Institute of Economics and Economic Development, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, University of Szeged, Hungary

Dr. habil. György Vida, associate professor (p)
 
Short Abstract: Although Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) has undergone a massive economic transformation since joining the EU, regional inequalities remain a persistent challenge as many areas have fallen into a "regional development trap." A recent study examining 61 larger (NUTS2) and 238 smaller (NUTS3) regions across 11 CEE countries over the past thirty years reveals that this economic catch-up process is incomplete and highly uneven. Building on the framework by Diemer et al. (2022), the research highlights that these development traps—where a region suffers from a structural lock-in and stalls at a certain economic level—do not only affect low-income areas, but also impact several middle- and higher-income territories, proving that growth alone does not guarantee long-term success. Crucially, the mapping shows that the nature of these economic constraints changes significantly depending on the territorial scale analyzed, underscoring the urgent need to shift away from one-size-fits-all solutions toward place-sensitive development policies tailored to local realities.

Tibor Páli, Institute of Biophysics, HUN-REN BRC

Board room (#338), Institute of Biophysics, HUN-REN Biological Research Centre, Temesvári krt. 62, Szeged (Hungary)