EIRP Proceedings, Vol 11 (2016)

Abstract

Abstract: Romania, as a Member State of the European Union since 2007, receive financial assistance through EU structural instruments. The goal of regional development policy is to reduce disparities in the level of wealth, income between different regions and Member States of the European Union. In our country, there are 8 development regions that receive non-refundable financial assistance through the European Regional Development Fund. The aim of this paper is to present a comparative situation of the projects financed by ERDF, related to the period of financial programming 2007-2013, in two different development regions of Romania: North-West and Central. The objective of this article is to analyze the ongoing and implemented projects in transportation sector for the programming period 2007-2013, through ERDF, for the two development regions. The concepts used in this article are the regional policy of the EU, structural funds. The approach is based on several scientific research. According to Iain Begg, the structural funds aim to promote economic development by stimulating growth rate of disadvantaged regions, public investment in infrastructure, training, productivity of businesses in the region. The paper is based on theoretical documentation regarding the structural funds, the concept of the European regional policy, the absorption rate. The main methods employed were the observation, the speciality literature and publications. The conclusion of this study is that the North-West region has managed to attract more european funds through the European Regional Development Fund in the period 2007-2013 for the rehabilitation of streets, county and national roads. The case study can be used in university as a frame of reference in order to compare one of the two analyzed regions with other development regions. Although the North-West region had an absorption rate higher than the Central, through ERDF, in the North-West were upgraded seven county roads while in the Central region they were eight.