Paper/Speech Details of Conference Program for the 17th NISPAcee Annual Conference Program Overview I. Working Group on Local Government Author(s) Emilia Lucia Catana Dimitrie Cantemir university Tirgu Mures Romania Marius Cristian Catana Title Romanian model of metropolitan areas in local development – Intercommunity development associations File Paper files are available only for conference participants, please login first. Presenter Abstract In order to satisfy the ever complex needs of our society, public administration has to follow closely, through constant development, the growth of the human society in general. From this point of view public administration oneself does not represent a purpose, but has to adapt itself to serve the social needs and realities in their dynamics. Therefore a strong connection exists between society and its component elements and public administration. As a fully-fledged member of the EU Romania needs to prove in the subsequent years its capacity of absorption of European funds, which represent financial solidarity tools among member states (Cohesion fund, Structural funds, Solidarity fund) and are designed mainly to develop local communities. The setting up of associative forms of territorial administrative units in order to create regional development projects or to make available public services plays an essential role in this. Also, our country needs, first of all, to create a stable internal legal framework, lacking in ambiguities, to be able to consolidate its capacity to develop local communities. In this context, the study analyses the legal framework regarding the Romanian “model” of metropolitan areas development, through associative forms of territorial administrative units, especially associations for intercommunity development as a private structures with “public utilities” statute. This study also emphasizes an example of good practices in the Romanian metropolitan areas development, the case of “Oradea Metropolitan Area” Intercommunity Development Association, which comprises Oradea municipality and other eight territorial administrative units from Bihor County, Romania. This association is a member of European Metropolitan Regions and Areas and can be regarded as a positive model in regional development in Romania since it was promptly set up shortly after the respective legal framework was elaborated, and it became prominent through seriousness in its activity.
