IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/ehl/lserod/115162.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Detecting economic growth pathways in the EU’s lagging regions

Author

Listed:
  • Ganau, Roberto
  • Kilroy, Austin

Abstract

We analyse growth pathways of European Union NUTS-3 regions from 2003 to 2017. We focus on lagging regions, using a taxonomy based on income level and long-run growth rate that combines the Cohesion Policy classification with that proposed under the ‘Catching Up’ initiative. We find that lagging areas can sometimes be found within larger and more prosperous regions, especially in Western Europe. We analyse the role of industrial structure, innovation and inward foreign direct investments as growth drivers, and find that economic growth is associated with different economic dimensions in different types of regions. The NUTS-3 scale of analysis is helpful to inform the design and implementation of development strategies catering to different opportunities at this smaller geographical scale.

Suggested Citation

  • Ganau, Roberto & Kilroy, Austin, 2023. "Detecting economic growth pathways in the EU’s lagging regions," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 115162, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    • Handle: RePEc:ehl:lserod:115162
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/115162/
    File Function: Open access version.
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Sascha O. Becker & Peter H. Egger & Maximilian von Ehrlich, 2013. "Absorptive Capacity and the Growth and Investment Effects of Regional Transfers: A Regression Discontinuity Design with Heterogeneous Treatment Effects," American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, American Economic Association, vol. 5(4), pages 29-77, November.
    2. Ben Gardiner & Ron Martin & Tyler Peter, 2004. "Competitiveness, Productivity and Economic Growth across the European Regions," ERSA conference papers ersa04p333, European Regional Science Association.
    3. Riccardo Crescenzi & Carlo Pietrobelli & Roberta Rabellotti, 2014. "Innovation drivers, value chains and the geography of multinational corporations in Europe," Journal of Economic Geography, Oxford University Press, vol. 14(6), pages 1053-1086.
    4. Riccardo Crescenzi & Mara Giua, 2020. "One or many Cohesion Policies of the European Union? On the differential economic impacts of Cohesion Policy across member states," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 54(1), pages 10-20, January.
    5. Andrés Rodríguez-Pose & Tobias Ketterer, 2020. "Institutional change and the development of lagging regions in Europe," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 54(7), pages 974-986, July.
    6. Andr�s Rodr�guez-Pose & Enrique Garcilazo, 2015. "Quality of Government and the Returns of Investment: Examining the Impact of Cohesion Expenditure in European Regions," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 49(8), pages 1274-1290, August.
    7. Henry Goecke & Michael Hüther, 2016. "Regional Convergence in Europe," Intereconomics: Review of European Economic Policy, Springer;ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics;Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS), vol. 51(3), pages 165-171, May.
    8. Domenica Panzera & Paolo Postiglione, 2014. "Economic growth in Italian NUTS 3 provinces," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 53(1), pages 273-293, August.
    9. Mindaugas Butkus & Diana Cibulskiene & Alma Maciulyte-Sniukiene & Kristina Matuzeviciute, 2018. "What Is the Evolution of Convergence in the EU? Decomposing EU Disparities up to NUTS 3 Level," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(5), pages 1-37, May.
    10. Paul Cheshire & G. Carbonaro, 1996. "Urban Economic Growth in Europe: Testing Theory and Policy Prescriptions," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 33(7), pages 1111-1128, August.
    11. Fabrizio Barca & Philip McCann & Andrés Rodríguez‐Pose, 2012. "The Case For Regional Development Intervention: Place‐Based Versus Place‐Neutral Approaches," Journal of Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 52(1), pages 134-152, February.
    12. Arbia, Giuseppe & Battisti, Michele & Di Vaio, Gianfranco, 2010. "Institutions and geography: Empirical test of spatial growth models for European regions," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 27(1), pages 12-21, January.
    13. Simona Iammarino & Andrés Rodriguez-Pose & Michael Storper, 2019. "Regional inequality in Europe: evidence, theory and policy implications," Journal of Economic Geography, Oxford University Press, vol. 19(2), pages 273-298.
