IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/ddj/ejards/y2025i3p66-80.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

EU Cohesion Policy 2021–2027: Absorption Trends and Structural Challenges in Romania

Author

Listed:
  • Simona-Beatrice Manolache

    (Dunarea de Jos University of Galati, Romania)

  • Alexandru-Mihai Firu

    (University of Craiova, Romania)

  • Cristian Marian Radu

    (Bucharest University of Economic Studies, Bucharest, Romania)

Abstract

The study examines the dynamics of European funds absorption in Romania, using official data published by the Ministry of Investments and European Projects as of July 31, 2025. The analysis uses descriptive and applied statistics to assess general progress as well as differences between programs. Findings highlight significant variability in performance and a concentration of absorption around infrastructure programs, while social and digital sectors face persistent delays and compliance challenges. The assessment of financial efficiency reveals notable discrepancies across programs, indicating the need for operational adjustments and strengthened institutional capacity. Projections for the 2025–2027 period suggest that the final trajectory will depend on the administrative ability to streamline procedures, establish strategic priorities, and accelerate implementation. The overarching conclusion emphasizes that optimizing EU funds absorption requires diversifying performance drivers and reducing reliance on a limited number of dominant programs.

Suggested Citation

  • Simona-Beatrice Manolache & Alexandru-Mihai Firu & Cristian Marian Radu, 2025. "EU Cohesion Policy 2021–2027: Absorption Trends and Structural Challenges in Romania," Journal of Agriculture and Rural Development Studies, "Dunarea de Jos" University of Galati, Doctoral Field Engineering and Management in Agriculture and Rural Development, issue 3, pages 66-80.
    • Handle: RePEc:ddj:ejards:y:2025:i:3:p:66-80
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.35219/jards.2025.3.08
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.jards.ugal.ro/images/jards/journal/2025_3/Manolache_et_al.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/https://doi.org/10.35219/jards.2025.3.08?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:ddj:ejards:y:2025:i:3:p:66-80. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Gianina Mihai (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/fegalro.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.