Romania’s Transport Infrastructure in the Context of European Integration

Abstract:

The purpose of this paper is to present and assess the current situation of Romanian transport
infrastracture and its prospects in the context of European integration. International pan-European transport corridors cross Romania, connecting North and South Europe, the West and the East. The transport network connects networks of neighboring countries with networks of Europe and Asia as well. Compared to the EU 25 average, the Romanian transport system is poorly and insufficiently developed, and of very low quality, also because still suffering from the consequences of several years of neglecting during the transition period, when public investment in infrastructure dramatically dropped. Therefore poor accessibility is increasingly perceived as one of the main factors hindering development and impeding the Country to benefit from its favourable geographical position. Accordingly, the development of the transport system is very important in order to accelerate the economic progress of the country and also to support the increase of demand of the transport services. Romania could benefit from its position on the Central Asia and Caspic area corridor, and the EU countries could take advantage