    14. Becker, Sascha O. & Egger, Peter H. & von Ehrlich, Maximilian, 2010. "Going NUTS: The effect of EU Structural Funds on regional performance," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 94(9-10), pages 578-590, October.
    15. Kurt Geppert & Andreas Stephan, 2008. "Regional disparities in the European Union: Convergence and agglomeration," Papers in Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 87(2), pages 193-217, June.
    16. Julia Bachtrögler & Ugo Fratesi & Giovanni Perucca, 2020. "The influence of the local context on the implementation and impact of EU Cohesion Policy," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 54(1), pages 21-34, January.
    17. Lewis Dijkstra & Hugo Poelman & Andrés Rodríguez-Pose, 2020. "The geography of EU discontent," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 54(6), pages 737-753, June.
    18. Davide Castellani & Fabio Pieri, 2016. "Outward Investments and Productivity: Evidence from European Regions," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 50(12), pages 1945-1964, December.
    19. Fabio Canova, 2004. "Testing for Convergence Clubs in Income Per Capita: A Predictive Density Approach," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 45(1), pages 49-77, February.
    20. Riccardo Crescenzi & Roberto Ganau & Michael Storper, 2022. "Does foreign investment hurt job creation at home? The geography of outward FDI and employment in the USA," Journal of Economic Geography, Oxford University Press, vol. 22(1), pages 53-79.
    21. Riccardo Crescenzi & Mara Giua, 2016. "The EU Cohesion Policy in context: Does a bottom-up approach work in all regions?," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 48(11), pages 2340-2357, November.
    22. Stefano Menghinello & Lisa De Propris & Nigel Driffield, 2010. "Industrial districts, inward foreign investment and regional development," Journal of Economic Geography, Oxford University Press, vol. 10(4), pages 539-558, July.
    23. Riccardo Crescenzi, 2005. "Innovation and Regional Growth in the Enlarged Europe: The Role of Local Innovative Capabilities, Peripherality, and Education," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 36(4), pages 471-507, September.
    24. Roberto Esposti & Stefania Bussoletti, 2008. "Impact of Objective 1 Funds on Regional Growth Convergence in the European Union: A Panel-data Approach," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 42(2), pages 159-173.
    25. Marco Percoco, 2017. "Impact of European Cohesion Policy on regional growth: does local economic structure matter?," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 51(6), pages 833-843, June.
    26. Don J. Webber & Adrian Healy & Gillian Bristow, 2018. "Regional Growth Paths and Resilience: A European Analysis," Economic Geography, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 94(4), pages 355-375, August.
    27. Luisa Gagliardi & Marco Percoco, 2017. "The impact of European Cohesion Policy in urban and rural regions," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 51(6), pages 857-868, June.
    28. Vassilis Tselios, 2009. "Growth and Convergence in Income Per Capita and Income Inequality in the Regions of the EU," Spatial Economic Analysis, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 4(3), pages 343-370.
    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. Kilroy,Austin Francis Louis & Ganau,Roberto, 2020. "Economic Growth in European Union NUTS-3 Regions," Policy Research Working Paper Series 9494, The World Bank.
    2. Panagiotis KOUDOUMAKIS & George BOTZORIS & Angelos PROTOPAPAS, 2021. "The Contribution Of Cohesion Policy To The Development And Convergence Of The Regions Of The European Union," Regional Science Inquiry, Hellenic Association of Regional Scientists, vol. 0(2), pages 277-290, June.
    3. Paolo Di Caro & Ugo Fratesi, 2022. "One policy, different effects: Estimating the region‐specific impacts of EU cohesion policy," Journal of Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 62(1), pages 307-330, January.
    4. Mindaugas Butkus & Alma Maciulyte-Sniukiene & Kristina Matuzeviciute, 2020. "Heterogeneous growth outcomes of the EU’s regional financial support mediated by institutions with some empirical evidences at NUTS 3 level," Review of Regional Research: Jahrbuch für Regionalwissenschaft, Springer;Gesellschaft für Regionalforschung (GfR), vol. 40(1), pages 33-66, April.
    5. Ignacio Sacristán López-Bravo & Carlos San Juan Mesonada, 2022. "Effects of Policy Mix on European Regional Convergence," EconPol Working Paper 73, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich.
