Real Convergence in the European Union – the Social Dimension

Real convergence is a multidimensional process of drawing European Union (EU) member states closer together, which takes place in many aspects, including economic and social ones. In social terms, it means improving living conditions and reducing social inequalities. Real individual consumption in EUR per capita with purchasing power parity was used as the variable informing about the level of social development. The main objective of the article is to verify the existence of social convergence between EU member states (including the United Kingdom – UK) between 2004 and 2023. Two methods of convergence measurement were used to analyse convergence: beta and sigma types. Convergence calculations were based on data from Eurostat. In the case of missing data (UK), projections were made using growth rates from the previous period. The analysis was supplemented by the Shannon entropy index. The study's application objective was to assess whether the scale of the reduction in the gap in individual consumption (well-being and quality of life) is narrowing, including identifying periods when convergence has been slower. This can help guide future economic policy and measures to further narrow the gap. In addition, the authors distinguish countries that have managed to improve their position to the greatest extent in terms of the analysed measure of social development.