Market access and human capital accumulation: the European Union case

Abstract

This study evaluates the role that market access plays in determining the spatial distribution of educational attainment levels among EU regions. Evidence is provided showing that in the EU educational attainment levels are higher in those regions with greater market access. This finding proves that remoteness is a penalty for the economic development and convergence of the European Union regions.

Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support from The Regional Government of Galicia-Xunta de Galicia- from the Programa de Promocion Xeral da Investigacion (Project Reference: PGIDIT 05 PXIB10001PR).