IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bas/econst/y2021i2p39-55.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Absolute and Conditional Convergence: A Story about Convergence Clubs and Divergence in the EU

Author

Listed:
  • Dimitar Zlatinov
  • Ilia Atanasov

Abstract

We examine beta and sigma convergence in the European Union in 2000-2019. Our study shows that the hypotheses for both beta and sigma convergences are not rejected. While the process of convergence is occurring in the EU it is not fast enough, and it is much more concerned with convergence clubs’ formation instead of community convergence. Our estimations of speed and years of convergence show that some countries, mostly from Eastern and Southern Europe, will need higher growth rates to catch up with the average level of income. Since the global economic and financial crisis of 2008 divergence process in the EU is underway and it threatens the functioning of the euro area. Facing such challenges, the EU needs an Investment Deal to carry out the fundamental idea of the Single Market and foster the process of convergence.

Suggested Citation

  • Dimitar Zlatinov & Ilia Atanasov, 2021. "Absolute and Conditional Convergence: A Story about Convergence Clubs and Divergence in the EU," Economic Studies journal, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences - Economic Research Institute, issue 2, pages 39-55.
  • Handle: RePEc:bas:econst:y:2021:i:2:p:39-55
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.iki.bas.bg/Journals/EconomicStudies/2021/2021-2/3_Zlatinov.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Victor Yotzov & Daniela Bobeva & Pobeda Loukanova & Nedialko Nestorov, 2020. "Macroeconomic Implications of the Fight against COVID-19: First Estimates, Forecasts, and Conclusions," Economic Studies journal, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences - Economic Research Institute, issue 3, pages 3-28.
    2. Rossitsa Rangelova, 2009. "Changing Determinants of the Economic Growth – Theoretical Base and Specifics of the Empirics," Economic Studies journal, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences - Economic Research Institute, issue 2, pages 3-32.
    3. Aadne Cappelen & Fulvio Castellacci & Jan Fagerberg & Bart Verspagen, 2003. "The Impact of EU Regional Support on Growth and Convergence in the European Union," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 41(4), pages 621-644, September.
    4. Bozhidar Nedev, 2019. "Historical roots of behavioural financial thought," Economic Thought journal, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences - Economic Research Institute, issue 3, pages 33-50.
    5. Carmen Fernandez & Eduardo Ley & Mark F. J. Steel, 2001. "Model uncertainty in cross-country growth regressions," Journal of Applied Econometrics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 16(5), pages 563-576.
    6. Tsvetomir Tsvetkov & Sonya Georgieva, 2021. "Anti-Crisis Macroeconomic Policy in the Conditions of COVID-19 in Bulgaria," Economic Studies journal, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences - Economic Research Institute, issue 1, pages 107-130.
    7. Sala-i-Martin, Xavier X., 1996. "Regional cohesion: Evidence and theories of regional growth and convergence," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 40(6), pages 1325-1352, June.
    8. Xavier Sala-I-Martin & Gernot Doppelhofer & Ronald I. Miller, 2004. "Determinants of Long-Term Growth: A Bayesian Averaging of Classical Estimates (BACE) Approach," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 94(4), pages 813-835, September.
    9. Robert J. Barro, 1991. "Economic Growth in a Cross Section of Countries," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, Oxford University Press, vol. 106(2), pages 407-443.
    10. Ignat Ignatov, 2020. "The Choice Of An Approach To Fiscal Consolidation," Yearbook of the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Sofia University, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Sofia University St Kliment Ohridski - Bulgaria, vol. 18(1), pages 131-144, July.
