Page 139 - Proceeding 2015

CONSTANTIN Daniela-Luminita, GOSCHIN Zizi and ILEANU Bogdan FAMP
THE ECONOMIC REGENERATION OF LAGGING REGIONS. AN INQUIRY INTO THE REGIONAL
OPERATIONAL PROGRAMME CONTRIBUTION, WITH AN EMPHASIS ON THE ENTERPRISE CCASP
SUPPORT IN THE NORTH-EAST REGION OF ROMANIA

1. INTRODUCTION

This paper proposes a case study which assesses the achievements of Cohesion Policy in the North-
PROCEEDINGS OF THE 11 TH ADMINISTRATION AND PUBLIC MANAGEMENT INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE
East region of Romania, with a particular emphasis on Suceava county. This county is characterized by
the predominance of employment in agriculture, weak industry and poor state of market services. Its
economic growth was hindered in the past by the border location. Moreover, the North-East region (one
of the eight NUTS 2 regions of Romania) is the least developed Romanian region and ranks third among

the ‘lagging behind’ regions of the EU.

Considering the regional development realities in Romania, the allocations under the Regional
Operational Programme (ROP) have prioritised these lagging regions. As a result, the North-East region

has been allocated 16.32% of the ERDF for the ROP 2007-2013. The number of projects in Suceava
county represent around 20 per cent of the total number of projects implemented or ongoing in the North-
East region, which is an above average among the North-East region’s six counties. Hence, the

30 th – 31 st October 2015 ”Strategic Management for Local Communities” Bucharest Romania in terms of regional development level; on the other hand it discusses the added value, strategic
significance of the case study is twofold: on the one hand it offers a spotlight on a very sensitive area of

quality and administrative capacity which have made it possible to record results above the average in
the implementation process and, thus, to contribute to economic regeneration in this county.

In line with the regional problem and the identified needs and strengths, enterprise support has been

chosen as the policy heading for this study. There is a clear continuity between the priority axes and key
areas of intervention focusing on enterprise support in the ROP 2007-2013 and the enhancement of the
SME competitiveness in the Cohesion Policy for 2014-2020, as one of the key areas for economic growth

and job creation.

The research has been based on both desk research – with inquiries into the most important programming
documents and result reports relating to the ROP in Romania and, in particular in the North-East region

and Suceava county, accompanied by large volume of data analysis – and interviews with the persons
involved in the implementation process – from local authorities to experts and beneficiaries at national,
regional and county level.

The paper is organized as follows. It starts with a discussion on the nature of regional problem and

identifies the needs as well as strengths and opportunities, the latter mainly deriving from the EU Cohesion
Policy and related ROP. A special emphasis is put on the enterprise support, as a policy heading for the

undertaken study, followed by the assessment of the value added, in relation to the strategic quality and
administrative capacity. In the end the conclusions reveal the lessons that can be learnt from the 2007-

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