The current volume represents the outcome of the international conference “National and European Values of Public Administration in the Balkans,” organised in Bucharest on 15-16 July 2011. The conference has been organised by Jean Monnet research network dedicated to “South-Eastern European developments on the administrative convergence and enlargement of the European Administrative Space in Balkan states,” representing the third edition of the events organised under the above aegis. The research network, comprising the National School of Political Studies and Public Administration (NSPSPA), Bucharest, Romania, University of the Aegean, Mytilene, Greece, New Bulgarian University, Sofia, Bulgaria, University of Rijeka, Croatia and the European Public Law Organization (EPLO) with headquarters in Athens, Greece has developed and continues to develop studies and researches specific for the development of public administration in the Balkan states. The keynote speakers of the conference included Mw. Dr. Helena Raulus, EU Law Docent, Faculteit der Rechtsgeleerdheid, Erasmus Universiteit, Netherlands, Prof. Dr. Spyridon Flogaitis, Director, President of the BoD, European Public Law Organization, Greece and Prof. Dr. Lucica Matei, Dean, Faculty of Public Administration, National School of Politica Studies and Public Administration, Romania. The contents of the papers presented have been focused on the following topics: EU normative support for sustaining the process of administrative convergence; European Administrative Space principles - pillars for the mechanisms of evaluation of public administration reforms; Balkan priorities for European Administrative Space enlargement Other two sub adjacent topics have been added, aiming especially the doctoral students, emphasising the following themes: The process of administrative convergence at EU level; Efficiency, effectiveness and responsibility in the European Administrative Space; European Administrative Space. Priorities of the future. For the international conference, 88 abstracts were received, of which due to the first selection achieved by the Conference Scientific Committee, 56 papers were accepted After presentation, the papers have been improved and subjected to double review, so that there were accepted for publication 36 papers, having 46 authors from nine countries: Romania, Greece, Bulgaria, Netherlands, Albania, France, Croatia, Italy and USA and two European organisations: EPLO and EIPA. The general conclusion expected for the final of our conference could refer to the existence of a Balkan Administrative Space as part of the European Administrative Space. Even if the area of the Balkan Administrative Space is confined, we have to highlight the unity in diversity as a fundamental feature. The unity derives from the ideals of European integration of the Balkan states and the diversity derives from the national histories, cultural diversity and their national identity. The connections of the Balkan Administrative Space become day by day more powerful related to the European Administrative Space. They are determined by the development of the processes of convergence and administrative dynamics as well as by the internal developments induced by the administrative reforms in the mentioned states. In this context, we could assert that by means of the research proposed and achieved, our project has open new agendas of research, that partially have been expressed in our research reports, publications etc. At the same time, as remarked from the contents of this conference, the national and European values of the Balkan Administrative Space are substantiated on the regulatory framework of the European Union, the processes of convergence and administrative dynamics, as well as on the principles of the European Administrative Space. In fact, as it is well known, the latter becomes a non-formalised acquis of the European Public Administration, representing a standard for assessing the progress in the reforms of the national public administrations. Our conference has taken place under the auspices of this generous perspective.

On these grounds, the focus of this research aims to explore the impact of the economic crisis on the South-eastern Europe' public administration systems, and the anti-crisis measures undertaken by the public administration at the level of the governance process, with a particular focus on Romania case study. The paper develops on the premises that Romania public administration system was altered directly by the impact of the economic crises and the anti-crises measures affected several structural levels of the public administration system, both at central and local level.The research raises the awareness of academia and practitioners of the impactions of the economic crises on the emerging economies and public administration systems from South-eastern Europe. It raises the awareness on how important is the local administrative systems and their capacity to react, adapt, and rethinking policy reforms in line with the rapidly changing environment.

The pandemic crisis generated by the corona virus affected all the world and its social systems. They had to rapidly adapt and take drastic measures, in order to answer in an effective and efficient way to the virus dispersal. The most common answer was the lock down of many of the economic and social activities. One of the most affected social systems by the COVID-19 crisis was the educational system, which had to eliminate all the face to face interaction teaching and learning methods and move all in online, transforming them in e-learning activities. As the system theory states, many systems have the property of adapting itself to changes in the environment. The aim of this work is to make an analysis on how the Romanian educational system was able to adapt in a short period of time, by reviewing the administrative and legal measures taken. Also, we will try to see if this crisis is a real treat or an opportunity to rethink how we educate future generations and which should be the new skills needed for the future, for both students and teachers.

The paper presents the impact of applying Regulation (EC) 1370/2007 of the European Parliament and of the Council on public passenger transport services by rail and by road, adopted with the goal of eliminating disparities between the transport enterprises in different Member States, on the municipal public service Regia Autonomă de Transport Bucureţti, fourth largest in size on the continent. The assumption of the paper is that the coordinates of ensuring high-quality passengers transport services by means of regulated competition, imposed by this Regulation, outline a “new framework-model” for the manner of organizing and functioning of operators in this field.

RIA was implemented varied from country to country, reflecting differences in the objectives chosen, institutional capacity and resource constraints. Romania is in the group of the EU countries which implemented the RIA system recently, starting with 2007. In one of its reports (1997), on the official website OECD stated that Impact assessments (IAs) form part of the rise of the “Better Regulation” movement in Europe and the adoption of a number of tools with the aim to measure and reduce administrative burdens. IA can be applied to all forms of state action, including anti-crisis measures and regulatory actions, in all sectors, or it can be more sector-specific and take into account specific variables (e.g. economic impact assessment, environmental impact assessment, health impact assessment, social impact).The purpose of this study is to analyse if through the introduction of the RIA in Romania theGovernment could monitor the impact in terms of effective legislation in the context by the economic crisis started at the end the year 2008. This research study attempts to provide an answer to a number of main research questions:- How is understood and what is the current situation of the RIA system in Romania?- Which are the variables and determinants of RIA in financial and economic crisis?- How the normative acts are emphasizing the economic and social impact.

Romanian Journal of Public Affairs is aiming to promote interdisciplinary research in governance, public administration, public affairs, public policy, law, economics and finance, following the philosophy of international interdisciplinary journals.This number of the journal contains the following articles:1.The Role Of The President Of Romania In The Executive Power;2.Erasmus Social Entrepreneurship. A New Formula For Exploring The Creativity And Innovation For Young People;3. Assessment Of Public Administration Integrity Level: Between Morality And The Law;4. Application Of The Charter Of Fundamental Rights Of The European Union In Constitutionality Review;5. Migration Issues Between Protecting Human Rights And Security;6. A Potential Development Program For Bucharest.

The aim of the article is to explore the characteristics of the emerging administration of the states from the South-east Europe under the changes and reforms imposed by the European Union pressure and also to present what means these characteristics. EU throw his policies and strategies has a great impact on economic and social conditions in the European states and thus on their economic competitiveness. These countries have to face with political changes, economic changes, social changes and demographical changes. Starting from these premises and under these conditions our research will go on trying to identify the way in which the administrations from south east Europe become emerging, which are the conditions and the instruments that lead to this situation and if there are models and principles that can be internalized to achieve an European Administrative Space.