Structural and Cohersion Funds: Theoretical and Statistical Aspects in Romania and EU
The paper approaches structural and cohesion funds for the financial perspective 2007-2013. The article describes briefly the evolution of regional development policy, the financial allocations, the impact of EU funds within cohesion policy, legal and institutional framework in Romania, and the institutions which are responsible for the management of EU funds. In Romania, the absorption of structural and cohesion funds is still a problem due to high rejection rate and the existing problems in procuring their own funds by the beneficiaries, such as beneficiary’s contribution, starting the project and covering the non-eligible expenditures. Romanian authorities should increase the absorption rate on transport sector and other sectors where absorption is a problem. Access to Social and Cohesion Funds represents for Romania an opportunity to develop balanced regions, to modernize transportation and environmental infrastructure to support rural development, employment opportunities for labor market, and to promote social policies to increase living standards. Romania has to consider “Life Long Learning” as a priority in the development of the human resources. Less bureaucracy is necessary for a normal development of procedures for refund claims. Also, it is necessary to shorten the time for reimbursement and to simplify related procedures. By increasing the amounts reimbursed, the authorities would increase the possibility to use EU funds more quickly. Preventive control can eliminate situations of default of non-eligible expenditure.