own elaboration based on European Regional Database 2017 (European Commission – Joint Research Centre & Cambridge Econometrics, 2018).

Four maps showing disparities in the level of economic development of cross-border areas in the EU in 1980–85, 1985–94, 1994–2004 and 2004–15, and the direction of changes in this regard. In 1980–85, 1985–94 and 2004–15, a significant part of cross-border areas is characterized by a reduction in disparities in the level of economic development (cross-border convergence).

Table 3. Results of the estimation of the model explaining the rate of changes in the relative asymmetry index in border regions by means of rate of changes in the analogical index at the national level.

Pairs (n observations)	Period	β-convergence coefficient	Capital asset pricing model (CAPM)-like model
			α-coefficient	β-coefficient	R^2	H0: β = 1 (p-value)
EU-10 (8)	1980–85	−0.110**	−0.405	0.807	0.293	0.719
EU-10 (8)	1985–94	−0.052**	−0.619**	0.188	0.055	0.043*
EU-10 (8)	1985–94	−0.051	0.213**	1.134***	0.866	0.491
EU-10 (8)	1994–2004	0.019	−0.010	0.170	0.103	0.007***
EU-12 (10)	1994–2004	−0.073**	−0.568**	0.259	0.044	0.121
EU-12 (10)	1994–2004	−0.052	0.110	0.947***	0.691	0.820
EU-12 (10)	2004–15	0.014	−0.016	0.184	0.095	0.004***
EU-15 (13)	2004–15	−0.079**	−0.009	0.690*	0.244	0.415
EU-15 (13)	2004–15	0.019	−0.040	0.227	0.124	0.001***
EU-27 (33)	2004–15	−0.035***	−0.036	0.641***	0.448	0.008***
EU-27 new internal borders (18)	2004–15	−0.043**	0.152	0.903***	0.581	0.620
EU-27 new members (10)	2004–15	−0.046	0.181	0.751**	0.567	0.313
EU-27 old members (13)	2004–15	0.019	−0.040	0.227	0.124	0.001
EU-27 old members (13)	2004–08	−0.077	0.207	1.196***	0.628	0.494
EU-27 old members (13)	2008–15	−0.002	−0.411**	−0.108	0.039	0.000***
EU-27 between (8)	2004–15	−0.039	0.180	1.217**	0.672	0.555

Note: *< 0.05, **< 0.01, ***< 0.001.

Source: Authors’ own elaboration based on data (European Commission – Joint Research Centre & Cambridge Econometrics, 2018).

European Commission – Joint Research Centre & Cambridge Econometrics. European Regional Database 2017. (2018). http://urban.jrc.ec.europa.eu/t-pedia/#/

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