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Regional Income Inequalities in Europe: An Updated Measurement and Some Decomposition Results

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  • J.A. Duro

    (Departament d'Economia Aplicada, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona)

Abstract

In this paper well-known summary inequality indexes are used to explore interregional income inequalities in Europe. In particular, we mainly employ Theils’population-weighted index because of its appealing properties. Two decomposition analysis are applied. First, regional inequalities are decomposed by regional subgroups (countries). Second, intertemporal inequality changes are separated into income and population changes. The main results can be summarized as follows. First, data confirm a reduction in crossregional inequality during 1982-97. Second, this reduction is basically due to real convergence among countries. Third, currently the greater part of European interregional disparities is within-country by nature, which introduce an important challenge for the European policy. Fourth, inequality changes are due mainly to income variations, population changes playing a minor role.

Suggested Citation

  • J.A. Duro, 2004. "Regional Income Inequalities in Europe: An Updated Measurement and Some Decomposition Results," Working Papers wpdea0411, Department of Applied Economics at Universitat Autonoma of Barcelona.
    • Handle: RePEc:uab:wprdea:wpdea0411
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    Cited by:

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    2. Giuseppe Arbia & Laura De Dominicis & Gianfranco Piras, 2005. "The relationship between Regional Growth and Regional Inequality in EU and transition countries - a Spatial Econometric Approach," ERSA conference papers ersa05p168, European Regional Science Association.
    3. Christ, Julian P., 2010. "Geographic concentration and spatial inequality: Two decades of EPO patenting at the level of European micro regions," Violette Reihe: Schriftenreihe des Promotionsschwerpunkts "Globalisierung und Beschäftigung" 32/2010, University of Hohenheim, Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg, Evangelisches Studienwerk.
    4. Alberto Díaz Dapena & Esteban Fernández Vázquez & Fernando Rubiera Morollón & Ana Viñuela, 2021. "Mapping poverty at the local level in Europe: A consistent spatial disaggregation of the AROPE indicator for France, Spain, Portugal and the United Kingdom," Regional Science Policy & Practice, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 13(1), pages 63-81, February.
    5. Philippe Martin, 2005. "The geography of inequalities in Europe," SciencePo Working papers Main hal-01020614, HAL.
    6. Florence Bouvet, 2010. "EMU and the dynamics of regional per capita income inequality in Europe," The Journal of Economic Inequality, Springer;Society for the Study of Economic Inequality, vol. 8(3), pages 323-344, September.
    7. Zofío, Jose L. & Condeço-Melhorado, Ana M. & Maroto-Sánchez, Andrés & Gutiérrez, Javier, 2014. "Generalized transport costs and index numbers: A geographical analysis of economic and infrastructure fundamentals," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 67(C), pages 141-157.
    8. Puga, Diego, 2008. "Agglomeration and cross-border infrastructure," EIB Papers 9/2008, European Investment Bank, Economics Department.
    9. Zofío, José Luis & Condeço-Melhorado, Ana M. & Maroto-Sánchez, Andrés & Gutiérrez, Javier, 2011. "Decomposing generalized transport costs using index numbers: A geographical analysis of economic and infrastructure fundamentals," Working Papers in Economic Theory 2011/06, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (Spain), Department of Economic Analysis (Economic Theory and Economic History).
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    regional inequality; inequality decomposition;

    JEL classification:

    • D39 - Microeconomics - - Distribution - - - Other
    • D63 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Equity, Justice, Inequality, and Other Normative Criteria and Measurement
    • R12 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Size and Spatial Distributions of Regional Economic Activity; Interregional Trade (economic geography)

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