CONDIȚII ȘI ETAPE ALE REFORMEI DE REORGANIZARE ADMINISTRATIV-TERITORIALĂ

Abstract

Territorial reforms started in the 1960s in Western European countries and later, after the demise of undemocratic regimes in Central and Eastern European countries, have become a major feature of public administration reform on the European continent. Territorial-administrative reorganisations have also become the most important and much debated topics of social scientists, including political science, public administration or economics. This article presents the conditions and stages of an administrative-territorial reform. The process of administrative-territorial optimisation and decentralisation is vital to ensure efcient, transparent and citizen-friendly governance. This contributes not only to local and regional development, but also to strengthening democracy and effective adherence to the values and principles of the European Union.