Unequal Romania

In recent years Romania has been the fastest growing economy of the EU, but at the same time the last decade has not only been a period of economic prosperity and ongoing emigration but also of increasing spatial disparities. The economic benefits of European integration were not distributed equally across the country. Despite increasing regional disparities, the issue was hardly prioritised by political decision-makers during the last three decades. The Romanian regional disparity report identifies current spatial variations of strengths and weaknesses in the light of future risks and challenges for the country.

New policies for equality of living conditions

Improving living conditions in the regions facing cumulative problems stemming from precarious employment, low educational credentials, weak economies, and political disengagement, stands out not only as a policy emergency, but also a driver for long-term strategies of development and social cohesion. This calls for new policies at the European and national level, aiming at redistributing resources at the local level and establishing a better regulatory framework.