Upward convergence is of utmost importance for the European Union project. For given economic and social indicators, upward convergence means that Member States are on average improving their performance by moving towards a policy target or a societally acceptable direction, while they are reducing the disparities among them. In this way, the lower performing countries are catching up towards the best performing ones, while both are growing.
Inequalities across the EU have risen with implications for social cohesion and trust in institutions.
When Member States improve economic and social performances and inequalities decrease, upward convergence takes place.
Eurofound continues to operate as a centre of expertise for monitoring and analysing the key trends and determinants of achieving upward convergence in living and working conditions and strengthening economic and social cohesion in the EU.
The COVID-19 pandemic presented an unprecedented challenge to the economic and social resilience of the EU, highlighting the fragility of any progress in convergence patterns already achieved. The current challenges brought about by the digital and green transitions as well as the demographic crisis and the new geopolitical tensions, renew the concern that upward convergence could slow down and justify the continuation of this monitoring exercise. Focusing on convergence of outcomes and performances of the EU Member States and regions, Eurofound monitors convergence in socioeconomic factors, employment, working conditions and living conditions.
The research provides an important insight into the challenges and prospects in the area of social cohesion and convergence in the EU, helping to ensure its economies and societies are resilient to future shocks. The research aims to assist policy action to support sustainable upward economic and social convergence, to reduce multidimensional inequalities and to develop initiatives to strengthen social cohesion, helping to address the challenges facing the EU, national and regional levels brought about by the crises of recent years.
The Agency reports regularly on trends in upward convergence in the socioeconomic dimension, as well as in the dimensions outlined in the European Pillar of Social Rights at Member State and regional levels, while also comparing the EU with other developed countries. The EU convergence monitoring hub gathers the latest information on convergence in a diverse range of social and economic issues, including analysis of indicators drawn from the Eurostat indicators of the Social Scoreboard accompanying the European Pillar of Social Rights as well as Eurofound’s European Quality of Life Survey (EQLS) and European Working Conditions Survey (EWCS) indicators.
During 2025–2028, Eurofound continues to yearly monitor the state of play of upward convergence in Europe with regular publications addressing particular aspects of economic, social or institutional convergence. New research aims to investigate the development of geographical disparities and convergence. New research also puts the focus on the trends in and dynamics of disparities among regions to map the performance of European regions across time along the dimensions of the right to stay. Additionally, it looks at how divergence and low performance affect social capital and institutional trust in different geographical areas of the EU. Research also explores the social implications of the transition to a climate-neutral economy, focusing on sustainable behaviours, distributional effects and social cohesion.
Convergence monitoring hub: Dashboard on indicators to monitor upward convergence
convergEU app: Web-based tool to perform convergence analysis for the indicators listed in the Social Scoreboard accompanying the European Pillar of Social Rights and a set of Eurofound indicators drawn from the EQLS and EWCS
Upward convergence is essential for the EU as it underpins stability and legitimacy by ensuring shared prosperity across all Member States and citizens. It actively prevents fragmentation, both territorial and among socio-demographic groups, by ensuring that growth benefits everyone. This process is crucial for fostering social fairness and building resilience against global challenges like geopolitical shifts and major transformations. Ultimately, it allows the European project to deliver on its promise of improved living and working conditions for all.
After the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, Europe is facing strong geopolitical pressures due to a conflict on its doorstep and the crumbling of established alliances and economic relationships. For these reasons, maintaining internal social cohesion and trust is crucial to support the European project. When there are diverging performances among Member States and inequalities increase within Member States it is a concern for various reasons. First, because it contradicts the expectation that deepening European integration leads to growing cohesion at national and pan-European level. Secondly, because a worsening of disparities may spread the feeling of social injustice and unfairness among citizens, fuelling anti-European sentiment and undermining the European project.
The importance of upward convergence has been established by the European Pillar of Social Rights and its aim to act as a compass for upward convergence in the EU. The EU’s cohesion policy and its goals of promoting regional development and convergence could be informed by Eurofound research on geographical disparities and convergence of the EU. The discussion around the design of the new European Pillar of Social Rights reestablishes the need for new evidence in the field of upward convergence that can accompany, complement and go beyond the work done by the European Commission and its Member States with the Social Convergence framework.
