Regional Estimates of the Shadow Economy in Europe

Abstract

The aim of the paper is to estimate the extent of the shadow economy in the regions of the European Union. For this purpose the multiple-indicators multiple-causes approach combined with elements of spatial econometrics is implemented. The analysis shows that the shadow economy is most extensive in Eastern and Southern Europe, confirming results from previous literature. Within countries, the poorest regions tend to exhibit the highest shadow economy quotas. The smallest extent of shadow activities is obtained for the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, while in Poland the shadow economy is most extensive.