Sustainable societal development perspectives for rural Romania in light of Horizon 2020

Developmental gaps between urban and rural areas are a trademark of nowadays times, accelerated by economic models that ensure advancement chances mostly to urban hubs, rather than being focused on rural life. The Sustainable Development Goals issued by the United Nations and their desired implementation by 2030 is a first guarantee for an equitable and inclusive societal and economic framework. Currently, Romania lacks rural investments and a forward-looking attitude is much needed to reach the sustainability objectives. In addition, smart rural development, which fosters knowledge, innovation and R&D at village level is a viable tool in laying the groundwork for rural welfare, in response to issues such as migration from rural to urban, demographic ageing and poverty. Despite the multitude of programs tackling rural development at EU scale, Romania appears to perform poorly, even if its population is highly ruralized. In light of these matters, the paper conducts literature review analysis on smart rural development and sustainable development in Romania, to highlight the current performance of Romanian villages in this concern. Using literature and document analysis of Horizon 2020 programs on rural development conducted in the European Union, the aim is to identify the specific points to be addressed by decision makers in order for sustainable advancement of Romanian villages to be further enhanced.