Driving the auto industry in Romania
Romania, particularly its western region, has exhibited strong potential in the auto industry over the last few decades. By creating the right conditions and expertise, this potential has been transformed into establishing a formidable auto-industry cluster in the region. The EU-funded WeSteer ('Support actions for the emergence of a research driven automotive cluster in west Romania') project has promoted co-operation among regional development promoters, universities, research centres, enterprises and other stakeholders in the automotive sector, laying the foundations for promoting sustainable development based on stronger collaboration between research and regional policies. To achieve this, the project team established a cluster management unit (CMU) to promote research-industry co-operation in the automotive industry. It set up databases on research and development and supported the transfer of research results towards local small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Mentoring of the newly established cluster by experienced European partners has also taken place, and involved the exchange of information and transfer of good practices in cluster development. In addition, WeSteer implemented a complex set of activities in support of a research-industry pilot project on fostering co-operation between research entities and SMEs. Project deliverables included a comprehensive report on the sector, relevant databases, a roadmap on future stakeholder co-operation, and marketing initiatives including a newsletter. Communication and co-operation among regional and international stakeholders was further enhanced via a virtual communication platform and through other communication tools. All this has resulted in improved understanding and greater capacity for policy actions concerning the dynamics of the automotive sector at regional level. It also led to region-wide consensus in support of the cluster development initiative. The resulting multi-annual action and business plan for the cluster is evidence of the project's success, as is the significantly increased capacity at regional level to enhance science and technology-based development, with a special focus on the automotive sector. WeSteer has had a substantial impact on the policy and socio-economic environment in Romania's western region which is bound to have a long-term effect on the pattern of economic development, the region's overall economic performance and its integration into relevant European structures and networks.
