Title: The impact of EU enlargement on European border regions

Authors: Annekatrin Niebuhr

Addresses: Regional Research Network, Institute for Employment Research, IAB Nord, Projensdorfer Strasse 82, D-24106 Kiel, Germany

Abstract: The enlargement of the EU is supposed to have a profound impact on the location of economic activities in Europe. Although there is concern about the implications of enlargement for regional disparities in the EU, the corresponding empirical results are still rare. The objective of this analysis is to provide evidence on enlargement effects with special focus on border regions in the EU27, since they are likely to play a critical role within the spatial dynamics initiated by integration. Departing from a three-region economic geographical model we investigate whether changes in market access caused by integration result in above-average integration benefits in border regions.

Keywords: integration effects; market access; EU enlargement; regional disparities; border regions; European integration; European Union.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPP.2008.019065

International Journal of Public Policy, 2008 Vol.3 No.3/4, pp.163 - 186

Published online: 28 Jun 2008 *

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