North-West Regional Development Plan 2021-2027 Notes

UNIUNEA EUROPEANĂ

  • Fondul European de Dezvoltare Regională

Regio

  • PROGRAMUL OPERATIONAL REGIONAL
  • NORTH-WEST
  • Călătoria continuǎ!
  • Instrumente Structurale
  • REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN
  • NORTH-WEST

2014-2020

Contents

  • INTRODUCTION
  • PLANNING CONTEXT
    • European strategic context
    • Macro-regional strategic context
    • National strategic context
    • Regional strategic context
    • Sub-regional strategic context
  • HOW THE PLANNING PROCESS IS CARRIED OUT
  • ACTORS INVOLVED

Socio-Economic Profile of the Region

  • GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION
  • NATURAL SETTING
  • STRUCTURE OF THE SETTLEMENT SYSTEM
    • The network of urban settlements
    • Associative structures of urban localities in the North-West Region
    • Rural settlements network
  • SOCIO-DEMOGRAPHIC STRUCTURE OF THE POPULATION
    • Population trends and demographic potential
    • Health
    • Education
    • Work resources and training
    • Combating poverty and promoting social inclusion
    • Local human development and marginalization
    • Social inclusion of Roma
    • Material deprivation
  • INFRASTRUCTURE
    • Regional transport infrastructure
    • Sustainable urban mobility
    • Utility infrastructure
    • Telecommunications infrastructure
    • Social infrastructure
    • Emergency infrastructure
    • Health infrastructure
    • Education infrastructure
    • Research-development-innovation infrastructure
    • Culture infrastructure
    • Housing infrastructure
  • MEDIA
    • Energy efficiency and the environment
    • Quality of environmental factors (air, water, soil) and biodiversity aspects
    • Natural and technological risk zones
    • Waste management
    • Environment and health
    • Climate change
  • ECONOMY OF THE REGION
    • Regional macroeconomic context
    • Regional economic profile
    • External trade and foreign direct investment
    • Business environment and entrepreneurship
    • Smart specialization and industrial transition
    • Business support structures
  • TOURISM
    • Natural tourist resources of the North-West Region
    • Anthropogenic tourism potential
    • Types and forms of tourism practiced
    • Tourist infrastructure
    • Tourist traffic
  • AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT
    • Agriculture
    • Rural Development
  • ADMINISTRATION AND GOOD GOVERNANCE
    • Financial resources
    • Analysis of local and regional public administration competences
    • eGovernance and smart city
    • Public order and citizen safety
    • Preventing and combating corruption
    • Internal and international cooperation

SWOT ANALYSIS

Regional Development Strategy

  • COMPETITIVENESS OF THE REGION IN RELATION TO SIMILAR EUROPEAN REGIONS
  • STRATEGIC APPROACH
  • GENERAL OBJECTIVE AND SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES 2021-2027
  • OUTLINE OF THE STRATEGY
  • STRATEGY DESCRIPTION
    • SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE 1
    • SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE 2
    • SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE 3
    • SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE 4
    • SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE 5
  • ESTIMATED SOURCES OF FINANCING
  • INDICATORS OF ACHIEVEMENT OF STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES
  • IMPLEMENTATION SYSTEM
  • MONITORING AND EVALUATION
  • THE PARTNERSHIP PROCESS
  • INDEX TABLES
  • FIGURES INDEX
  • ABBREVIATED LIST

Abbreviated List

  • ADI Intercommunal Development Agency
  • ADR NV Nord-West Regional Development Agency
  • AJOFM County Agency for Employment
  • AM Managing Authority
  • ANAT National Association of Romanian Tourist Agencies
  • ANCS National Authority for Scientific Research
  • ANPH National Authority for Persons with Disabilities
  • NRA National Agency for Roma
  • ANRSC National Regulatory Authority for Community Utility Services Public
  • AP Partnership Agreement
  • APL Local Public Administration
  • EIB European Investment Bank
  • BIM International Labor Office
  • NBR National Bank of Romania
  • CAEN Classification of Activities in the National Economy
  • CBC Cross-border cooperation
  • CDI Research & Development & Innovation
  • CLLD / DLRC Community-led Local Development
  • CNCS National Council for Scientific Research
  • CRP Regional Planning Committee
  • WEEE Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment
  • DGASPC General Directorate for Social Assistance and Child Protection
  • DJCCPN County Directorate for Culture, Cults and Cultural Heritage
  • DNA National Anti-Corruption Directorate
  • EIP Entrepreneurship and Innovation Program
  • ENPI European Neighborhood and Partnership Instrument
  • EUROSTAT Statistical Office of the European Union
  • FC Cohesion Fund
  • FEADR European Fund for Agriculture and Rural Development
  • FEDR European Regional Development Fund
  • FEGA European Agricultural Guarantee Fund
  • FEPM European Maritime and Fisheries Fund
  • FESI European Structural and Investment Funds
  • FOB Free On Board
  • FPC Continuing Vocational Training
  • FRA European Agency for Fundamental Rights
  • ESF European Social Fund
  • GAL Local Action Group
  • ICT/ ICT Information and Communication Technologies
  • IGSU General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations
  • IMM Small and Medium Enterprises
  • INS National Statistical Institute
  • IPP Institute for Public Policy
  • IRECSON Romanian Institute for Economic and Social Research and Surveys
  • IS Structural Instruments
  • ISD Foreign Direct Investment
  • N ISO International Organization for Standardization EN Information Technologies ITI Integrated Territorial Investments IUCN International Union for Conservation of Nature LAU Local Administrative Units MMFPSPV Ministry of Labor, Family, Social Protection and the Elderly NUTS Nomenclature of Territorial Statistical Units OECD Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development OI Intermediary Body NGO Non-governmental organizations ONRC National Trade Register Office UN United Nations OSIM State Office for Inventions and Trademarks EO Thematic Objective GEO Government Emergency Ordinance PATN National Spatial Plan PATZ Zonal Spatial Development Plan PDR Regional Development Plan PHARE Poland and Hungary: Assistance for their Economic Restructuring GDP Gross Domestic Product PIDU Integrated Urban Development Plan NRDP National Rural Development Program PNR National Reform Program PO Operational Program POR Regional Operational Program POSDRU Sectorial Operational Program Human Resources Development PPC Purchasing Power Parity PUG General Urban Plan RGPL General Census of Population and Housing SIRUTA Information System of the Register of Territorial - Administrative Units SSA Business Support Structures SVSU Voluntary Emergency Services SWOT Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats TACIS Technical Assistance for the Commonwealth of Independent States TEN-T Trans-European Transport Networks ATU Administrative-Territorial Units EU European Union UNDP United Nations Development Program UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization ZM Metropolitan Area
  • The North-West RDP serves as a foundational document for regional initiatives and national funding programs, aiming to promote smart, sustainable growth by leveraging local assets and innovation to address disparities and enhance living standards.
  • The planning integrates both European and internal funding streams, adhering to the methodological guidelines set by the Ministry of Development, Public Works and Administration (MDPA).
  • The North-West RDA seeks to contribute to the broader goals of regional development policy in Romania, including reducing regional imbalances, aligning governmental policies across regions, and fostering cooperation both domestically and internationally, as outlined in Law no. 315/2004.
  • The RDP conducts a thorough analysis using SWOT framework (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) across key sectors like natural resources, settlement systems, population demographics, infrastructure, environment, economy, tourism, agriculture, and governance.
  • The RDP provides a framework for monitoring and evaluation to ensure effective implementation and strategic reporting on progress in 2023, 2025, and 2027.

