Weekly Focus

Romanian counties, via the National Union of County Councils of Romania (UNCJR), have been actively involved in INTER PARES, an initiative which aims at developing tools and innovative measures for the increased market.penetration of electricity produced from renewable energy sources.

 

This initiative, launched in 2009, provides local authorities with the opportunity to expand their knowledge and their often unexploited competences so as to develop renewable energy policies or strategies. INTER PARES also helps streamline existing renewable energy regulations and supports the setting-up of renewable energy installations and the development of innovation measures to remove administrative barriers.

 

Local authorities involved in this initiative often gather to exchange on the status of renewable energy production, on possible investments, and on necessary institutional changes needed to improve the authorisation mechanisms for the production of renewable energy sources.

 

'The efficient use of energy is an essential component of sustainable development and county councils are, in fact, the main artisans of local strategies and plans as they guide their territories' development policies," explains Liviu Nicolae Dragnea, president of UNCJR and president of the Teleorman county council.

 

INTER PARES is co-financed by the "Intelligent Energy Europe" programme and also involves the Union of Italian Provinces (UPI), the project leader, as well as Sustainability Development Innovation Europe and the Union of Prefectural Authorities in Greece (ENAE).

 

Romanian local and regional authorities and CEMR

The Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) has four member associations in Romania: the National Union of County Councils of Romania (UNCJR), the Association of Romanian Communes (ACOR), the Romanian Municipalities Association (AMR), and the Association of Romanian Towns (AOR).

 

The UNCJR was created in 1993 and has 40 member county councils, which covers about 98% of Romania's total population. Presided over by Liviu Nicolae Dragnea, president of the Teleorman county council, it represents the interests of Romanian counties vis-à-vis the national parliament and government, and supports their sustainable economic, social, cultural and environmental development. The UNCJR also works to reduce social and economic differences between counties and regions by promoting regional development programmes.

 

With over 1 700 members, representing 48% of the population, the ACOR aims at improving legislation of interest to the local level through the setting-up of active partnerships and dialogue with the national government. The association, which was created in 1997 and is currently presided over by Emil Draghici, mayor of Vulcana-Bai, also encourages the social, economic and sustainable development of rural areas as well as the elimination of differences between urban and rural populations. Moreover, ACOR provides training sessions for local elected officials and civil servants and pushes for greater investment via partnerships between local government, civil society and businesses.

 

Created in 1990, the AMR promotes and safeguards the common interests of its 109 member municipalities, which represent 50% of Romanian citizens. The association president is Tudor Pendiuc, mayor of Pitesti.

 

Created in 1994, the AOR is presided over by Dumitru Teodor Banciu, mayor of Saliste and represents 216 towns. Its mains activities include providing training sessions to mayors and their local administrations, promoting and facilitating the exchange of best practices and representing local interests at the national level.

 

The four Romanian associations of local and regional government lead joint advocacy initiatives via the Romanian Federation of Local Authorities (FALR), an umbrella organisation created in 2001 for the coordination of the associations' activities. The four associations also provide a platform for the exchange of information and of good practices amongst their members and submit common positions at the national and European levels.

 

Local and regional government in Romania

Romania is a unitary state composed of 2 861 municipalities (comune), 217 towns (orase), 103 cities (municipii) and 41 counties (judete).