IMPACT OF STRUCTURAL FUNDS ON REGIONAL GROWTH: HOW TO RECONSIDER A 9 YEAR-OLD BLACK BOX

Econometric estimations of the impact of structural funds on the growth process of the European regions started 9 years ago. However, it is striking to realize that all previous estimations in this field are based on some form of the neoclassical growth model. This model is still widely used despite the numerous critics it has raised and its lack of consideration for increasing returns to scale, which are at the heart of agglomeration and growth processes according to endogenous growth theories and new economic geography models. In addition, few estimations have paid attention to the nature of the cohesion objectives under study. For example, the expected impact of objec-tive 1 funds, devoted to public infrastructures, is indeed theoretically and empirically very different from the one of objective 3 funds devoted to long-term unemployed. As a result, the aim of this paper is to propose a careful assessment of the impact of structural funds on the manufacturing sector of 145 European regions in the context of a Verdoorn’s law for the period 1989-2004. First, the results are presented with total structural funds and funds differen-tiated by objective. Second, interregional linkages are included by means of spatial econometric techniques. Third, potential endogeneity of the explanatory variables is taken into account.GROWTH, REGIONAL POLICY, INCREASING RETURNS, EUROPE, SPATIAL ECONOMETRICS

The evolution of the spatial and sectoral patterns in Ile-de-France over 1978-1997

The aim of this paper is to analyze the intra-urban spatial distribution of employment in the agglomeration of Ile-de-France in 1978 and 1997. In that purpose, exploratory spatial data analysis is used in order to identify employment centers and a sectoral analysis of the CBD and the subcenters is performed. Our results highlight a suburbanization process of employment between 1978 and 1997 in Ile-de-France. A more polarized space emerges in 1997 compared to 1978 with several employment centers specialized in different activities. Moreover, even if the spatial influence of the CBD is diminishing during the study period, the CBD preserves its economic leadership by concentrating a large variety of high-order producer services. Keywords: exploratory spatial data analysis; employment centers; spatial autocorrelation; suburbanization JEL Classification: C12, R12, R14

Industry Concentration Patterns in the European Union: Does the East Mirror the West?

This article analyses the changes in industry concentration in the European Union (EU) using two regional samples: the EU-15 for the period 1980-2004 and the Central/Eastern European Countries (CEECs) for the period 1990-2004. We compute Brülhart and Traegers entropy index (2005) for agriculture, manufacturing, and services. To assess the statistical significance of the differences between sub-periods, we use a block-bootstrap procedure. Our results show a change in industry concentration patterns in the EU-15 and the CEECs, corroborating the findings of economic-geography models, namely, that the decline in transaction costs alters economic concentration patterns. However, those findings also show that an initial concentration phase is followed by a second phase characterised by redispersion at high levels of economic integration. Our results do not confirm that theoretical conclusion. Moreover, our results reveal that, while concentration patterns are changing, they are not converging between Western and Eastern European countries.Economic-geography Models, European Union, Industry Concentration

Le centre d’affaire historique de Paris : quel pouvoir structurant sur l’espace économique en Ile-de-France ?

L’objectif de cet article est d’analyser l’influence du centre d’affaires traditionnel de Paris sur l’activité économique en Ile-de-France. Premièrement, nous évaluons le gradient de densité d’emploi et sa significativité à l’aide de fonctions de densité estimées pour l’emploi total et pour six secteurs. Les résultats indiquent que le centre d’affaires traditionnel de Paris structure toujours globalement l’emploi en Ile-de-France mais que son influence est très différente selon les secteurs. Deuxièmement, nous procédons à des régressions locales et montrons que le gradient de densité d’emploi est variable selon la distance à laquelle une commune francilienne se trouve du centre d’affaires et selon la direction considérée dans l’espace. Dans tous les cas, des techniques d’économétrie spatiale bayésiennes robustes à l’hétéroscédasticité sont mises en œuvre.The aim of this paper is to analyze the influence of the CBD of Paris on the economic activity of Ile-de-France. First, we evaluate the employment density gradient and its significance using density functions estimated for total employment and six sectors. The results indicate that the CBD still globally influences employment in Ile-de-France but that its influence is different across sectors. Secondly, we perform local regressions and show that the employment density gradient depends on the distance from the CBD a commune is located and on the direction considered. In all cases, heteroskedasticity robust bayesian spatial econometric techniques are used

