| The objective of this dissertation is to examine the (inter-)regional commuting in the EU, analyze its main determinants, and find its role in the evolution of regional labor market differences over time. The workings of this form of labor mobility are important in the context of a monetary union, as the flexibility of accepting longer journeys to work can serve as an alternative to economic migration, and as a tool for reinforcing adjustments in the common European market.;Commuting is a topic that interests transportation scientists, economic geographers, and economists alike. In order to conduct a rigorous analysis of the issue, one should understand the specific political and structural framework, in which commuting occurs, understand the limitations of available data, and develop a model that relates observed commuting levels to basic economic concepts, such as trade-offs and choice. These problems are examined in Chapters 1, 2, and 3 of this dissertation.;Chapter 4 analyzes empirically the behavior of aggregate commuting flows in order to establish a frame of reference and to calibrate expectations for the impact of different determinants. The number of commuters is explained well by standard gravity factors such as size of the labor force in the origin and the employment in the destination, as well as distance. Difference in wages also has considerable explanatory power, while difference in unemployment does not appear to have significant effect.;Chapter 5 focuses on commuting in an international framework, and assesses the role of national borders in the process. International commuting appears to still account for a fairly small number of the observed commuting trips in the EU. International flows are, on average, lower than the baseline commuting model would predict, indicating there are still obstacles to fully exploiting the opportunities in accessible labor markets.;Chapter 6 addresses the question whether commuting can be considered a significant factor in the EU regional convergence process. The analysis finds that income differences converge at a pace that falls in line with earlier studies. Regions that are net recipients of commuting flows do increasingly better over time in terms of wage and employment outcomes. |
