Dear colleagues, The Department of Economics cordially invites you to the WU Economic Research Seminar (Department Seminar) on Wednesday, May 23, with Ugo Fratesi (Politecnico di Milano) on "Border regions in Europe: obstacles, (in)efficiency and compensation " Abstract: Border regions have a special situation within EU Member states, since along borders run barriers of different physical institutional and cultural nature. Therefore, border regions have been the target of cross-border policies to reduce these obstacles and fully exploit their growth potential. The seminar starts by identifying whether EU border regions suffer more from inefficiencies or under-endowment because of the border, then analyses which types of obstacles are obstructing the exploitation of which growth assets, finally it explores the possibility of compensating under-endowment or internal inefficiency with increased internal or external efficiency. Time and place: Wednesday, May 23, 4.30 - 6.00 p.m., Campus WU, Welthandelsplatz 1, 1020 Vienna, building D4, 2nd floor, Department meeting room 2.008. With best regards, Harald Oberhofer --- Univ.-Prof. Dr. Harald Oberhofer Institute for International Economics WU Vienna University of Economics and Business Phone: +43/1/31336-4984 Fax: +43/1/31336-4984 Email: harald.oberhofer@wu.ac.at<mailto:harald.oberhofer@wu.ac.at> Webpage: https://www.wu.ac.at/ie/mitarbeiter/harald-oberhofer/ Austrian Institute of Economic Research (WIFO) Phone: +43/1/7982601-468 Fax: +43/1/7989386 Email: harald.oberhofer@wifo.ac.at<mailto:harald.oberhofer@wifo.ac.at> Webpage: http://www.wifo.ac.at/harald_oberhofer