The non-stationary influence of geography on the spatial agglomeration of production in the EU

In this paper, we investigate the relative importance of geographic features on the location of production in the EU. Specifically, we want to quantify how much of the spatial pattern of GDP can be attributed to only exogenous first nature elements (physical and political geography) and how much can be derived from endogenous second nature factors (man-made agglomeration economies). In order to disentangle both effects empirically, and to learn how they are interrelated, we control for second nature. We use a methodology based on an analysis of variance (ANOVA), which is applied to a panel of 1,171 European NUT-3 in 2006. We demonstrate that -due to a high degree of spatial non-stationarity present in the data- results can be biased if spatial autocorrelation and spatial heterogeneity, as well as multicollinearity and endogeneity, are not properly taken into account

The non-stationary influence of geography on the spatial agglomeration of production in the EU

In this paper, we investigate the relative importance of geographic features on the location of production in the EU. Specifically, we want to quantify how much of the spatial pattern of GDP can be attributed to only exogenous first nature elements (physical and political geography) and how much can be derived from endogenous second nature factors (man-made agglomeration economies). In order to disentangle both effects empirically, and to learn how they are interrelated, we control for second nature. We use a methodology based on an analysis of variance (ANOVA), which is applied to a panel of 1,171 European NUT-3 in 2006. We demonstrate that -due to a high degree of spatial non-stationarity present in the data- results can be biased if spatial autocorrelation and spatial heterogeneity, as well as multicollinearity and endogeneity, are not properly taken into account

The LifeCycle Project-EU Child Cohort Network : a federated analysis infrastructure and harmonized data of more than 250,000 children and parents

Early life is an important window of opportunity to improve health across the full lifecycle. An accumulating body of evidence suggests that exposure to adverse stressors during early life leads to developmental adaptations, which subsequently affect disease risk in later life. Also, geographical, socio-economic, and ethnic differences are related to health inequalities from early life onwards. To address these important public health challenges, many European pregnancy and childhood cohorts have been established over the last 30 years. The enormous wealth of data of these cohorts has led to important new biological insights and important impact for health from early life onwards. The impact of these cohorts and their data could be further increased by combining data from different cohorts. Combining data will lead to the possibility of identifying smaller effect estimates, and the opportunity to better identify risk groups and risk factors leading to disease across the lifecycle across countries. Also, it enables research on better causal understanding and modelling of life course health trajectories. The EU Child Cohort Network, established by the Horizon2020-funded LifeCycle Project, brings together nineteen pregnancy and childhood cohorts, together including more than 250,000 children and their parents. A large set of variables has been harmonised and standardized across these cohorts. The harmonized data are kept within each institution and can be accessed by external researchers through a shared federated data analysis platform using the R-based platform DataSHIELD, which takes relevant national and international data regulations into account. The EU Child Cohort Network has an open character. All protocols for data harmonization and setting up the data analysis platform are available online. The EU Child Cohort Network creates great opportunities for researchers to use data from different cohorts, during and beyond the LifeCycle Project duration. It also provides a novel model for collaborative research in large research infrastructures with individual-level data. The LifeCycle Project will translate results from research using the EU Child Cohort Network into recommendations for targeted prevention strategies to improve health trajectories for current and future generations by optimizing their earliest phases of life.Peer reviewe

