Analysis of Efficiency of the Regional Policy in Spain

Abstract

Spain is a country of great disproportions among its regions; besides, it suffers from strong centrifugal forces. That is why regional policy is essential for Spain. Being a member of the European Union, Spain is also a beneficiary of the EU Cohesion Policy. Th e authors analyze the efficiency of that regional policy using the sigma- and beta-convergence methods for their evaluations, as well as carry out calculations of Gini and Herfindahl indexes. Th e change in the industrial structure of the economy is also examined. Finally, aft er all these calculations, the authors make a conclusion about how efficient are the measures of regional policies adopted by the Spanish government and by the EU.