Development of the Carpathian Region in the Context of EU Macro-Regional Strategy

Nataliya SYTNYK¹, Volodymyr HUMENIUK*², Olga SYCH¹, Iryna YASINOVSKA¹
* Corresponding author
¹ Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, Faculty of Financial Management and Business, Department of Financial Management, Lviv, UKRAINE 
² Ivano-Frankivsk National Technical University of Oil and Gas, Institute of Tourism and Geosciences, Department of Tourism, Ivano-Frankivsk, UKRAINE
E-mail: nataliya.sytnyk@lnu.edu.ua, profhumeniuk@gmail.com, olga.sych@lnu.edu.ua, iryna.ysinovska@lnu.edu.ua
Pages: 31-43. DOI: 10.24193/JSSP.2020.1.04

Cite: Sytnyk N., Humeniuk V., Sych O., Yasinovska I. (2020), Development of the Carpathian Region in the Context of EU Macro-Regional Strategy. Journal of Settlements and Spatial Planning, 11(1), 31-43. DOI: 10.24193/JSSP.2020.1.04

Abstract. The article researches the formative process and strategic priorities for the development of the Carpathian Euroregion, and evaluates the economic potential of its regions. A multi-criteria analysis was conducted based on the taxonomic index of development aiming to determine the benchmark values of indexes and detect deviations/delays in territorial development, and observe the ranking of component areas. In the evaluation of the development level, indexes such as population, life expectancy at birth, employment rate, tertiary educational attainment, GDP per inhabitant in PPS, gross domestic expenditure on R&D, % of GDP, nights spent in tourist accommodation facilities, passenger cars were assigned to the category of stimulators, whereas unemployment rate, fatal road accidents were defined as destimulators. Thus, we outlined the main problematic development questions for the regions on which the Macro-Regional Strategy of the European Union must be focused. The analysis showed the need to implement strategies to create new job opportunities, overcome unemployment, and promote entrepreneurship. Based on studying the successful experience of sectoral support provided by the European Union, the main directions of the European Union policy concerning the development of the Carpathian Euroregion were suggested. The key components of this strategy must include development of civil society, effective communication, activation of modern forms of tourism, creation of new concepts and revival of small towns in the region.

K e y w o r d s: Carpathian Euroregion, mountainous areas, regional policy, Macro-Regional Strategy of the European Union, taxonomic index, sustainable development