Roundtables

Masa rotundă: Economia in vremuri de război. Perspective istorice asupra unor realități contemporane (24 februarie 2023)

Roundtable: How to Build a Resilient Business (19 mai 2023)

The first roundtable of the DO RE BIZ project inaugurated the public debates planned within the Jean Monnet Chair “Doing Resilient Business on the European Market.” Its primary objective was to explore how businesses, particularly Romanian SMEs, can strengthen resilience in the context of rapidly changing economic, technological, and policy environments. The discussion aligned with the project’s mission to promote understanding of EU mechanisms, increase awareness about the functioning of European markets, and foster dialogue among academics, students, civil society and local stakeholders.

The roundtable set out to address several core themes:

1. Understanding business resilience as a multidimensional concept (strategic, financial, operational, and organizational).
2. Linking resilience to EU priorities, particularly the European Green Deal, digital transformation, and economic convergence.
3. Establishing the connection between resilience and access to EU funds, especially structural and cohesion instruments, whose efficient use is essential for firms navigating uncertainty.
4. Sharing academic and practical expertise to support informed decision-making at the business and policymaking levels.

The roundtable concluded with several consolidated insights:

1. Resilience is multidimensional and requires strategic planning, digital tools, human capital development, and financial stability.
2. EU membership provides Romania with unique opportunities—through funding instruments, regulatory frameworks, and market access—to support the resilience of domestic firms.
3. Administrative simplification and increased transparency could significantly enhance the capacity of Romanian companies to access structural and cohesion funds.
4. Knowledge-sharing events such as this roundtable strengthen public understanding, stimulate new ideas, and create bridges between academia, civil society, and policy actors.
5. The debate generated recommendations valuable for future legislative improvements, consistent with the goals described in the research proposal.

This roundtable was important for multiple audiences:

• Students gained exposure to real-world issues regarding resilience and EU economic governance.
• Teachers and researchers benefitted from interdisciplinary dialogue and identified emerging research themes.
• Local authorities and public administrators received feedback on obstacles faced by firms in navigating EU funding.
• Civil society representatives and the general public gained awareness of how EU-level decisions affect local business environments.

By disseminating practical experiences and academic knowledge, the roundtable contributed directly to the DO RE BIZ objective of empowering actors to understand and engage with EU funding mechanisms, and thus to build more resilient Romanian businesses.

Roundtable 2 : How to Build a Resilient Business? Managing Structural and Cohesion Funds in Romania (17 mai 2024)

The second roundtable expanded on the themes introduced in 2023, focusing specifically on the management of structural and cohesion funds as instruments that facilitate business resilience in Romania. This topic directly responds to the DO RE BIZ project’s aim of improving understanding of EU funding mechanisms and identifying obstacles that prevent potential beneficiaries from fully leveraging available opportunities.

The objective was to analyse:

1. The structure and rules governing EU structural and cohesion funds.
2. Romania’s performance in fund absorption and reasons for persistent inefficiencies.
3. The way EU funds contribute to increasing competitiveness, innovation, and resilience in the business sector.
4. Possible solutions and policy recommendations derived from the participants’ expertise.

Several recommendations were made during the session:

1. Simplification of application procedures, including clearer guidelines and reduction of redundant documentation.
2. Digital transformation of fund management systems, ensuring transparency and faster processing times.
3. Improved coordination between central and regional authorities.
4. Structured communication strategies so that potential beneficiaries understand the opportunities and avoid common mistakes.

The main conclusion is that structural and cohesion funds remain essential for strengthening business resilience in Romania, but their effectiveness depends on the institutional capacity to administrate them efficiently. Participants emphasized that by bridging gaps between public institutions, academic research, and business stakeholders, Romania could significantly improve its performance in the next EU financing cycle.

This roundtable produced insights relevant for government authorities, project beneficiaries, consultants, academic institutions, students, and civil society. Its outcomes contribute to:

• better informed potential applicants for EU funds,
• improved academic curricula in European economic integration,
• enhanced transparency in the fund management process,
• increased public awareness regarding the strategic role of EU funds in building resilient economies.

The session significantly advanced the DO RE BIZ project’s aim of generating evidence that supports policymaking and strengthens Romanian society’s understanding of European financial instruments.

Roundtable 3: How to Build a Resilient Business? EU Funds and Opportunities for Romanian Businesses (16 mai 2025)

The third and final roundtable built upon the knowledge accumulated from earlier events and addressed the broader theme of EU funding opportunities for Romanian businesses, with particular emphasis on SMEs and startups. This discussion came at a timely moment, as the 2021–2027 EU programming period fully unfolded and Romania intensified efforts to increase economic resilience, entrepreneurial capacity, and innovation. According to the research proposal, these roundtables were meant to generate practical insights into fund absorption, stimulate debate on legislative and procedural improvements, and disseminate best practices to the general public. The 2025 event played a key role in synthesizing findings, identifying new opportunities, and suggesting paths forward for Romanian beneficiaries.

The concluding messages of the final roundtable emphasized:

• the central role of EU funding in shaping Romania’s economic future;
• the need for predictable, transparent, and simplified procedures;
• the importance of partnerships between academia, government, and business stakeholders;
• the value of disseminating success stories to stimulate entrepreneurial initiative;
• the imperative to improve the institutional capacity of Romanian agencies managing EU funds.

The participants stressed that the DO RE BIZ project successfully created a platform for dialogue that will continue to influence research, teaching, and public policy.

This roundtable was particularly relevant for:

• entrepreneurs and startups, who obtained practical insights into available funding;
• public institutions, which received feedback on systemic barriers;
• students and researchers, who benefited from exposure to real policy challenges;
• civil society, which gained clarity on how EU funds contribute to community welfare and long-term resilience.

The event fulfilled the project’s aim of empowering society by disseminating knowledge through open, peer-to-peer discussions that motivate informed participation in EU-funded opportunities.