Detecting the Growth Pattern(s) of the EU Border Regions: A Convergence Clubs Approach.

The EU regions have been experiencing a period of unprecedented change. The ongoing (and parallel) processes of EU integration and enlargement have progressively transformed regional economies to integral parts of the emerging (European) socio-economic space, exposing them to the forces and the dynamics of a more competitive environment. Border regions, in particular, have been put in a state of flux since the re-(al)location of activities, opportunities and threats has changed over (the significance of) their role in the respective emerging (European) socio-economic map. Within the context of the aforementioned milieu, the paper aims at detecting and assessing growth determinants at the EU borderlands. This is an issue that has attracting increasing attention, especially after the creation of the Single European Market and the advent of the euro currency. However, the majority of border studies are enclaved in the “unitary case syndromeâ€Â, without providing substantial added value on border theory. Thus, the present study, following an interdisciplinary approach, compiles a spatial econometrics growth model, incorporating a series of inherent and acquired growth determinants (initial conditions). These determinants are not only quantitative (“hardâ€Â, “traditionalâ€Â) but also qualitative (“softâ€Â, “non-traditionalâ€Â), accentuating the complexity of border issues. The study area covers 349 EU NUTS III border regions, as they are specified by ESPON. The findings of the paper are going to provide valuable insight for the understanding of the determinants of growth in EU border regions, having important implications for both theory and policy-making.

The Geography Of Trade Relations Between The EU And The ENP Countries: Emerging Patterns And Policy Recommendations

The European Neighborhood Policy (ENP), launched in 2004, is a unified EU policy framework towards the EU neighboring countries (ENP countries). The objective of the ENP is to strengthen the prosperity, stability and security of the (enlarged) EU and the ENP countries, creating a "ring of friends" around the EU. Currently, the ENP consists of two sub-groups; the ENP East (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine) and the ENP South (Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Palestine, Syria and Tunisia). Even though the ENP is distinct from the process of EU enlargement, the ENP countries operate under conditions of "neighborhood Europeanization". This indicates a misfit between ENP demands, on the one hand, and ENP rewards, on the other. Given this misfit - and the concomitant skepticism about the ENP capacity to transfer EU values and rules to the neighboring countries - deep(er) economic (in particular, trade) integration between the EU economy and the ENP countries is considered to be a catalyst for the success of the ENP undertaking. The objective of the paper is to study the geography (i.e. the size, the composition and the direction) of EU-ENP trade, conducting an in-depth empirical analysis as regards the trade flows (i.e. imports and exports) of the EU and the ENP countries. The paper provides comparative empirical evidence concerning paths of trade integration between the EU and the ENP countries. It does so by undertaking a descriptive statistical and graphical analysis of the findings derived from the estimation of a series of trade indicators. The analysis utilizes trade data derived from the UN COMTRADE database. The analysis covers the period 2000-2010. This period has been selected so as to gauge the latest shifts operated in trade structures as a result of the recent economic and political reforms (evolutions) implemented (took place) in the EU economy (i.e. the euro currency, the eastwards enlargement, the on-going financial and economic crisis) and the ENP countries (i.e. the "color" revolutions, the Arab "spring"), besides the ENP in itself. Trade data refer to the national-sectoral (2-digit SITC classification) level. The sectors included in the analysis grossly belong to the primary and the secondary sector of production and may form groups of activities according to the intensity of the production factors used. Providing a clear picture regarding the geography of EU-ENP trade, the paper offers valuable insight to both (economic integration) theory and policy-making

Disentangling Different Patterns of Business Cycle Synchronicity in The EU Regions

The present paper discourses on how European integration and gradual enlargement has affected the synchronicity in business cycles in EU regions. The analysis, which is conducted on annual data at the NUTSII level, is based on the following grounds: First, it examines the degree of synchronicity in business cycles in EU regions associated with specific spatial and economic characteristics that explain, to a large extent, synchronisation dynamics. Secondly, the study investigates the existence of a time-varying national ‘border effect', with eventually differentiated dynamism among the old and the new EU member states. For this purpose a dynamic Panel VAR model is employed in order to investigate the impact of spatial variables and productions structures on business cycles taking into consideration the variation in time and cross regions specific characteristics attributed to the integration process of these regions

The Spatial Footprint Of The Ongoing Economic Crisis (2009-…) In Greece: Assessing The Resilience And Development Of The Greek Regions

The fears of a sovereign debt crisis and the consequent lack of confidence, indicated by a widening of bond yield spreads and risk insurance of credit default swaps, have transformed a financial crisis to an economic crisis in Greece, affecting its productive bases and its income level. Up to the present time, there is no clear empirical evidence about the spatial impact of the economic crisis on Greek territory. Because of the austerity measures imposed in Greece from its lenders (i.e. the IMF and the EU counterparts), inevitably, the main focus of attention has been on national rather than regional level, although the crisis has obvious spatial aspects that should not be neglected: (a) the initial, pre-crisis, conditions (i.e. market size, accessibility, geomorphology, natural resources, productive structure) were, already, strongly differentiated among Greek regions; (b) the anti-crisis, austerity, measures taken may have significantly differentiated implications across space; (c) the implementation of spatial policies may be hindered in countries being in stressful fiscal situation. From this perspective, (further) research should be done; critical issues such as how different places are affected by the economic crisis and why, and which regions will continue to be affected, are still open. The paper presents the spatial impact of the ongoing (2009-…) economic crisis in Greece, assessing the resilience and development of the Greek regions. To this end, a Composite Indicator of Regional Resilience (CIRR) and a Composite Indicator of Regional Development (CIRD) are constructed. Both Indicators include statistical data referring to a series of economic, structural, demographic and social variables. The data are derived from Hellenic Statistical Authority (EL.STAT.) and cover the period 2008-2010. The CIRR is calculated, for the whole period under consideration, as the average of the standardized growth values. The CIRD is calculated, for each year included in the period under consideration, as the average of the standardized absolute values. The calculations are conducted at the NUTS III spatial level. Both Indicators are concise, yet comprehensive, policy tools, allowing for the study of the spatial footprint of economic crisis. The findings of the paper verify that the pro-cyclical pattern of regional development in Greece, detected in periods of expansion, still exists in the period of recession. : economic crisis, Greece, spatial impact, composite indicator