Externalités d'informations et évolution des villes

Present-day city growth is chiefly the result of new tertiary activities such as financial and producer services, R&D, or business administration. These activities consume human capital, knowledge and high-tech capital, which are all rapidly changing inputs; they are based on complex decision-making processes; this renders them highly information-dependent. Inasmuch as these activities are the main key to understanding the city, information must play a leading role in understanding urban forms. The concentration of these activities in cities appears paradoxical in the era of information. They are agglomerated because of their need of proximity for exchanging information. But information can be transmited very easily at a long distance with new communication technologies. In this context, the links between information exchanges, agglomeration and dispersion have to be investigated. In the framework of economic geography, this paper aims to study the role of information exchanges in the evolution of cities. We shall split information exchanges according both to their sensitivity to the progress of communication technologies and to their agglomeration effect.Aujourd'hui, les activités qui font la ville se transforment. Les activités de services financiers, juridiques et de la recherche prennent une part de plus en plus importante dans les activités urbaines. Ces activités relèvent des fonctions de conception, de décision et de contrôle. Or elles utilisent beaucoup de capital humain et de haute technologie : cela les rend fortement consommatrices et productrices d'informations. Mais à l'ère de l'information, la concentration de ces activités dans les villes peut apparaître paradoxale. Si ces activités sont agglomérées, c'est qu'il existe un besoin de proximité pour échanger des informations. Or, aujourd'hui, grâce aux technologies de la communication, on peut transmettre des informations sans que le face à face soit nécessaire. Dans ces conditions, il convient se s'interroger sur les liens entre échanges d'informations, agglomération et dispersion. Le but de ce papier est de proposer des pistes de réflexions sur le rôle des échanges d'informations dans l'évolution urbaine. Il s'agit alors de différencier les interactions informationnelles selon leur sensibilité aux progrès des technologies et d'identifier leur impact agglomératif. Pour cela, nous nous appuyons sur les instruments de l'économie géographique

Externalités d'informations et évolution des villes / Information externalities and the evolution of cities

Aujourd'hui, les activités qui font la ville se transforment. Les activités de services financiers, juridiques et de la recherche prennent une part de plus en plus importante dans les activités urbaines. Ces activités relèvent des fonctions de conception, de décision et de contrôle. Or elles utilisent beaucoup de capital humain et de haute technologie : cela les rend fortement consommatrices et productrices d'informations. Mais à l'ère de l'information, la concentration de ces activités dans les villes peut apparaître paradoxale. Si ces activités sont agglomérées, c'est qu'il existe un besoin de proximité pour échanger des informations. Or, aujourd'hui, grâce aux technologies de la communication, on peut transmettre des informations sans que le face à face soit nécessaire. Dans ces conditions, il convient se s'interroger sur les liens entre échanges d'informations, agglomération et dispersion. Le but de ce papier est de proposer des pistes de réflexions sur le rôle des échanges d'informations dans l'évolution urbaine. Il s'agit alors de différencier les interactions informationnelles selon leur sensibilité aux progrès des technologies et d'identifier leur impact agglomératif. Pour cela, nous nous appuyons sur les instruments de l'économie géographique. / Present-day city growth is chiefly the result of new tertiary activities such as financial and producer services, R&D, or business administration. These activities consume human capital, knowledge and high-tech capital, which are all rapidly changing inputs; they are based on complex decision-making processes; this renders them highly information-dependent. Inasmuch as these activities are the main key to understanding the city, information must play a leading role in understanding urban forms. The concentration of these activities in cities appears paradoxical in the era of information. They are agglomerated because of their need of proximity for exchanging information. But information can be transmited very easily at a long distance with new communication technologies. In this context, the links between information exchanges, agglomeration and dispersion have to be investigated. In the framework of economic geography, this paper aims to study the role of information exchanges in the evolution of cities. We shall split information exchanges according both to their sensitivity to the progress of communication technologies and to their agglomeration effect.Economie urbaine; externalités spatiales; informations Urban economics; spatial externalities; information