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The Effect on Foreign Direct Investment of Membership in the European Union

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  • Randolph Luca Bruno
  • Nauro Ferreira Campos
  • Saul Estrin

Abstract

This article explores the impact of EU membership on foreign direct investment (FDI). It analyses empirically how the effects of such deep integration differ from other forms and investigates what drives these effects. Using a structural gravity framework on annual bilateral FDI data for almost every country in the world from 1985 to 2018, we find EU membership leads to about 60 per cent higher FDI investment into the host economy from outside the EU, and around 50 per cent higher intra‐EU FDI. Moreover, we find that the effect of EU membership on FDI is larger than from membership of the North American Free Trade Agreement, the European Free Trade Association and the Southern Common Market, and that the single market is the cornerstone of this differential impact.

Suggested Citation

  • Randolph Luca Bruno & Nauro Ferreira Campos & Saul Estrin, 2021. "The Effect on Foreign Direct Investment of Membership in the European Union," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 59(4), pages 802-821, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:jcmkts:v:59:y:2021:i:4:p:802-821
    DOI: 10.1111/jcms.13131
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    2. Magdolna Sass, 2024. "20 years in the European Union, Foreign direct investments and the process of integration," IWE Working Papers 277, Institute for World Economics - Centre for Economic and Regional Studies.
    3. Alexandra Horobet & Oana Cristina Popovici & Emanuela Zlatea & Lucian Belascu & Dan Gabriel Dumitrescu & Stefania Cristina Curea, 2021. "Long-Run Dynamics of Gas Emissions, Economic Growth, and Low-Carbon Energy in the European Union: The Fostering Effect of FDI and Trade," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(10), pages 1-30, May.
    4. Felbermayr, Gabriel & Gröschl, Jasmin & Heiland, Inga, 2022. "Complex Europe: Quantifying the cost of disintegration," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 138(C).
    5. Mariam Camarero & Sergi Moliner & Cecilio Tamarit, 2022. "Which are the long-run determinants of US outward FDI? Evidence using large long-memory panels," Working Papers 2210, Department of Applied Economics II, Universidad de Valencia.
    6. Bettina Meinhart, "undated". "How EU membership affects foreign direct investment: Differences between EU15 and CEE countries," FIW Working Paper series 197, FIW.
    7. Mariam Camarero & Sergi Moliner & Cecilio Tamarit, 2022. "A fresh assessment of the euro effect on outward US FDI," Working Papers 2209, Department of Applied Economics II, Universidad de Valencia.
    8. Alfred A. Haug & Anh T. N. Nguyen & P. Dorian Owen, 2023. "Do the determinants of foreign direct investment have a reverse and symmetric impact on foreign direct divestment?," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 64(2), pages 659-680, February.
    9. Emily Blanchard & Amelia U. Santos-Paulino & Claudia Trentini & Emanuel Milet, . "Implications of rising trade tensions for FDI projects," UNCTAD Transnational Corporations Journal, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development.
    10. Siedschlag, Iulia & Yan, Weijie, 2021. "Enhancing the attractiveness of the all-island economy to high-value sectors," Research Series, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), number RS133.
    11. Michele Imbruno, & Rosanna Pittiglio, & Filippo Reganati,, 2024. "How do foreign-owned suppliers affect economic performance? Evidence from Italian manufacturing firms," International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 178(C).
    12. Jean-François Hennart & Dylan Sutherland, 2022. "International business research: The real challenges are data and theory," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 53(9), pages 2068-2087, December.

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    • G3 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance

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