Kvantifikácia medziregionálnych disparít v EÚ pomocou metód beta a sigma konvergencie

Abstract

This paper is focused on the examination of the development of interregional disparities in all EU member states and their regions. The aim is to confirm or refute the formulated hypothesis about the divergence of individual EU member states and their NUTS 2 and NUTS 3 level regions. The motivation for this research is the relatively extensive redistribution of financial resources of the EU 27 countries in an effort to reduce excessive and unjustified interregional differences from the aspect of the key macroeconomic aggregate – GDP. In the research we have applied the neoclassical concept of β-convergence and σ-convergence that allows identification of the convergence/divergence tendency over a long-term horizon of more than 20 years. Since the GDP is a key macroeconomic aggregate that indicates the allocation of resources to individual member states and their regions, we have conducted a long-term quantitative comparative analysis, which will allow us to fulfill the set objective and confirm or refute the formulated hypothesis. As the NUTS 2 and NUTS 3 regions are the object of interest of ESIF (European Structural and Investment Funds), it is not sufficient to carry out any analysis or comparison only at a country level, but also at a lower, regional level. Statistical data from EUROSTAT allowed us to do this for a period of 21 years, which we consider long enough to draw conclusions. The results of the beta and sigma analysis of interregional differences showed a clear, long-term, continuous divergence at all three examined levels – the level of the country, as well as at the level of NUTS 2 and NUTS 3 regions.