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Social Exclusion and Convergence in the EU: An Assessment of the Europe 2020 Strategy

Author

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  • Juan Ángel Lafuente

    (Department of Finance and Accounting and IEI, University Jaume I, Avda Sos Baynat s.n, Castellón de la Plana 12070, Spain)

  • Amparo Marco

    (Department of Finance and Accounting, University Jaume I, Avda Sos Baynat s.n, Castellón de la Plana 12070, Spain)

  • Mercedes Monfort

    (Department of Economics and IEI, Universitat Jaume I, Avda Sos Baynat s.n, Castellón de la Plana 12070, Spain)

  • Javier Ordóñez

    (Department of Economics and IEI, Universitat Jaume I, Avda Sos Baynat s.n, Castellón de la Plana 12070, Spain)

Abstract
Economic convergence has long been a declared objective of the EU and considered the fundamental mechanism for achieving socioeconomic cohesion. The recent economic crisis had an uneven impact across EU countries and brought a halt to the process of economic and social convergence. In response to this situation, the Europe 2020 strategy, launched in 2010, aimed to deliver social and territorial cohesion in the Member States. In this paper we evaluate the poverty and social exclusion pillar of the Europe 2020 strategy by analysing whether it has promoted convergence across the EU countries in the indicators devised to capture risk of poverty, severe material deprivation, and the number of persons living in households with very low work intensity. Our results for all three rates indicate that convergence occurs in heterogeneous clubs that do not follow a geographic east‒west or south‒north pattern. Convergence within each club, especially for the severe deprivation rate, takes place by means of a catching-up process, with Eastern European levels converging on the Western levels. Finally, not only is there club convergence, but there is no tendency for the clubs to convergence. Poverty and social cohesion indicators show a multi-speed Europe, casting doubt on the sustainability of the overall convergence process in the EU.

Suggested Citation

  • Juan Ángel Lafuente & Amparo Marco & Mercedes Monfort & Javier Ordóñez, 2020. "Social Exclusion and Convergence in the EU: An Assessment of the Europe 2020 Strategy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(5), pages 1-22, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:5:p:1843-:d:326601
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    Cited by:

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    2. Beata Bieszk-Stolorz & Krzysztof Dmytrów, 2022. "Assessment of the Similarity of the Situation in the EU Labour Markets and Their Changes in the Face of the COVID-19 Pandemic," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-20, March.
    3. Maynou, Laia & Ordóñez, Javier & Silva, José Ignacio, 2022. "Convergence and determinants of young people not in employment, education or training: An European regional analysis," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 110(C).
    4. Beata Bieszk-Stolorz & Krzysztof Dmytrów, 2020. "Influence of Accession of the Visegrad Group Countries to the EU on the Situation in Their Labour Markets," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(16), pages 1-16, August.
    5. Łukasz Mach & Karina Bedrunka & Ireneusz Dąbrowski & Paweł Frącz, 2021. "The Relationship between ROP Funds and Sustainable Development—A Case Study for Poland," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-19, May.
    6. Juan Carlos Cuestas & Mercedes Monfort & Javier Ordóñez, 2021. "The education pillar of the Europe 2020 strategy: a convergence analysis," Empirica, Springer;Austrian Institute for Economic Research;Austrian Economic Association, vol. 48(4), pages 1113-1129, November.
    7. Łukasz Mach & Karina Bedrunka & Anna Kuczuk & Marzena Szewczuk-Stępień, 2021. "Effect of Structural Funds on Housing Market Sustainability Development—Correlation, Regression and Wavelet Coherence Analysis," Risks, MDPI, vol. 9(10), pages 1-17, October.
    8. Marlena Piekut & Kamil Piekut, 2022. "Changes in Patterns of Consumer Spending in European Households," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-25, October.
    9. Marek Walesiak & Grażyna Dehnel, 2020. "The Measurement of Social Cohesion at Province Level in Poland Using Metric and Interval-Valued Data," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(18), pages 1-19, September.
    10. Cooper, Clair & Cunningham, Niall & Bracken, Louise J. & Collier, Marcus, 2024. "Distribution of Nature-based Solutions in cities across Europe," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 141(C).
    11. Kozar Łukasz, 2021. "Non-Monetary Indicators of Social Exclusion – A Multidimensional Comparative Analysis of the Eu-10 Countries," Econometrics. Advances in Applied Data Analysis, Sciendo, vol. 25(4), pages 40-53, December.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    EU integration; social cohesion; sustainability; convergence; Europe 2020;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C22 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Time-Series Models; Dynamic Quantile Regressions; Dynamic Treatment Effect Models; Diffusion Processes
    • F15 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Economic Integration

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