The North East Regional Development Agency, the first type of regional institution in Romania set up in 1999, is a non-profit public utility organization established under Law 315 of 28 June 2004 on regional development in Romania.
RDA generates economic and social development in the North-East Region of Romania (Neamt, Iasi, Bacau, Suceava, Botosani and Vaslui counties). RDA develops strategies, attracts resources, identifies and implements financing programmes and offers services for stimulating sustainable economic development, partnerships and entrepreneurial spirit.
It has developed a Regional Action Plan for tourism (PRAT) northeast 2009-2016, and is now working on the PRAT 2017-2023, coordinating a wide Tourism Regional Group of more than 40 stakeholders from the HORECA and tourism sectors.
In 2002 the agency set up a dedicated Business Support Department (which joined EEN in January 2015). NE RDA is the regional promoter of innovation in the North-East Region of Romania, and it created the region’s first Regional Innovation Strategy (2008) and Smart Specialization Strategy (2014). RDA is a member of the National Consultative Council for SMEs (since 2013) which coordinates SMEs development governmental policy and financing programs.
NE RDA is involved in the development of tourism at regional level, but also in European research and tourism projects.
The first was RECULTIVATUR, working to utilise religious cultural heritage, local values, human resources, infrastructure and services to create new jobs, generating additional income in the partner regions, positive partner experiences and capitalize on European projects.
Another successful project (which helped inspire SHARE) was ZEN - Networking events with zero impact on cultural heritage, a project to identify a common approach in the management of cultural heritage and historic centres during events to reduce their impact and contribute to a general “zero-impact” policy
Based on the experiences accumulated in these projects, the RDA staff will also be involved in providing guidance for the preparation of cultural heritage projects financed under the ROP 2014-2020 for municipalities and towns from NE Region.
Under the Erasmus+ program, it works on the ROOTS project– Recognizing Cultural Heritage Opportunities For Tourism SMEs, to foster new innovative approaches in the form of an awareness raising campaign, multiple manuals and a training kit that explains how to implement and promote cultural and natural heritage tourism and how to set up a local community on the subject.
Expertise and roles:
Vocational education and training and adult education: NERDA is authorized to provide training and education by the National Authority for Qualification and carries out this activity under the brand of "North-East Regional Studies Center" (CRS).
Management of European Funds, as Intermediary Body for Regional Operational Programme (since 2007) and POSCCE: Organization of information campaigns for financing programs; guidance and counselling for the potential and active beneficiaries through these two programs; evaluation of submitted projects; monitoring of approved projects implementation; verification and approval of payment requests from the beneficiaries of POR and POSCCE funds (1521 evaluated projects; value of requested non-reimbursed financing: around €1.43 billion; 1290 signed contracts; value of non-reimbursable financing: around € 989 M);
Regional programming and planning: NE RDA has an important role drafting planning documents for European and national funds at the level of North-East Region: 6 Strategies and Regional Development Plans; Regional Innovation Strategy; 2 TVET Regional Plans; 2 Regional Action Plans for the Employment; Regional Action Plan for Waste Management; Tourism Regional Action Plan; North-East Smart Specialization Strategy.
External Cooperation: NERDA has implemented as project leader or partner 44 international projects during 2002-2015, attracting over € 3.98 M to the region for economic-social development, innovation, tourism, education and partnership enhancement. NERDA has carried out many regional promotion activities (events, workshops, exhibitions, conferences, seminars, regional investment forums), including creating a Bruxelles office in 2010 to represent the region to European Institutions. During 2006-2015, NERDA implemented 5 mobility and 4 innovation transfer projects financed through Leonardo Da Vinci program and 3 ERASMUS Plus projects.
Regional Studies Center of North-East Regional Development Agency aims at quality training, as a resource that can lead to the improvement of the economic and social sectors from North-East Region of Romania. CRS developed a global thinking model, oriented to generate and transfer knowledge and know-how for the internal staff of NERDA but mainly to create future specialists, leaders in regional development sector. To date, more than 650 people have been trained.
