joined the European Union (EU11) and 15 countries of Western Europe (EU15) in the period 1993-2015. The evolution of the … 2000-2007, just before and after the EU's major enlargement. This suggests that the increasing economic integration … average GDP per capita level seen in Western Europe. The third scenario, based on a long-term economic forecast for the EU …

While European integration has substantially contributed to economic convergence between the member states of the EU …, the gap between rich and poor regions widened in most countries which accessed the EU since 2004. This trend, however …