Cal, Vasco --- "Economic and social cohesion in an enlarged European Union" [2003] ELECD 30; in Tumpel-Gugerell, Gertrude; Mooslechner, Peter (eds), "Economic Convergence and Divergence in Europe" (Edward Elgar Publishing, 2003)

Book Title: Economic Convergence and Divergence in Europe

Editor(s): Tumpel-Gugerell, Gertrude; Mooslechner, Peter

Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing

ISBN (hard cover): 9781843762416

Section: Chapter 24

Section Title: Economic and social cohesion in an enlarged European Union

Author(s): Cal, Vasco

Number of pages: 4

Extract:

24. Economic and social cohesion in
an enlarged European Union
Vasco Cal

The second report on economic and social cohesion, which was adopted by
the European Commission on 31 January 2001, marks the beginning of the
debate on the cohesion policy after 2006.
The first report, which was adopted in 1996, gave rise to the Agenda 2000
proposals and the Berlin summit decisions on the financial perspective for
2000­2006.
In the second report, the Commission analyses the situation and regional
disparities in a Europe of 27 member states, and the contribution of
Community policies ­ among them the structural policies ­ to cohesion.
The main conclusions of the report are as follows:

1. Compared with the present situation, regional disparities will more
than double in an enlarged European Union:

almost the entire population of 105 million people in the appli-
cant countries will be living in regions with a per capita GDP of
less than 75 per cent of a Community average that will itself be
more than 18 per cent down on the present level;
the standard of living in the least-developed regions of the
enlarged European Union will be equivalent to about 31 per cent
of the Community average, compared with 61 per cent at present.

2. There will be three groups of member states in the enlarged European
Union:

a group comprising the majority of the current applicant coun-
tries, which will have a per capita GDP (expressed in PPP) of
40 per cent of the Community ...