José Villaverde Castro

Regional Convergence, Polarisation and Mobility in the European Union, 1980-1996

This paper focuses on the changes in regional inequality, polarisation and mobility in per capita income within the European Union between 1980 and 1996. Using different techniques, the main findings that arise from the study are (i) a small decrease in regional inequality; (ii) no apparent change in the polarisation process; and (iii) a relatively high degree of mobility. The paper also shows that the speed at which convergence and mobility were taking place has declined over time. This raises some concerns about these two processes for the future.

The Economic Impact of Ports: Its Importance for the Region and Also the Hinterland

This study presents the calculations needed to obtain the overall economic impact of the Port of Santander in 2005. Clearly, to obtain this impact we must calculate the direct, indirect en induced impact, both of the Port Community and the Community of Port Users. This study will show the analyses carried out to obtain the economic impact of the Port of Santander on the economy of the city of Santander, Cantabria and its hinterland in 2005. Significantly, it is the first time that the impact on the city and its hinterland has been calculated, given that previous studies calculated only the impact on the region. This contribution supplements the previous studies carried out in that it quantifies the significance of ports and the companies in their influence area that use their facilities in terms of the creation of value and employment.

Interprovincial Inequalities in Spain,1955-91

One of the most appealing topics in regional economics is the study of the time evolution of spatial inequalities. Recent emphasis on the need to achieve convergence among countries and regions (mainly within Europe) has revitalized interest in this type of study from a territorial perspective, implicitly assuming that spatial convergence helps to reduce the level of national inequality Within this general framework, this paper analyses the behaviour of percapita income inequalities across provinces in Spain over the long term. The first section consists of a summary of the well-known hypothesis of the inverted-U pattern of the time trend of spatial disparities. The second section identifies levels of interprovincial inequalities in Spain, and their evolution. The third section offers insights into the types of provinces where inequalities are most deeply rooted in Spain, as well as some of their causative factors. Finally, some conclusions are stated in the fourth section.