Implementation period: 2002 -2004
NCSD was involved in EU financed project REGIONET (Strategies for Regional Sustainable Development: An Integrated Approach beyond Best Practice), a research project funded under the EU’s 5th framework programme for research.
The main objective of the project was to provide an integrated and interdisciplinary approach to support the implementation of sustainable development in regions across Europe.
The project team of REGIONET consisted of sixteen partners coming from fourteen different European countries (current and new Member States). Early on in the project’s running time, the idea came up to use this opportunity and develop a comprehensive study about regional sustainable development in Europe. The high number of project partners (plus associated partners) allowed us to have seventeen storylines and a comprehensive picture of regional sustainable development policy-making across Europe. In order to ensure comparability, the project team developed a concept for analysis. This concept was used by each national team as a template to carry out the review about regional sustainable development in their country.
Out of the project’s general objectives, the following main sections are covered within each National Report:
National background on regional development: this includes not only the history of regional development in the country but also the political and administrative system and hierarchies as these are of major importance in giving a framework for policy-making. This section also includes a reflection about national initiatives for sustainable development.
Regional sustainable development: in here, the National Reports reflect upon national and regional initiatives for regional sustainable development. An important aspect, too, is the role of Structural Funds in fostering sustainable development at the regional level and what the experiences of the regions are with Structural Funds programmes and Community Initiatives.
Multi-Level governance: this section elaborates on the involvement of the different political/administrative levels in policy-making "from the EU, to the national and regional level" as well as the multi-level interaction between the different stakeholders. Additionally, it is analysed how cross-sector policy integration in regional sustainable development is carried out by the different levels.
Evaluation methods and tools for regional sustainable development: the current evaluation methods, tools and indicators are described in this section. It also reflects upon the different types of measurements for regional sustainable development, and if a harmonization of the various methods and tools already takes place in Europe.
Analysis of regional sustainable development: summarizes the practical experiences with regional sustainable development across Europe. This section also evaluates the general trade-offs, top-down and bottom-up relations as well as the future of European regional policy for the period after 2006 when new Structural Funds regulations will be implemented.
More information is available on the REGIONET project homepage:
|
National Report on Regional Sustainable Development in Romania: In 2004, a book publication including all National Reports, together with an introduction and conclusion chapter, was produced. One of the results of the project was the National Report on regional sustainable development in Romania. It gives a comprehensive overview of regional sustainable development. Together with the other reports, it makes up what is the first comparative study of regional sustainable development in Europe. Download: REGIONET – National Report. Regional Sustainable Development (EN) |