The reduction in territorial disparities is a cornerstone of European Integration and dates back to the Treaty of Rome of 1957, which set the goal of “reducing the differences existing between the various regions and the backwardness of the less-favoured regions”. Cohesion policy is not only the most visible expression of EU solidarity but also a central pillar of its growth model.
- 10 April 2024
A new data story provides a short overview of the state of ‘economic cohesion’ in the EU by assessing long-term economic convergence between regions over the past 20 years.
It gives a focus on the convergence by regions in Central and Eastern Europe. And highlights that some parts of Europe, however, have found it more difficult to converge, especially in a context of overall lower growth in advanced economies.
The story also presents regional variations within countries and the regional GDP rebound after a deep pandemic-induced recession.
This data story is extracted from the 9th Cohesion Report on Economic, Social and Territorial Cohesion in the European Union, (2024).
Find out more about the Cohesion Report.