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Event Review: Economic Convergence or Divergence in the EU?

Tuesday, 09.10.2018

CEPS

Conference Room

1, Place du Congrès

1000 Brussels

Belgium

8th Annual Intereconomics / CEPS Conference in Brussels

European integration has always been associated with the aspiration of upwards economic convergence. However, though accession of fast-growing member states in 2004 and 2007 gave positive convergence a boost, divergences, particularly of the EU’s southern members, have appeared over the past decade. Moreover, there are mounting divergence pressures at a regional level. The conference will examine the process of EU economic convergence in its various forms and consider its driving factors.

Studies and conclusions of the conference speakers are published in Intereconomics No. 1 of 2019.

In cooperation with

Conference Programme (pdf)

8th annual Intereconomics / CEPS Conference: Economic Convergence or Divergence in the EU?

How do we spot the trends in convergence and how can they help us to understand and stimulate the process? What roles do education, structural funds and regional factors play in this process? What policy measures can the EU use to foster economic convergence and deter divergence in the coming decade? Representatives from the EU institutions, academic researchers, economists and other experts consider these questions and offer their insight. Join us and share your views on these important questions.

Studies and conclusions are available in the Intereconomics issue No.1 of 2019.

Program

Session 1: Trends of Economic Convergence

  • Convergence in the EU
    Cinzia Alcidi
    CEPS
  • Convergence and Divergence in the Euro Area
    Barry Eichengreen
    University of California, Berkeley
  • Convergence of German Bundesländer – Lessons for the EU
    Michael Burda
    Humboldt Universität zu Berlin
  • Moderator
    Jiffer Bourguignon
    Intereconomics

Session 2: Drivers of Convergence/Divergence in the EU

  • Incentivising Structural Reforms
    Mathias Dolls
    CESifo
  • Upgrading Europe’s Convergence Machine
    Christian Bodewig
    World Bank
  • Cohesion, Convergence and the EU Financial Toolbox
    László Andor
    Corvinus University of Budapest
  • Moderator
    Cinzia Alcidi
    CEPS

Session 3: What can the EU do?

  • Structural Funds
    Ioana Rus
    European Commission
  • Can (Current) Europe Do Something? The Interweaving of External Constraints and Domestic Entropy
    Dario Guarascio
    INAPP
  • The Impact of Structural Funds on Convergence
    Jorge Núñez Ferrer
    CEPS
  • Moderator
    Brigitte Preissl
    Intereconomics

Roundtable Debate: How much Divergence can the EU take?

  • Maria João Rodrigues
    MEP
  • Daniel Gros
    Director, CEPS
  • Barry Eichengreen
    University of California, Berkeley
  • Charles Wyplosz
    The Graduate Institute, Geneva
  • Moderator
    Alan Beattie
    Financial Times