Economic integration and convergence processes in the EU cohesion countries

This article compares the economic performance of the EU cohesion countries Greece, Spain, Portugal and Ireland - from 1960 to the present, in, order to identify the processes that have promoted or inhibited teal convergence prospects at various points in time. The likely impacts of EMU in strengthening or weakening these processes are then analysed. Amongst the factors studied are labour-market performance, macroeconomic stability and the efficacy of microeconomic policy-making.