Assessing pro-poor growth in the European expansion countries in the light of the convergence criteria

Abstract EN

Economic growth is an important factor in poverty reduction.

usually, different societal groups differ in benefiting from growth, and the optimum situation is with the pro-poor growth.

this paper is an attempt to determine whether growth in European expansion countries was pro-poor during the period 2006-2018 when convergence criteria imposed by the Maastricht treaty.

this research gets its importance from the fact that it discusses the pro-poverty growth in an area and international economic prospective that have not been previously addressed, and it uses the inductive method to reach its objectives.

the paper concluded that growth was pro-poor in (Poland, Malta, Czech, Latvia, Romania, Estonia), while it was not pro-poor in (Cyprus, Bulgaria, Hungary, Slovenia, Slovakia, Lithuania).

the paper also concluded that the expanding countries that were able to quickly adapt to convergence criteria achieved pro-poor growth regardless of their income levels.