Angela Parenti

Does EU cohesion policy work? Theory and evidence

This paper evaluates the effectiveness of European Cohesion Policy in the regions of 12 EU countries in the period 1991–2008, on the basis of a spatial growth model, which allows for the identification of both direct and indirect effects of EU funds on GDP per worker growth. We find that “Objective 1†funds are characterized by strong spatial externalities and a positive and concave effect on the growth of GDP per worker, which reaches a peak at the ratio funds/GDP of approximately 3 percent and becomes non†significant after 4 percent. “Objective 2†and “Cohesion†funds have nonsignificant effects, while all the other funds exert a positive and significant effect, but their size is very limited. EU Cohesion Policy, moreover, appears to have increased its effectiveness over time. In the period 2000–2006 Objective 1 funds are estimated to have a median multiplier equal to 1.52, and to have added 0.37 percent to the GDP per worker growth. Overall, in the period 1991–2008, funds are estimated to have added 1.4 percent to the median annual growth, and to have reduced regional disparities of 8 basis points in terms of the Gini index.

Asymmetric macroeconomic volatility in European regions

ABSTRACT Asymmetric macroeconomic volatility in European regions. Spatial Economic Analysis. This paper investigates, on the basis of a theoretical spatial model, the determinants of macroeconomic volatility of per capita gross domestic product (GDP) in a panel of 257 NUTS-2 European regions in 1992–2008, considering positive and negative fluctuations separately. Evidence is found of strong positive spatial dependence, and of considerable asymmetric effects on macroeconomic volatility of sectoral output (its composition and concentration), of composition of aggregate demand, and of other regional/country characteristics. In particular, while public expenditure exerts a stabilizing effect on both types of fluctuations, financial depth amplifies negative fluctuations. Finally, inflation fluctuations and participation in European Monetary Union (EMU) appear to have no effect on macroeconomic volatility.

The Dynamics of Labour Productivity Across Italian Provinces: Convergence and Polarization

This paper analyses the dynamics of labour productivity across Italian Provinces in the period 1995-2006. Inequality decreased but a clear pattern of polarization emerged, with the formation of a cluster of high-productive provinces in the North and Centre-West of Italy and a cluster of low-productive provinces in the South and in the Centre-East. The growth of employment exerted a negative impact on the growth of productivity, as well as the number of self-employers per inhabitants, and the degree of openness to trade. On the contrary the share of population with tertiary education had a positive impact. A core of provinces belonging to five regions (Lombardy, Veneto, Emilia-Romagna, Tuscany and Lazio) appears to benefit of a higher growth of productivity. This regional component favoured both inequality and polarization. On the contrary, the initial level of productivity decreased inequality but increased polarization.