The Sustainability Design of EU Policy – Economic Growth and Climate Change

Authors: Dumitru Alexandru Bodislav, Oana Catalina Dumitrescu, Florina Bran, Vicențiu-Mihai Mateescu

Abstract

This study aims to analyse the solutions developed for the long-term implementation of proactive climate change policies and the introduction of new mechanisms to modify behaviours across European Union countries, with a particular focus on Romania. Using a qualitative research methodology based on document analysis and a systematic review of legal and economic policy frameworks, the study evaluates the current instruments employed by the EU and Romania in pursuing sustainability and decarbonization goals. The analysis is grounded in publicly available legislative acts, strategy documents, and performance indicators relevant to the European Green Deal and "Fit for 55" package. The results delineate a decision-making matrix built around four primary features of the Romanian economy as an EU member state. The study contributes to the academic discourse by offering a comprehensive synthesis of EU climate governance practices contextualized for an emerging economy. From a policy-making perspective, it identifies institutional and structural alignments required for effective climate action implementation in Romania, offering guidance for adaptive national strategies aligned with EU directives.