    11. Quah, Danny T., 1996. "Empirics for economic growth and convergence," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 40(6), pages 1353-1375, June.
    12. N. Gregory Mankiw & David Romer & David N. Weil, 1992. "A Contribution to the Empirics of Economic Growth," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, Oxford University Press, vol. 107(2), pages 407-437.
    13. Guanghua Wan & Peter J. Morgan & Robert J. Barro, 2016. "Economic Growth and Convergence, Applied to China," China & World Economy, Institute of World Economics and Politics, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, vol. 24(5), pages 5-19, September.
    14. Mihaela Simionescu, 2017. "The GDP per Capita Convergence in the European Union," Academic Journal of Economic Studies, Faculty of Finance, Banking and Accountancy Bucharest,"Dimitrie Cantemir" Christian University Bucharest, vol. 3(1), pages 81-87, March.
    15. Rossitsa Rangelova, 2008. "A Criticism of the Concept and Measure for Total Factor Productivity," Economic Thought journal, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences - Economic Research Institute, issue 3, pages 30-49.
    16. Robert J. Barro, 2016. "Economic Growth and Convergence, Applied Especially to China," NBER Working Papers 21872, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    17. Philippe Aghion & Steven Durlauf (ed.), 2005. "Handbook of Economic Growth," Handbook of Economic Growth, Elsevier, edition 1, volume 1, number 1.
    18. Higgins, Matthew J. & Levy, Daniel & Young, Andrew T., 2006. "Growth and Convergence across the United States: Evidence from County-Level Data," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 88(4), pages 671-681.
    19. Yin, Ling & K. Zestos, George, 2003. "Economic Convergence in the European Union," Journal of Economic Integration, Center for Economic Integration, Sejong University, vol. 18, pages 188-213.
    20. Cabral, René & Castellanos-Sosa, Francisco A., 2019. "Europe's income convergence and the latest global financial crisis," Research in Economics, Elsevier, vol. 73(1), pages 23-34.
    21. Stefan Petranov & Ivelina Hristova, 2016. "Sustainable Economic Development Through Sustainable Economic Policy: Is Bulgaria Ready For A Reindustrialization Policy?," Business & Management Compass, University of Economics Varna, issue 4, pages 405-422.
    22. Frank Barry, 2003. "Economic Integration and Convergence Processes in the EU Cohesion Countries," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 41(5), pages 897-921, December.
    23. Mihaela Simionescu, 2015. "About regional convergence clubs in the European Union," Zbornik radova Ekonomskog fakulteta u Rijeci/Proceedings of Rijeka Faculty of Economics, University of Rijeka, Faculty of Economics and Business, vol. 33(1), pages 67-80.
    24. Nedialko Nestorov, 2019. "Geographic Sustainability and Geographic Concentration of Bulgarian Export," Economic Studies journal, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences - Economic Research Institute, issue 1, pages 50-55.
    25. José Villaverde & Adolfo Maza, 2011. "Globalisation, Growth and Convergence," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 34(6), pages 952-971, June.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Ignat Ignatov, 2023. "Convergence Determinants and Club Formation in the EU over 1999-2021," Economic Studies journal, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences - Economic Research Institute, issue 3, pages 37-63.
    2. Stela Raleva, 2023. "Characteristics and Factors of Economic Growth in Bulgaria (1970–2008)," Proceedings of the Centre for Economic History Research, Centre for Economic History Research, vol. 8, pages 209-221, November.
    3. Nedyalko Nestorov & Petia Branzova, 2022. "Sustainability of Production and Export of Main Cereal and Oil Crops from Bulgaria," Economic Studies journal, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences - Economic Research Institute, issue 8, pages 146-171.