Planning Context

  • The North-West RDP aligns with strategic planning documents at European, national, macro-regional, regional, and sub-regional levels.
  • European Strategic Context:
    • UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development: Adopted in 2015, sets 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) across economic, social, and environmental dimensions.
    • The EU has committed to implementing the 2030 Agenda and SDGs by:
      • Integrating SDGs into European policy frameworks.
      • Developing long-term visions and sectoral policy objectives beyond 2020.
        • Refocusing the EU budget toward achieving long-term objectives.
    • Common Agricultural Policy (CAP):
      • The European Commission proposed improving sustainable development in agriculture, food, and rural areas. The general objectives include:
        • Promoting a smart and robust agricultural sector.
        • Focusing on environment and climate action.
        • Strengthening the socio-economic structure of rural areas.
    • Cohesion Policy:
      • The European Commission proposed a strategic approach focusing on five policy objectives:
        • Smarter Europe: innovation and smart economic transformation (OP1).
        • Greener, low-carbon Europe (OP2).
        • More connected Europe: mobility and regional ICT connectivity (OP3).
        • More social Europe: implementing the European Pillar of Social Rights (OP4).
        • Europe closer to citizens: sustainable and integrated development of urban, rural, and coastal areas through local initiatives (OP5).
    • Priority Investment Needs identified in Romania to achieve the 5 policy objectives:
      • Smarter Europe (OP1):
        • Encouraging applied research through innovation centers with national and trans-national investments.
        • Validating and commercializing early products, patenting, and technology transfer.
        • Supporting entrepreneurial discovery processes and project development labs.
        • Strengthening research and innovation performance and promoting productivity growth.
        • Taking up information and communication technology by SMEs.
        • Creating new businesses (start-ups, scale-ups) and increasing their survival rates.
        • Enhancing innovation capacities through product, organizational, and marketing innovation.
        • Supporting the development of industrial clusters and integration into cooperative networks.
        • Facilitating access to finance for SMEs.
      • Greener, Low-Carbon Europe (OP2):
        • Renovating public and residential buildings for energy efficiency.
        • Supporting energy efficiency measures for district heating.
        • Promoting small-scale renewable energy alongside building renovations.
        • Reducing emissions and eliminating energy sources for district heating.
        • Implementing risk prevention strategies for climate change and natural hazards.
        • Promoting regional water management systems and addressing water pollution.
        • Transitioning to the circular economy.
        • Expanding waste management systems.
        • Supporting management and conservation in protected areas.
      • More Connected Europe (OP3):
        • Developing trans-European road and rail transport networks.
        • Implementing traffic safety strategies and road safety measures.
        • Creating cross-border connections for trans-European transport networks.
        • Promoting sustainable and affordable modes of transport.
        • Developing urban transport systems in less developed regions.
      • More Social Europe (OP4):
        • Improving active labor market policies through integration with education and social services.
        • Strengthening social entrepreneurship and the social economy.
        • Improving working conditions and offering flexible hours.
        • Establishing robust skills anticipation systems and retraining measures.
        • Improving access to quality inclusive education, especially for Roma and pupils with disabilities.
        • Improving the quality of education and training and developing innovative teaching methods.
      • Bringing Europe Closer to Citizens (OP5):
        • Investing in metropolitan areas to stimulate growth and innovation.
        • Ensuring sustainable urban development of county seats.
        • Supporting integrated territorial strategies in disadvantaged areas.
        • Supporting economic conversion in declining industrial and mining regions.
      • Other Funding Programs:
        • The policy objectives are also supported at European level through different instruments, specific to the sectors that are targeted by the 2030 Agenda:
        • Interconnecting Europe Facility.
        • Horizon Europe.