EU Structural Funds Absorption in Romania: Obstacles and Issues

Romania’s absorption capacity of EU structural and cohesion funds is based on the degree of implementation of Sectoral Operational Programmes (SOP) 2007-2013 within SOP Environment and plays a central role in view of its complex relationships (horizontal and vertical) with other SOPs.The present paper analyses the absorption capacity of SOPs in Romania, paying a special attention to SOP Environment, which can be considered an important tool for improving eco-efficiency standards and greening the economic growth. The research is focusing on cases and factors of weak absorption of Structural Funds in Romania under the current economic crisis circumstances as well as on some ways of improving the situation in the future.