IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jjrfmx/v15y2022i9p384-d898715.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on EU Convergence

Author

Listed:
  • Josef Abrhám

    (Department of Tourism, Metropolitan University Prague, Dubecska 900/10, Strašnice, 100 31 Praha, Czech Republic)

  • Milan Vošta

    (Department of International Relations and European Studies, Metropolitan University Prague, Dubecska 900/10, Strašnice, 100 31 Praha, Czech Republic)

Abstract

The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic were global and led to an economic decline in most countries of the EU. The development and values of economic indicators varied from country to country and showed significant regional differences. The study evaluates the coverage of selected economic indicators in the Member States of the EU in the period 2010–2020. The analytical part is based on empirical statistical data. As a methodological procedure for testing the convergence of the EU, we compared the results of the coefficient of variation of GDP per capita in PPP and the unemployment rate. The findings of this study confirm the predicted development trends. The pandemic has reversed major convergence trends. Divergence within the EU was affected by a lower decline in GDP in the developed countries of the EU. The tendencies of social disparities in the unemployment rate were different from the development of the coefficient of variation of GDP per capita. The first year of the pandemic marked a decline in disparities between the countries of the EU. For future research, we recommend monitoring the development of convergence in the next pandemic period.

Suggested Citation

  • Josef Abrhám & Milan Vošta, 2022. "Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on EU Convergence," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-14, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jjrfmx:v:15:y:2022:i:9:p:384-:d:898715
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1911-8074/15/9/384/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1911-8074/15/9/384/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Laurent Cavenaile & David Dubois, 2011. "An empirical analysis of income convergence in the European Union," Applied Economics Letters, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 18(17), pages 1705-1708.
    2. Muggenthaler, Philip & Schroth, Joachim & Sun, Yiqiao, 2021. "The heterogeneous economic impact of the pandemic across euro area countries," Economic Bulletin Boxes, European Central Bank, vol. 5.
    3. Claudius Gräbner & Philipp Heimberger & Jakob Kapeller, 2020. "Pandemic pushes polarisation: the Corona crisis and macroeconomic divergence in the Eurozone," Economia e Politica Industriale: Journal of Industrial and Business Economics, Springer;Associazione Amici di Economia e Politica Industriale, vol. 47(3), pages 425-438, September.
    4. Patricia Vilcanqui Velazquez & Vito Bobek & Romana Korez Vide & Tatjana Horvat, 2022. "Lessons from Remarkable FinTech Companies for the Financial Inclusion in Peru," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 15(2), pages 1-46, January.
    5. Grzelak Aleksander & Kujaczyńska Marlena, 2013. "Real convergence of the European Union members states – evaluation attempt," Management, Sciendo, vol. 17(1), pages 393-404, May.
    6. Stanislav Burian & Josef Brčák, 2014. "Convergence Process in the European Region - Cluster Analysis," International Advances in Economic Research, Springer;International Atlantic Economic Society, vol. 20(4), pages 459-460, November.
    7. Mr. Jeffrey R. Franks & Ms. Bergljot B Barkbu & Mr. Rodolphe Blavy & William Oman & Hanni Schoelermann, 2018. "Economic Convergence in the Euro Area: Coming Together or Drifting Apart?," IMF Working Papers 2018/010, International Monetary Fund.
    8. Syed Kumail Abbas Rizvi & Nawazish Mirza & Bushra Naqvi & Birjees Rahat, 2020. "Covid-19 and asset management in EU: a preliminary assessment of performance and investment styles," Journal of Asset Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 21(4), pages 281-291, July.
    9. Krugman, Paul, 1995. "Increasing returns, imperfect competition and the positive theory of international trade," Handbook of International Economics, in: G. M. Grossman & K. Rogoff (ed.), Handbook of International Economics, edition 1, volume 3, chapter 24, pages 1243-1277, Elsevier.
    10. Irena Jindřichovská & Erginbay Uğurlu, 2021. "E.U. and China Trends in Trade in Challenging Times," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 14(2), pages 1-19, February.
    11. Tina Maria Hintringer & Vito Bobek & Franko Milost & Tatjana Horvat, 2021. "Innovation as a Determinant of Growth in Outperforming Emerging Markets: An Analysis of South Korea," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(18), pages 1-23, September.
