FERM 2024 | Maria GRAPINI: “We need to establish a viable public-private partnership”

Panel “INVESTMENTS”

Module I – Mapping Opportunities in the Moldova Region in the Context of Attracting Foreign Investments and Reviving Foreign Trade, 18th Edition of the Moldova Regional Economic Forum, Vatra Dornei, 2024

SPEAKER – Maria GRAPINI, Member of the European Parliament

TOPIC: “The Importance of European Funds in Regional Development – ERDF”

In her speech, Maria Grapini emphasized that Romania is in a significant period of European financing, with substantial financial allocations in the 2021-2027 European budgetary exercise.

“These funds, amounting to 392 billion euros for cohesion policy, are intended to stimulate economic growth and promote territorial cooperation in the regions of the European Union.”

MEP Maria Grapini highlighted that this period represents the largest allocation of funds for Romania since its integration, with clear investment objectives in key sectors such as digitalization, green transition, and SME competitiveness.

Maria Grapini stressed the importance of good absorption of European funds, noting that Romania has had below-average performance in this regard in the past. In the context of efficient management of these resources, Grapini called for a reset in the functioning of public institutions in Romania to ensure the effective implementation of projects funded by the ERDF.

Personal Experience and Involvement in Public Policies

With a diversified career that includes both entrepreneurial experience and public office, Maria Grapini spoke about the need to take responsibility in the process of implementing cohesion policy. “I chose to enter public policies because I committed to doing, not just talking,” Grapini emphasized, pointing out that the role of the European Parliament is crucial in amending and negotiating legislative proposals concerning the use of European funds in member states.

In addition, the MEP added that better coordination between the public and private sectors is essential to maximize the impact of European investments in the regions. “We need to establish a viable public-private partnership”, Grapini stated, underlining that a specific sectoral approach is needed to ensure that investments effectively contribute to sustainable economic and social development.

Conclusions and Future Perspectives

In her concluding remarks, Maria Grapini reiterated the importance of the country’s image and a pragmatic approach to attracting foreign investments and efficiently utilizing European funds. “We need an applied sectoral policy that leads to concrete results,” Grapini emphasized, highlighting that through collaboration and effective institutional negotiation, Romania can transform these resources into a driver of sustainable regional development.

In light of the discussions at the Moldova Regional Economic Forum 2024, it is evident that European funds are a crucial catalyst for the economic and social development of regions in Romania. With effective management and collaboration between the public and private sectors, Romania can maximize the impact of these funds and accelerate the process of economic convergence among the European Union member states.