COMPETITIVENESS AND INNOVATION IN THE ROMANIAN REGIONS – HOW MUCH PROGRESS DURING THE POST- ACCESSION PERIOD?

The paper aims to assess the latest developments in the competitiveness of the Romanian regions, with a particular focus on innovation as one of its key determinants. Different sets of indicators are used and comparisons with the EU countries and their regions are provided. The results reveal some progress towards better competitive positioning, but little advancement in the field of innovation in most of the Romanian regions (below 50% of the EU average). This exposes a systemic weakness of the innovation process in Romania, determined by both the national RDI system and the business sector, which calls for sustained efforts at multiple levels (political, economic, institutional, social, entrepreneurial, both nationally and regionally) to overcome the current stagnation and push strongly towards the most needed change in mindsets and actions in the near future