E-COHESION – Shaping the Future Regional Development of Romania

The European Union draft regulations shaping the future of regional development introduce a new requirement for the member states for the 2014-2020 programming period: the electronic exchange of information with the beneficiaries. This transition from a paper-based flow of information to a completely electronic one brings about significant changes both for the beneficiaries and for the authorities responsible for the management and the implementation of EU-funded programmes.This article explores the benefits and the challenges that this new requirement will bring for Romania, from the perspectives of both the beneficiaries and the authorities involved, covering issues such as complementarity, transparency and efficiency of the implementation of EU-funded programmes.