The Importance of Local Action Groups in the Romanian European Integration Process: an Empirical Study

Abstract

This article aims to examine the factors affecting the implementation of local action groups in Romania. A relatively new member state, Romania has the highest share of EU rural areas which generates and maintains a long series of regional disparities. Because of these disparities, the economy faces a number of issues that undermine the quality of human and social capital and reduce the growth potential: precarious social and economic infrastructure, reduced access to markets and thus to goods, a low level of both economic cohesion and living standards and a difficult access to education and training. From this perspective, the local action groups can contribute to the revival and development of urban areas, through the promotion of economic activities in adjacent rural areas. Therefore, an empirical analysis was conducted to study how economic and social disparities in the regional development of Romania influenced the implementation of local action groups.

Keywords

• Local Action Groups
• Regional Development
• Regional Disparities