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Is Internal Migration Relevant to Regional Convergence? Comparative Analysis Across Five European Countries

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  • Daniela Bunea

    (The Bucharest University of Economic Studies)

Abstract

This paper carries out a comparative analysis across five European countries of the impact of internal migration on regional income convergence process at NUTS 2 level. Convergence can be defined as the process by which poorer regions catch up richer regions and, as a consequence, regional disparities decrease. The phenomenon is appreciated using the concepts of sigma- and beta-convergence. Theoretically, human migration is one vital adjustment mechanism of regional disequilibria which contributes to enhancing convergence. The study uses the methodology of two-way fixed effects panel data model and its main results point out at sigma-divergence in income evolution in Hungary and Romania and at sigma-convergence trends in Austria, Spain and rather constancy in Sweden. Instead, all countries but for Sweden exhibited beta-convergence. Hungary, Sweden and Spain recorded relatively higher gross migration rates. But despite this fact, internal migration’s impact on beta-convergence was quite small (Romania and Spain) or inexistent (Austria, Hungary and Sweden).

Suggested Citation

  • Daniela Bunea, 2012. "Is Internal Migration Relevant to Regional Convergence? Comparative Analysis Across Five European Countries," Romanian Journal of Regional Science, Romanian Regional Science Association, vol. 6(2), pages 53-72, DECEMBER.
    • Handle: RePEc:rrs:journl:v:6:y:2012:i:2:p:53-72
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    Cited by:

    1. Cristian Incaltarau & Gabriela Carmen Pascariu & Adelaide Duarte & Peter Nijkamp, 2021. "Migration, regional growth and convergence: a spatial econometric study on Romania," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 66(3), pages 497-532, June.
    2. Mihai Antonia & Zizi Goschin & Irina-Denisa Munteanu & Mihail-Dumitru Sacală, 2023. "The Effects of Schooling Level on Economic Convergence in Emerging Countries: Evidence from Romania," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 169(1), pages 125-142, September.
    3. Zizi GOSCHIN, 2017. "Exploring regional economic convergence in Romania. A spatial modeling approach," Eastern Journal of European Studies, Centre for European Studies, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, vol. 8, pages 127-146, December.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    convergence; internal migration; fixed-effects panel data; spatial dependence; comparative study;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J61 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Geographic Labor Mobility; Immigrant Workers
    • R11 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Regional Economic Activity: Growth, Development, Environmental Issues, and Changes
    • R15 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Econometric and Input-Output Models; Other Methods
    • R23 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Household Analysis - - - Regional Migration; Regional Labor Markets; Population

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