    6. Elena Calegari & Enrico Fabrizi & Gianni Guastella & Francesco Timpano, 2021. "EU regional convergence in the agricultural sector: Are there synergies between agricultural and regional policies?," Papers in Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 100(1), pages 23-50, February.
    7. Scotti, Francesco & Flori, Andrea & Pammolli, Fabio, 2022. "The economic impact of structural and Cohesion Funds across sectors: Immediate, medium-to-long term effects and spillovers," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 111(C).
    8. Sergio Destefanis & Valter Di Giacinto, 2022. "EU structural funds and GDP per capita: Spatial VAR evidence for the European regions," Discussion Paper series in Regional Science & Economic Geography 2022-09, Gran Sasso Science Institute, Social Sciences, revised Oct 2024.
    9. Fusaro, Stefano & Scandurra, Rosario, 2023. "The impact of the European social fund on youth education and employment," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    10. E. Marrocu & F. Aresu & R. Paci, 2024. "EU funds and TFP growth: how the impact changed over time and space," Working Paper CRENoS 202412, Centre for North South Economic Research, University of Cagliari and Sassari, Sardinia.
    11. Albanese, Giuseppe & Carrieri, Vincenzo & Speziali, Maria Maddalena, 2021. "Looking for a Star: Evaluating the Effect of the Cohesion Policy on Regional Well-Being," IZA Discussion Papers 14521, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    12. Mindaugas Butkus & Alma Maciulyte-Sniukiene & Renata Macaitiene & Kristina Matuzeviciute, 2021. "A New Approach to Examine Non-Linear and Mediated Growth and Convergence Outcomes of Cohesion Policy," Economies, MDPI, vol. 9(3), pages 1-28, July.
    13. Arbolino, Roberta & Caro, Paolo Di, 2021. "Can the EU funds promote regional resilience at time of Covid-19? Insights from the Great Recession11We thank the Editors and the four anonymous referees for helpful comments. We also thank Emanuele C," Journal of Policy Modeling, Elsevier, vol. 43(1), pages 109-126.
    14. Mindaugas Butkus & Diana Cibulskiene & Alma Maciulyte-Sniukiene & Kristina Matuzeviciute, 2018. "What Is the Evolution of Convergence in the EU? Decomposing EU Disparities up to NUTS 3 Level," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(5), pages 1-37, May.
    15. Carlos San Juan Mesonada & Carlos Sunyer Manteiga, 2021. "European Structural Funds and Resilient and Recovery Facility Governance," EconPol Working Paper 67, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich.
    16. Paolo Postiglione & Alfredo Cartone & Domenica Panzera, 2020. "Economic Convergence in EU NUTS 3 Regions: A Spatial Econometric Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(17), pages 1-17, August.
    17. Maria Manuel Campos & Sónia Cabral, 2023. "European structural funds and the performance of Portuguese firms," Economic Bulletin and Financial Stability Report Articles and Banco de Portugal Economic Studies, Banco de Portugal, Economics and Research Department.
    18. Giua, Mara & Hoxhaj, Rezart & Pierucci, Eleonora, 2022. "Inclusive Europe: the impact of the EU Cohesion Policy on immigrants’ economic integration in Italy," Journal of Policy Modeling, Elsevier, vol. 44(3), pages 532-549.
    19. Carlos San Juan Mesonada & Carlos Sunyer Manteiga, 2020. "European Structural and Investment Funds and Regional Convergence: The Impact of Public Deficit in Beta-Convergence," EconPol Working Paper 47, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich.
    20. Andrés Rodríguez-Pose & Lewis Dijkstra, 2021. "Does Cohesion Policy reduce EU discontent and Euroscepticism?," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 55(2), pages 354-369, February.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    development policy; economic growth; European Union; NUTS-3 regions;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • R11 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Regional Economic Activity: Growth, Development, Environmental Issues, and Changes
    • R58 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Regional Government Analysis - - - Regional Development Planning and Policy

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    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:ehl:lserod:115162. 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: LSERO Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/lsepsuk.html .

    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.