The effect of European integration on economic redistribution in Central and Eastern Europe

Bilyana Petrova and Aleksandra Sznajder Lee
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Bilyana Petrova: Department of Political Science, 6177Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, USA
Aleksandra Sznajder Lee: Department of Political Science, 6888University of Richmond, Richmond, VA, USA

European Union Politics, 2024, vol. 25, issue 1, 17-41

Abstract: We examine the effects of European integration on economic redistribution in Central and Eastern Europe. While accession to the European Union provided new economic opportunities, it also imposed considerable constraints. Using cross-sectional time-series analysis of 11 post-communist countries between 2004 and 2018, we focus on the impact of trade flows, cohesion policy funds, emigration, remittances, and Economic and Monetary Union membership. We find that emigration and commercial reorientation toward the European Union are associated with greater efforts to alleviate income inequality. In contrast, the adoption of the euro induces lower redistribution. Finally, the receipt of European Union cohesion funds does not affect income differentials. To our knowledge, this is one of the first systematic analyses of how the European Union shapes inequality dynamics in Central and Eastern Europe.

Keywords: Economic redistribution; European integration; globalization; post-communist Europe; social policy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:sae:eeupol:v:25:y:2024:i:1:p:17-41

DOI: 10.1177/14651165231210943

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