Empirical evidence on Europe integration indicates a process of convergence between countries, but not within regions. We aim to assess the relationship between spatial and social inequalities in the EU regions for the 2000–2016 period. Our results revise existing evidence about the evolution of some descriptive measures of inequality, showing that: (i) inequalities exist at the regional level with a growing disconnection between the geography of production that becomes more unequal, as do the geography of incomes; (ii) when analyzing the positive relationship between the growth of regional inequalities and the gross domestic product (GDP), a trade-off between spatial equity and growth seems possible. Our econometric results indicate that inequalities persist and create a type of path dependence, correlated to proximity in space. Spatial inequalities in the GDP strongly affect interpersonal inequalities. The per capita expenditure on social transfer negatively affects social inequalities; however national redistribution only mitigates the impact of spatial inequalities without compensating them completely. Other variables of spatial inequality such as the unemployment rates’ regional dispersion in each country and the geographic concentration of economic activity (i.e., the effects of agglomeration on social inequalities) are significant. Thus, more agglomeration, which increasing returns of scale in production induce, increases inequalities.

关于欧洲一体化的经验证据表明，国家之间有一个融合的过程，但区域内部却没有。我们旨在评估2000-2016年间欧盟地区空间与社会不平等之间的关系。我们的结果修改了有关不平等某些描述性指标演变的现有证据，表明：（i）不平等存在于地区层面，生产地理之间的脱节越来越严重，收入地理之间的不平等现象也越来越严重；（ii）在分析区域不平等的增长与国内生产总值（GDP）之间的正相关关系时，似乎有可能在空间公平与增长之间进行权衡。我们的计量经济学结果表明，不平等现象持续存在，并产生了一种与空间接近度相关的路径依赖关系。GDP中的空间不平等严重影响人际不平等。人均社会转移支出对社会不平等产生负面影响；然而，国家再分配只能减轻空间不平等的影响，而不能完全弥补它们。空间不平等的其他变量，例如每个国家的失业率的区域分布以及经济活动的地理集中度（即集聚对社会不平等的影响）也很重要。因此，更多的集聚增加了生产规模的回报，从而加剧了不平等。然而，国家再分配只能减轻空间不平等的影响，而不能完全弥补它们。空间不平等的其他变量，例如每个国家的失业率的区域分布以及经济活动的地理集中度（即集聚对社会不平等的影响）也很重要。因此，更多的集聚增加了生产规模的回报，从而加剧了不平等。然而，国家再分配只能减轻空间不平等的影响，而不能完全弥补它们。空间不平等的其他变量，例如每个国家的失业率的区域分布以及经济活动的地理集中度（即集聚对社会不平等的影响）也很重要。因此，更多的集聚增加了生产规模的回报，从而加剧了不平等。