The determination and ranking of factors bearing an influence over the ability to absorb rural development funds in Timis County, Romania

The scope of the study is to determine and rank the factors with an influence over the ability to absorb rural development funds under the 2007-2013 National Rural Development Program, with research being located in the county of Timis, in western Romania. The studied sample consisted in 122 subjects, mostly beneficiaries of rural development projects. Subsequent to the statistical analysis obtained by filling in some “face-to-face” questionnaires, the respondents’ opinions on the factors causing malfunctions during the process of application for funding have been identified. The highest frequency was contemplated in relation to ”The long period of time lapsed from submission of the proposal and up to the approval of the funding proposal”, followed by “Cumbrous obtaining of the papers and documents necessary for compiling the project proposal”. Among the factors with the most influence over the awarding and implementation of such projects, the respondents have most frequently pointed to ”The imposed bureaucracy” and ” Cumbrous obtaining of the papers and documents necessary for compiling the project proposal”.