Nouvelles perspectives theoriques du developpement economique au niveau regional [The new perspectives of the regional development theories]

The article is made about the specialised literature regarding integration, cohesion, convergence and main theories attempting to provide answers to a general and persistent question at European level: why some regions/areas develop faster than the others? The answers are given preponderantly by the regional economic science, which was supported during its development by other sciences (mathematics, geography, sociology, etc.). It can be seen that regional theories and policies have underwent important changes in the last time in their attempt to meet the new challenges triggered by the expansion of the European Community. Currently, concepts, such as endogenous development, are already “exiled” by the new theoretical approaches, which are more complex and sophisticated, using notions such as knowledge regions (those regions able to develop on the basis of own resources and adapt to the new competitiveness conditions imposed by globalisation). From this perspective, the new trends of regional policy, after 1990, were focused on regional networks (clusters) and innovation, without ignoring the development and potential specific features and differences of each area. Theoretically, there are opinions of several experts that the European Union expansion shall bring more benefits to the New Member States and a slight increase in welfare for the old ones.