Detecting the Growth Pattern(s) of the EU Border Regions: A Convergence Clubs Approach

The EU regions have been experiencing a period of unprecedented change. The ongoing (and parallel) processes of EU integration and enlargement have progressively transformed regional economies to integral parts of the emerging (European) socio-economic space, exposing them to the forces and the dynamics of a more competitive environment. Border regions, in particular, have been put in a state of flux since the re-(al)location of activities, opportunities and threats has changed over (the significance of) their role in the respective emerging (European) socio-economic map. Within the context of the aforementioned milieu, the paper aims at detecting and assessing growth determinants at the EU borderlands. This is an issue that has attracting increasing attention, especially after the creation of the Single European Market and the advent of the euro currency. However, the majority of border studies are enclaved in the "unitary case syndrome", without providing substantial added value on border theory. Thus, the present study, following an interdisciplinary approach, compiles a spatial econometrics growth model, incorporating a series of inherent and acquired growth determinants (initial conditions). These determinants are not only quantitative ("hard", "traditional") but also qualitative ("soft", "non-traditional"), accentuating the complexity of border issues. The study area covers 349 EU NUTS III border regions, as they are specified by ESPON. The findings of the paper are going to provide valuable insight for the understanding of the determinants of growth in EU border regions, having important implications for both theory and policy-making

The Determinants of Growth in EU Border Regions

The abolition of the artificial impediments of cross-border interaction has produced a new EU regional socioeconomic map, releasing dynamics that have influenced significantly the EU socioeconomic space. Especially at the borderlands, a new mix of opportunities and threats has come forth, putting EU border regions in a state of flux. The paper compiles a cross-section empirical econometric model that accounts for growth performance in the 349 EU NUTS III border regions during the period 2000-2006. The findings of the paper suggest that there is a series of inherent and acquired factors (initial conditions) that determine the growth performance in the EU border regions. These factors are both ('traditional') quantitative and qualitative ("soft"), indicating the complexity of border issues. The findings of the econometric investigation have important implications for both theory and policy

Industrial Growth in the Integrated European Economic Space

The European space has experienced relentless geo-economic changes that result in a re-conceptualisation of their industrial growth pattern. The aim of this paper is to empirically detect the determinants of industrial growth covering the entirety of Europe, thus embracing economies of different production systems and welfare levels. Integration has influenced the economies and their industrial growth not only inside the EU but inside the whole European area, on the one hand, by attributing to them common behavioural characteristics, and on the other hand, by forming their industrial growth pattern under the influence of different natural factors in alignment with the regions’ comparative advantage and the markets’ maturity levels

Medical Physics: forming and testing solutions to clinical problems

According to the European Federation of Organizations for Medical Physics (EFOMP) policy statement No. 13, “The rapid advance in the use of highly sophisticated equipment and procedures in the medical field increasingly depends on information and communication technology. In spite of the fact that the safety and quality of such technology is vigorously tested before it is placed on the market, it often turns out that the safety and quality is not sufficient when used under hospital working conditions. To improve safety and quality for patient and users, additional safeguards and related monitoring, as well as measures to enhance quality, are required. Furthermore a large number of accidents and incidents happen every year in hospitals and as a consequence a number of patients die or are injured. Medical Physicists are well positioned to contribute towards preventing these kinds of events”. The newest developments related to this increasingly important medical speciality were presented during the 8th European Conference of Medical Physics 2014 which was held in Athens, 11–13 September 2014 and hosted by the Hellenic Association of Medical Physicists (HAMP) in collaboration with the EFOMP and are summarized in this issue

BUSINESS CYCLE SYNCHRONISATION IN THE GREEK REGIONS

This paper examines the degree of synchronicity in business cycles in Greek regions associated with specific spatial and economic characteristics that explain, to a large extent, synchronisation dynamics. We conducted an analysis of almost 30 years’ (1980-2008) worth of data at the NUTSIII level (prefectures). We conclude that prefectures are more synchronised with the NUTSII regions than the national level, accentuating a regional (NUTSII) border effect. Moreover, the intensification of the integration process and the free operation of markets seem to diachronically affect the structural characteristics of the Greek regions and the geography of cyclical synchronisation. Our study revealed a two-stage integration in which in the first stage they are detected urbanisation economies, while in the second one localisation economies. The metropolitan region, apart from its prominent position in economic growth, shows a confined level of business synchronisation with the other regions, stressing Greece’s pattern of economic and structural dualism

Cross-Border Cooperation in Southeastern Europe: The Enterprises's Point of View

This paper examines the current status, the limits, the prospects and the policies of cross-border cooperation in the border zone of Albania, Bulgaria, FYROM and Greece, on the basis of a survey with a sample of 291 manufacturing firms located near the borders in all four countries. The analysis suggests that border region firms may have a higher level of interaction than the respective average national firms in all countries and that trade relations and economic cooperation eventually depend on the level of specialization and the size of the markets. It also suggests that barriers to cooperation mater and can affect negatively the performance of border region firms. Overall, firms are less concerned about the quality of infrastructure and more concerned about the general or the Пnancial conditions prevailing in each country, indicating that the best policy of cross-border cooperation, besides infrastructure, may be the development of the economies in the region and the improvements in their economic environment