We construct a new indicator of de facto financial integration in the EU. The resulting indicator is pro-cyclical as it … income disparities among European countries. However, our analysis suggests that most of the movements in the indicator … financial integration, these results highlight the need to develop further policies to foster it in the EU. …

EU Member States that exhibit co-movement in their growth dynamics, over the period 1980-2018. We then use the observed … of the EU. In contrast, bottom regions with low market dynamism and poor economic development, do not converge to each … other, and collectively lag significantly behind top European regions. Finally, we find evidence of EU Cohesion Fund …