SYNCHRONIZING THE EUROPEAN SEMESTER WITH EU FUNDS ALLOCATION: ROMANIA’S CASE IN DRAFTING THE NATIONAL RECOVERY AND RESILIENCE PLAN

Abstract

Since its introduction in 2010, the European Semester has generated an extensive process of synchronizing EU policies with the domestic policy agendas of the Member States. This has contributed to the Europeanization of domestic public policies in the Member States. In this context, the article analyses how, during the drafting phase of Romania’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan, the synchronization of the European Semester with the internal agenda of reforms and investments was achieved. Structured in four sections, the article begins with an overview of the context in which the European Semester emerged and the evolution of the Open Method of Coordination. It then analyses the transition from the OMC to the European Semester, highlighting changes in the coordination of Member States. The third section explores the alignment of the European Semester with the allocation of European funds in the first year of the Recovery and Resilience Facility. The final section provides a case study on the development of Romania’s NRRP, highlighting challenges and lessons learned.