    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. Steven N. Durlauf & Andros Kourtellos & Chih Ming Tan, 2008. "Empirics of Growth and Development," Chapters, in: Amitava Krishna Dutt & Jaime Ros (ed.), International Handbook of Development Economics, Volumes 1 & 2, volume 0, chapter 3, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    2. Michael S. Delgado & Daniel J. Henderson & Christopher F. Parmeter, 2014. "Does Education Matter for Economic Growth?," Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, Department of Economics, University of Oxford, vol. 76(3), pages 334-359, June.
    3. Ronny Correa-Quezada & Lucía Cueva-Rodríguez & José Álvarez-García & María de la Cruz del Río-Rama, 2020. "Application of the Kernel Density Function for the Analysis of Regional Growth and Convergence in the Service Sector through Productivity," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 8(8), pages 1-20, July.
    4. Feng, Guohua & Gao, Jiti & Peng, Bin, 2022. "An integrated panel data approach to modelling economic growth," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 228(2), pages 379-397.
    5. Muhammad Hidayat & Nasri Bachtiar & Sjafrizal Sjafrizal & Elvina Primayesa, 2022. "Does Investment and Energy Infrastructure Influence Convergence in Sumatra Island, Indonesia?," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 12(4), pages 274-281, July.
    6. Ulrike Schneider & Martin Wagner, 2012. "Catching Growth Determinants with the Adaptive Lasso," German Economic Review, Verein für Socialpolitik, vol. 13(1), pages 71-85, February.
    7. Farid Gasmi & Laura Recuero Virto & Denis Couvet, 2020. "The Impact of Renewable Versus Non-renewable Natural Capital on Economic Growth," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 77(2), pages 271-333, October.
    8. Young, Andrew T. & Higgins, Matthew J. & Levy, Daniel, 2013. "Heterogeneous convergence," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 120(2), pages 238-241.
    9. Jesús Peiró-Palomino, 2016. "Social Capital and Economic Growth in Europe: Nonlinear Trends and Heterogeneous Regional Effects," Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, Department of Economics, University of Oxford, vol. 78(5), pages 717-751, October.
    10. Tobias Hagen & Philipp Mohl, 2011. "Econometric Evaluation of EU Cohesion Policy: A Survey," Chapters, in: Miroslav N. Jovanović (ed.), International Handbook on the Economics of Integration, Volume III, chapter 16, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    11. Gasmi, Farid & Recuero Virto, Laura & Couvet, Denis, 2022. "Empirical analysis of the anthropogenic pressure on the mangrove blue carbon-economic growth relationship," TSE Working Papers 22-1307, Toulouse School of Economics (TSE).
    12. Gasmi, Farid & Recuero Virto, Laura & Couvet, Denis, 2023. "An empirical analysis of economic growth in countries exposed to coastal risks - Implications for their ecosystems," TSE Working Papers 23-1399, Toulouse School of Economics (TSE).
    13. Laia Maynou & Marc Saez & Jordi Bacaria & Guillem Lopez-Casasnovas, 2015. "Health inequalities in the European Union: an empirical analysis of the dynamics of regional differences," The European Journal of Health Economics, Springer;Deutsche Gesellschaft für Gesundheitsökonomie (DGGÖ), vol. 16(5), pages 543-559, June.
    14. Ulaşan, Bülent, 2011. "Cross-country growth empirics and model uncertainty: An overview," Economics Discussion Papers 2011-37, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel).
    15. Magnus, Jan R. & Powell, Owen & Prüfer, Patricia, 2010. "A comparison of two model averaging techniques with an application to growth empirics," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 154(2), pages 139-153, February.
    16. Martin Wagner & Achim Zeileis, 2012. "Heterogeneity of Regional Growth in the European Union," Working Papers 2012-20, Faculty of Economics and Statistics, Universität Innsbruck.
    17. Enrique Moral-Benito, 2012. "Determinants of Economic Growth: A Bayesian Panel Data Approach," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 94(2), pages 566-579, May.
    18. Ulaşan, Bülent, 2012. "Cross-country growth empirics and model uncertainty: An overview," Economics - The Open-Access, Open-Assessment E-Journal (2007-2020), Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel), vol. 6, pages 1-69.
    19. Antonio Ciccone & Marek Jarociński, 2010. "Determinants of Economic Growth: Will Data Tell?," American Economic Journal: Macroeconomics, American Economic Association, vol. 2(4), pages 222-246, October.
    20. Jesús Rodríguez‐López & Diego Martínez‐López & Diego Romero‐Ávila, 2009. "Persistence of inequalities across the Spanish regions," Papers in Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 88(4), pages 841-862, November.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • O47 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - Empirical Studies of Economic Growth; Aggregate Productivity; Cross-Country Output Convergence
    • R11 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Regional Economic Activity: Growth, Development, Environmental Issues, and Changes
    • F43 - International Economics - - Macroeconomic Aspects of International Trade and Finance - - - Economic Growth of Open Economies

    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:bas:econst:y:2021:i:2:p:39-55. 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: Diana Dimitrova (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/ikbasbg.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.