Towards an integrated European Research Area? Findings from Eigenvector spatially filtered spatial interaction models using European Framework Programme data

One of the main goals of the European Research Area (ERA) concept is to improve integration of the European research system. The main policy instrument in this context is the European Framework Programme (FP) supporting pre-competitive collaborative Research and Development (R&D). The objective of this study is to monitor progress towards ERA by identifying the evolution of separation effects influencing FP collaboration intensities between 255 European regions over the period 1999–2006. We employ spatial interaction models accounting for spatial autocorrelation by using spatial filtering methods. The results show that geographical distance and country border effects gradually decrease, and point to the contribution of the FPs to the realization of ERA.