In Europe, inequality across regions is now as high as inequality across countries
Convergence is driven by the poorest “low‑income” regions
A middle income trap ensnared “low‑growth” regions after the 2007‑08 crisis
The most productive "frontier" region often remains at the top over time
Frontier regions tend to be urban, but catching up can happen anywhere
Demographic pressures are unevenly distributed
The move towards metropolitan areas
Rapid growth before the 2007‑08 crisis was not always sustainable
Seven year cycles of growth and decline in Andalusia (Spain) and Central Macedonia (Greece)
Real per capita GDP has started to recover, but many regions remain below pre-crisis levels
Investment was set back by more than a decade in many regions
Productivity grows, on average, faster in regions that experienced job losses
Many regions combine employment and productivity growth
Quarters of recession in the United States and the euro area
Productivity dynamics at the regional level in the EU
The challenge of combining dynamic growth and catching up
Inequalities grow when regions fail to catch up