Abstract:

The world is becoming even more concentrated, interconnected and clustered. In this respect it is important to analyse the perspective for regional development of European countries. The paper is focusing on strategic collaborations between clusters.  In this regard, we intend to explain the impact of transnational clusters on regional development and also on achieving the convergence. In the first part of this paper, it is made a research on the scientific literature, in order to emphasize the relevance of clusters for regional development strategy and economic convergence. In the second part, the study focuses on the Romanian clusters implicated in cross-border and transnational cooperation programs, with the purpose to discover patterns in the clusters activity. According to these findings, clusters tend to collaborate with other international companies and networks, developing projects and partnerships, determining thus the increase of competitiveness and sustainability. In the last part of this paper we underline the results of this study and make recommendation on how to improve the regional convergence between European countries. It is important to understand and support the projects on territorial cooperation, mostly because they sustain economic growth, improve the quality of life, diminish the unemployment rate, and intensify investments and technologies transfer.