    12. Vítor João Pereira Domingues Martinho, 2021. "Impact of Covid‐19 on the convergence of GDP per capita in OECD countries," Regional Science Policy & Practice, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 13(S1), pages 55-72, November.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Linda Glawe & Helmut Wagner, 2021. "Divergence Tendencies in the European Integration Process: A Danger for the Sustainability of the E(M)U?," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 14(3), pages 1-22, March.
    2. Petrović, Pavle & Gligorić Matić, Mirjana, 2023. "Manufacturing productivity in the EU: Why have Central and Eastern European countries converged and Southern EU countries have not?," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 65(C), pages 166-183.
    3. Athanasios Anastasiou & Nicholas Apergis & Athina Zervoyianni, 2024. "Pandemic, sentiments over COVID-19, and EU convergence," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 66(4), pages 1683-1707, April.
    4. Steininger, Lea & Hesse, Casimir, 2024. "Buying into new ideas: The ECB’s evolving justification of unlimited liquidity," Department of Economics Working Paper Series 357, WU Vienna University of Economics and Business.
    5. Umar, Muhammad & Mirza, Nawazish & Rizvi, Syed Kumail Abbas & Furqan, Mehreen, 2023. "Asymmetric volatility structure of equity returns: Evidence from an emerging market," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 87(C), pages 330-336.
    6. Mihály Borsi & Norbert Metiu, 2015. "The evolution of economic convergence in the European Union," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 48(2), pages 657-681, March.
    7. María Hierro & Adolfo Maza, 2015. "From Discrete To Continuous-Time Transition Matrices In Intra-Distribution Dynamics Analysis: An Application To Per Capita Wealth In Europe," Bulletin of Economic Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 67(3), pages 227-235, July.
    8. Torben M. Andersen, 2003. "Wage formation and European integration," European Economy - Economic Papers 2008 - 2015 188, Directorate General Economic and Financial Affairs (DG ECFIN), European Commission.
    9. Sonali Chowdhry & Julian Hinz & Katrin Kamin & Joschka Wanner, 2024. "Brothers in arms: the value of coalitions in sanctions regimes," Economic Policy, CEPR, CESifo, Sciences Po;CES;MSH, vol. 39(118), pages 471-512.
    10. Chen, Zhuo & Mirza, Nawazish & Umar, Muhammad & Sawtari, Zeina & Xie, Xin, 2024. "Mineral resource investments and mutual funds performance: A remedy for recovery in BRICS," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 91(C).
    11. Lichner, Ivan & Lyócsa, Štefan & Výrostová, Eva, 2022. "Nominal and discretionary household income convergence: The effect of a crisis in a small open economy," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 18-31.
    12. Head, Keith & Mayer, Thierry, 2014. "Gravity Equations: Workhorse,Toolkit, and Cookbook," Handbook of International Economics, in: Gopinath, G. & Helpman, . & Rogoff, K. (ed.), Handbook of International Economics, edition 1, volume 4, chapter 0, pages 131-195, Elsevier.
    13. Dariusz Kotlewski, 2022. "Przesłanki za wykorzystaniem rachunkowości wzrostu gospodarczego w badaniu specjalizacji regionalnych," Ekonomista, Polskie Towarzystwo Ekonomiczne, issue 2, pages 235-258.
    14. Subramanian Rangan & Robert Z. Lawrence, 1999. "Search and Deliberation in International Exchange: Learning from Multinational Trade About Lags, Distance Effects, and Home Bias," NBER Working Papers 7012, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    15. Gozgor, Giray, 2018. "Does the structure of employment affect the external imbalances? Theory and evidence," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 77-83.
    16. Gächter, Simon & Riedl, Alesandra & Ritzberger-Grünwald, Doris, 2013. "Business cycle convergence or decoupling? Economic adjustment in CESEE during the crisis," BOFIT Discussion Papers 3/2013, Bank of Finland Institute for Emerging Economies (BOFIT).
    17. Bogatzki, Tamara, 2021. "Heterogeneity in migration network effects across cultures," Discussion Papers, Research Unit: Migration, Integration, Transnationalization SP VI 2021-102, WZB Berlin Social Science Center.
    18. Silva Lopes, Artur, 2021. "Non-convergent incomes with a new DF-Fourier test: most likely you go your way (and I'll go mine)," MPRA Paper 120171, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 09 Oct 2023.
    19. Jean-Claude Trichet, 2019. "The Euro Area Economic, Fiscal and Financial Governance: Difficulties and Successes in the Past - Present Challenges - Future Steps," IMES Discussion Paper Series 19-E-12, Institute for Monetary and Economic Studies, Bank of Japan.
    20. Juliette Milgram, 2003. "Quantitative Restrictions on Clothing Imports: Impact and Determinants of the Common Trade Policy Towards Developing Countries," Economic Working Papers at Centro de Estudios Andaluces E2003/04, Centro de Estudios Andaluces.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jjrfmx:v:15:y:2022:i:9:p:384-:d:898715. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.