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The deepening of regional disparities is an issue of increasing importance that has been systematically emphasized in the EU policy, especially since the process of "Eastern Integration" has started. The paper focuses on the Visegrad Group countries whose regions are less developed in the EU context. The aim of the research is to assess the development of disparities in regional economic performance of the Visegrad Group countries, to identify how the factors of economic growth determine these disparities, and partly to assess whether the integration of the Visegrad Group countries into the EU influenced the development of regional disparities in these countries. For the analysis of disparities during 2000–2013 we selected an approach of measuring real convergence (sigma-convergence). Disparities were measured in the context of a breakdown of the GDP per capita into sub-components, reflecting on the development of disparities in productivity and employment. The results show that, although regions of the Visegrad Group countries converged towards the EU average and also in terms of the Visegrad Group as a whole, regional disparities within countries rather increased. This led to a paradox where, although the objective of reducing regional disparities across the EU was satisfied, from a national perspective disparities increased. The Labour productivity factor, with its dominant yet steadily growing contribution, is the main determinant of disparities in the performance of the Visegrad Group regions. Other sources of disparities are characterized by a stable development or convergence. Only Polish regions deviated from the general conclusions, since the extent of disparities among them grew constantly, and the nature of disparities was the Labour participation rate. In terms of the impact caused by accession into the EU, the measured changes were rather minor and the identified trends had mostly been in place before the Visegrad Group countries entered the EU. ; Prohlubování regionálních disparit je problém vzrůstajícího významu, který je na úrovni politiky EU systematicky akcentován, zvláště pak po započetí procesu "východní integrace". Příspěvek je zaměřen na země Visegrad Group, jejichž regiony jsou v kontextu EU méně rozvinuté. Cílem výzkumu je posoudit vývoj disparit v ekonomické výkonosti regionů zemí Visegrad Group; identifikovat, jak složky ekonomického růstu tyto disparity determinují; a částečně také posoudit, zda měla integrace zemí Visegrad Group do EU vliv na vývoj regionálních disparit těchto zemí. Pro analýzu vývoje disparit v období 2000-2013 byl zvolen přístup měření reálné konvergence (sigma-convergence). Disparity jsou měřeny v kontextu dekompozice GDP per capita na dílčí složky odrážející vývoj disparit v produktivitě a zaměstnanosti. Výsledky ukazují, že zatímco vůči průměru EU regiony zemí Visegrad Group konvergovaly, a stejně tak z hlediska Visegrad Group jako celku, regionální disparity v rámci jednotlivých zemí spíše narůstaly. Došlo tak k paradoxní situaci, kdy je sice cíl snižování regionálních disparit napříč EU naplňován, nicméně z národního hlediska disparity narůstaly. Hlavní determinantou disparit v výkonnosti regionů Visegrad Group je faktor Labour productivity, s dominantním a přitom soustavně rostoucím podílem na rozsahu. U ostatních zdrojů disparit stabilní vývoj či konvergence. Z obecných závěrů se však vymykají regiony Polska, u nichž byl rozsah disparit neustále rostoucí a jejich zdrojem byla Labour participation rate. Z hlediska efektu přistoupení k EU jsou naměřené změny spíše minoritní a identifikované trendy byly převážně nastoleny již před vstupem zemí Visegrad Group do EU.

The aim of this paper is to determine whether it is possible, in line with the purpose of the cohesion policy, to identify the elimination of disparities across the EU 2004+ countries and their cohesion regions, as measured by a relevant method of geographical analysis of disparities. The disparities were assessed, based on the indicator of gross domestic product per capita, both for each country as a whole and for individual cohesion regions. We have chosen the Theil index as the primary method of assessment, with the results then being checked using the Adjusted Geographic Concentration index (AGC). Both methods have consistently shown that, although there are disparities in the GDP per capita indicator among the countries and their cohesion regions, the disparities can be qualified as relatively low (with the exception of Hungary) based on the values gained using the two methods. Regarding the actual development of disparities, the Theil index identified a significant increase, especially after the crisis year of 2008, while the harmonized AGC index of production revealed, with regard to the different development of individual national indices (stagnation, decline and growth), that the development of discrepancies in wealth creation has not changed.

The objective of the presented paper is, in the first place, to look into the solution of current serious macroeconomic problems of member states of the European Union by laying down a new enforcement mechanism described in the Alert Mechanism Report (AMR). In recent years distinctive and persistent macroeconomic imbalances have accumulated that are reflected in high and persistent external deficits and surpluses, in the persistent loss of competitiveness, in the dramatic increase in indebtedness and in the increase in real estate bubbles, which were one of the causes of the current financial crisis. Macroeconomic problems of the European Union's economies are dealt with in the very AMR, which defines a new procedure for the prevention and reformation of macroeconomic dysfunctions. Based on compliance with ten selected indicators according to determined threshold values those economies are identified that are liable to undergoing various macroeconomic imbalances in years to come. In the end the paper uses selected statistic methods, namely cluster analysis, to look into the mentioned indicators of external imbalances and competitiveness and imbalances inside an economy in question. The article focuses on the analysis of the created clusters according to their similarity in the development of the mentioned macroeconomic indicators and on the assessment of the conclusions of the EU commission.

This paper shows how to evaluate a development of regional disparities with the Pareto chart. Explanation of chart principles is followed by its application to the regions of Visegrad Group countries. To present the usability of Pareto chart, we applied it on three different situations – involving both convergence and divergence. In addition, to confirm the estimates resulted from charts, we used the σ- convergence approach as a benchmark. Our results found that the chart has very good predicative ability, since virtually all conclusions of its application have been confirmed by σ-convergence analysis. The benefit of Pareto chart is involvement of extra information about changes in some sample sections, growth and order. Based on this information one can find more comprehensive conclusions about changes in disparities over time. Besides, the Pareto chart has a very easy interpretation which calls for no special knowledge in methods for disparity measurement. This is a great advantage for other fields' researchers, political-bureaucratic apparatus and both expert and inexpert public. That is why we believe the Pareto chart is a very interesting tool to evaluate development of regional disparities, which can be used solely or in combination (complementary) with other approaches of disparity measurement.

The deepening of regional disparities is an issue of increasing importance that has been systematically emphasized in the EU policy, especially since the process of "Eastern Integration" has started. The paper focuses on the Visegrad Group countries whose regions are less developed in the EU context. The aim of the research is to assess the development of disparities in regional economic performance of the Visegrad Group countries, to identify how the factors of economic growth determine these disparities, and partly to assess whether the integration of the Visegrad Group countries into the EU influenced the development of regional disparities in these countries. For the analysis of disparities during 2000–2013 we selected an approach of measuring real convergence (sigma-convergence). Disparities were measured in the context of a breakdown of the GDP per capita into sub-components, reflecting on the development of disparities in productivity and employment. The results show that, although regions of the Visegrad Group countries converged towards the EU average and also in terms of the Visegrad Group as a whole, regional disparities within countries rather increased. This led to a paradox where, although the objective of reducing regional disparities across the EU was satisfied, from a national perspective disparities increased. The Labour productivity factor, with its dominant yet steadily growing contribution, is the main determinant of disparities in the performance of the Visegrad Group regions. Other sources of disparities are characterized by a stable development or convergence. Only Polish regions deviated from the general conclusions, since the extent of disparities among them grew constantly, and the nature of disparities was the Labour participation rate. In terms of the impact caused by accession into the EU, the measured changes were rather minor and the identified trends had mostly been in place before the Visegrad Group countries entered the EU.