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The 21st chapter of the pre-accession negotiations refers to" Regional policy and coordination of the structural instruments" and is expected to open in 2002. Regional development, sustained by the Structural Funds is the pillar of the social cohesion policy, one of the major objectives of the European Union. During the pre-accession period, Romania, together with the other nine Central and East European countries will benefit from a substantial non-reimbursable financial support, by the means of the three specially created, pre-accession instruments Phare, ISPA and SAPARD. Among others, these instruments are supposed to stimulate the social and economic convergence of the candidate countries. In view of the accession, an adequate legislative and institutional framework should be created in a very short period of time in Romania as well as a good professional training of the staff within the central and local …