Convergence through regionalization

In the process of European integration, structural convergence has progressively become a central objective of the community policies. Thus, the convergence requirement follows from sharpening the differences between member countries and their regions, due both to the functioning of the four freedoms and to the successive expansions towards countries with different levels of development. This paper aims to carry out an analysis of regionalization, convergence and regional development based on research on the various theories available in the literature, as well as an assessment of the economic situation and the administrative-territorial organization of the EU member countries. The objective is an analysis of the European development regions as well as the manner in which the European funds and their allocation by different axes can lead to curtailing the gaps among regions.