THE ROLE OF THE LOCAL DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES FINANCED FROM EUROPEAN FUNDS, THROUGH THE LEADER MEASURE - NATIONAL RURAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME 2014-2020, IN SUPPORTING INNOVATION AND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN ROMANIA

The paper aims to carry out an analysis of the performance components of the local development strategies funded under the LEADER Measure from the National Rural Development Program 2014-2020. The article analyzes the Local Development Strategies financed in each development region of Romania from the perspective of the most relevant performance indicators achieved through the implementation of these strategies. The paper emphasizes the contribution of the Local Development Strategies to supporting the bioeconomy, as a smart specialization field, in the National Strategy for Research, Development and Innovation and within the smart specialization strategies adopted by Romania's development regions. The "bottom-up" approach, specific to the LEADER concept, is highlighted, and the role of the Local Action Groups implementing the Local Development Strategies is outlined, in supporting the development and innovation at the local level, as well as in supporting the areas of smart specialization within the relevant regional and national strategies. The paper concludes that the field of bioeconomy, benefiting from the huge potential of the Romanian agriculture, in the context of a growing food industry, could represent a key sector of ​​development of the Romanian economy.