European integration, modernisation and convergence. The EU's impact on the convergence of the member countries

The European Union aims at steady modernisation of the EU member countries as well as covergence between them. But to what degree can the EU manage processes of modernisation and convergence? This article deals with the mechanisms and limitations of convergence initiated by the EU. Starting with a description of the main trends of modernisation in the 15 member countries for the time period 1970 to 2000, we can observe both a general trend of modernisation in all of them and a process of catch-up modernisation for the laggards. Hence the EU 15 countries are converging, although there have also occured some "new differences", caused by differing adaptabilities to new challenges of ongoing modernisation. I argue that modernisation and convergence widely follow their own logic, independent from European political integration that nevertheless supports convergence. Through the four mechanisms, redistribution of resources, competition, regulation and imitation, EU membership makes catch-up modernisation easier for countries lagging behind. There are, however, clear limitations for the EU to induce convergence.