Toward a macro-regional strategy for the Carpathians

• Author: Tescasiu B.
• Pages: 257-264

Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Braşov

Series V: Economic Sciences • Vol. 8 (57) No. 1 - 2015

Toward a macro-regional strategy for the Carpathians

Bianca TESCASIU1

Abstract: One of the most important European Policy is the Regional Policy. With the

deepening of integrationist European Regional Policy, its objectives have changed and

oriented according to new priorities. One of these priorities determined the appearance of

new concepts, such as the “macro-region” one. In order to contribute to the development of

regions that exceeds the national borders, European Union focused on new elements

regarding the over-national strategies – integrated strategies sustained by different states.

This article tries to motivate the necessity of developing a macro-regional strategy for the

Carpathians and to open some technical discussion about the situation of implementing such

a strategy.

Key-words: macro-region, over-national governance, regional strategy, integrated

strategy.

1. Introduction

The European Union’s Regional Policy represents one of the most representative

European policies. During its evolution this policy knew new themes of researching,

new directions of approaches, because of the challenging regional context.

Since the Treaty of Rome European countries declared the Community’s

objective to achieve a harmonious development by reducing disparities between

regions. Regional problem was better taken into account with the Single European

Act (1986), which introduced the concept of economic and social cohesion. This

concept - fundamental for the EU - defines the declared objective of the Community

to reduce the gaps between the member states.

With the deepening of integrationist European Regional Policy, the objectives

have changed and orientated according to new priorities (Chiţu, 2006). In terms of

socio-economic and cultural aspects it implies the existence of specific macro-

regions. This orientation results from the fact that macro-regions include regions

from different countries with different levels of development, with different social

problems and with cultural differences.

1 Transilvania University of Braşov, bianca.tescasiu@unitbv.ro