Growth Poles

This report looks at the growth poles
policy in Romania to determine ways to increase its
effectiveness and efficiency for the next programming cycle
(2014-2020). The growth poles policy in Romania has been
initiated in 2008, as a means to support a balanced economic
development of the country, while still targeting
investments to maximize economic impact. A total of seven
growth poles have been designated and are currently
supported as such, via an integrated development plan
designed for each. In an effort respond to all the above the
Romanian Ministry of Regional Development and Public
Administration (MRDPA) has engaged with the World Bank in a
broader advisory services partnership implemented between
2012-2013. The current review is a result of this joint
work. The report is grouped into three main parts. The first
part sets out the context of analysis, including a brief
presentation of growth poles policy objectives as well as
the European policy context, and conceptual debates in which
it is framed. The second part includes a set of
recommendations regarding the growth poles policy for the
next programming cycle (2014-2020). The third part includes
an analysis of each of the growth poles, presenting specific
recommendations for each.