Is There Knowledge Convergence Among European Regions? Evidence from the European Union Framework Programmes

Hinging on the collaboration-induced knowledge diffusion literature, this paper aims at investigating how the landscape of knowledge production and diffusion has changed over the years and whether there is evidence of knowledge convergence among European regions. Using the European Union Framework Programme data from 1984 to 2016 and network analysis and regressions, we show that there are signs of knowledge convergence within the NUTS2 regions of Europe. Even though the top performers persist over the years, convergence is much stronger among the less developed regions even after controlling for R&D expenditures, patent applications, and human resources in science and technology. Our results have implications for knowledge generation, diffusion, and the design of cohesion policy in Europe.