Regional convergence in the European Union – Factors of growth between the great recession and the COVID crisis

In this paper, we provide a new look at convergence in the EU while focusing on development at the regional level between the Great Recession and the recent COVID crisis. We use the log t convergence test by Phillips and Sul (2007) to analyze convergence in income level among the European regions. We identified five convergence clubs rather than supporting the overall convergence hypothesis. Furthermore, we investigated the determinants of convergence club membership using logistic regression. Our results confirmed high inequality within the member states and a shifting geographic pattern of the top-performing regions, with the increasing prominence of the manufacturing core in southern Germany and the surrounding areas. We found a positive association between membership in higher clubs, research and patent activities, and specialization in manufacturing. We also confirmed the positive economic performance of capital cities and the main metropolitan areas.