A Development Visions Approach of Designing Rural Strategies

The paper aims to present possible development visions for the rural areas in a candidate country to access the EU. The proposed objective is to provide a decision-making tool useful in strategic planning process, by designing models of integrated rural development, applicable at country or regional levels. The scenarios method was used to conceive alternatives for rural development and design scenario matrices, focusing on the institutional and socio-economic modules of analysis. The paper proposes a trend scenario, based on the potentials and constraints identified in the analysis phase, and 3 goal scenarios, based on distinctly different sets of goals or development visions. The expected outcome consists in development of the potential for economic diversification in rural areas emphasizing the creation of local/regional employment and income opportunities, in several alternatives supplied by different visions of development.rural development, economic diversification, Community/Rural/Urban Development, O18, O15,

Competitive Advantages and Disadvantages in Romania’s Agri-Food Trade -Trends and Challenges

The paper is part of the studies concerning trade patterns and agri-food foreign trade policies in the EU enlargement context, aiming to assess the competitive trade advantages and disadvantages of the Romania’s agri-food products in the foreign trade relations. The analysis focuses on the challenges of the trade liberalization and its influence on the intensification of the commercial exchanges, the supply diversification and on the trade balance equilibrium, faced by Romania’s agri-food sector over the transition and pre-accession period. The structural reforms of the transition and EU accession preparations induced paramount changes in Romania’s agri-food trade pattern, i.e. a fluctuating evolution of the agri-food foreign trade, either in correlation with the variations in the agricultural supply, the performance deficiencies of the agri-food sector that provoked disequilibria on the export market, or with the effect of political changes upon the trade flows. The recent integration in the Single Market recalls a special attention on the opportunities for the competitive producers to attract benefits offered by the enlarged access possibilities and the openness to third countries. In this context, an in-depth analysis of the bilateral trade relation between Romania and EU has been performed by using an alternative method of the comparative trade advantage index, based on the one developed by Vollrath [1]. The results emphasize the identification of either the competitive agri-food trade potential, or of the sensitive zones that could be affected by the external competition post-accession, as well as the needed improvements in the Romanian agri-food sector’s competitiveness.Agri-food trade, competitiveness, comparative trade advantage index., International Relations/Trade,

Key policies and socio-economic growth factors of rural areas in the European Union

Economic growth driven by a broad spectrum of factors is essential to long-term, sustainable development. From this perspective the paper approaches the economic growth of rural areas in Romania in light of the Europe 2020 Strategy, in order to identify specific indicators and national targets. The work falls within the management of rural development policy, in the current context of CAP's funding period 2014-2020. In line with the strategic objectives of improving the competitiveness of agriculture, the sustainable management of natural resources and balanced territorial development of rural areas, the results based on a comparative analysis of main socio-economic indicators related to the EU member states, stresses certain variables that present pressure or security risk upon Romania's rural economy

Dynamics and performances in the international trade of Romania’s agri-food products, by the processing level

The research aims at analyzing the factors of export growth of Romania's agri-food products on the world market during the period 2001-2013. The analysis used statistics for Romania's foreign trade and world trade in nominal terms, by main groups of products aggregated by codes 01-24 of the Harmonised System. The results show changes in the structure of agri-food trade flows of import and export by processing degree, evolution of trade balance and structure of export growth, highlighting the comparative performance of pre-accession Romanian and post-accession

Methods of assessment the capitalization of farms with production means and analyses on field survey

The research approaches the identification of factors generating non-farm economic performance in Romanian agricultural holdings. Based on evidences from field studies on equipping farms with productive capital goods, presents results obtained by applying a model of computation and analysis for the evaluation of farm capitalization – a determinant of the economic viability of farms, with sustainable contributions to competitiveness increase in the agricultural sector. The model allowed the evaluation of the initial and real cost of mechanical means used in the sample farms owned farms, an estimated replacement value of machinery obtained by calculating the value of depreciation and the present cost of agricultural machines, representing the average value of net investment and the average quantum by types of agricultural mechanical equipment and by farms. Clustering method was applied on the statistical indicators corresponding to the sample farms, according to the considered selection criterion. The article presents the results of data processing, calculations and analyses that reveal assessments on the studied farms, by regional profile and by holding’s legal status (legal or natural person)

Agri-food manufacturing sector in Romania –internal sizes and in the European context

The sustainability of the food supply of the population in all Member States is a priority objective of the current CAP, with important implications both for ensuring food security and for developing the rural economy. In this context, the European sustainable development economic model promotes based on competitiveness, innovation and knowledge, where a key role lies with the small and medium-sized enterprise sector, due to its great flexibility in adapting the business to new market requirements. The research method used the comparison of the relevant economic and financial indicators for the activity of enterprises in the agro-food industry, in order to analyze the structure and level of development of the sector and to identify possible divergences between Romania and EU-28. The statistical material was provided mainly by Eurostat and NIS - The survey on the activity of the manufacturing enterprises data - NACE Rev.2 codes

Dynamics and performances in the international trade of Romania’s agri-food products, by the processing level

The research aims at analyzing the factors of export growth of Romania's agri-food products on the world market during the period 2001-2013. The analysis used statistics for Romania's foreign trade and world trade in nominal terms, by main groups of products aggregated by codes 01-24 of the Harmonised System. The results show changes in the structure of agri-food trade flows of import and export by processing degree, evolution of trade balance and structure of export growth, highlighting the comparative performance of pre-accession Romanian and post-accession