Abstract
In this chapter we discuss some stylized facts relevant to our topic. We focus on three areas central to my theoretical analysis: the growth performance of countries and regions in an integration bloc, the evolution of regional specialization patterns, as well as the dispersion of innovative activities in space in an integration bloc. We concentrate mainly on the experience of the countries and regions in the European Union (EU).1 The EU represents the largest and most advanced regional integration bloc, including after the fourth enlargement step (integration of Austria, Sweden and Finland) about 30% of the world’s GDP. In some instances, we compare European with North American data, the second main integration bloc.
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References
We mainly use the term European Union, but in cases where we deal with the pre-1992 period we also use the term European Community (EC).
An extensive discussion of the issues can also be found in Sala-i-Martin (1996).
See, however, Sala-i-Martin (1996) who is arguing against this view.
The equation can also be interpreted as the approximation of a region i as described by a generalized neoclassical growth model (see Barro/Sala-i-Martin (1990)).
We will stress here and in the rest of the study the decisive difference between regional and international integration (see chapter 3 for details). For empirical evidence on the link between growth, convergence and international integration see Ben-David (1994, 1995) and Harris (1996).
One could argue that Spain and Portugal did not join the EC before 1986 and cannot, therefore, be attributed to the member states to the EC before that period of time. But excluding these two countries as member states strengthens our argument. In addition, these countries have been linked to the EC via association treaties well before 1986.
Enlargement took place in four steps. In 1973, the UK, Ireland and Denmark joined the six founding states. In 1981, Greece entered the EC. In 1986, the EC was enlarged by integrating Spain and Portugal. With the fourth enlargement step, the former EFTA countries, Austria, Sweden and Finland, joined the EU.
See for an overview, Boskin/Lau (1993).
Coe et. al. (1997) find also substantial spillovers from developed to developing countries which are related to the volume of trade in differentiated inputs between the respective countries.
Thereby, our results are in the overall perspective in line with the ones of another recent study on the subject (see Busch et al. (1998)).
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© 1999 Physica-Verlag Heidelberg
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Walz, U. (1999). Some Empirical Observations. In: Dynamics of Regional Integration. Contributions to Economics. Physica-Verlag HD. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-99807-2_2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-99807-2_2
Publisher Name: Physica-Verlag HD
Print ISBN: 978-3-7908-1185-8
Online ISBN: 978-3-642-99807-2
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