Rezumat/Abstract. Spatial policies are meant to ensure a balanced and sustainable development at different territorial levels. Although numerous studies were carried out, consensus was not achieved on the importance of different levels of policies (local, regional, national, European) on the development process, and whether regulated interventions can stimulate development better than the intrinsic mechanisms of territorial processes. This study aims to assess the development of Romania at the level of metropolitan areas, using GIS in conjunction with the statistical and mathematical modeling of territorial dynamics. The results strengthen the importance of the local level in monitoring the efficiency of spatial development policies.

Cuvinte cheie/Key words: spatial planning, regional development, ESPON, territorial development, growth poles, spatial policies, functional urban areas

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