摘要：To meet the challenges of globalization, the EU Member States have to put into practice the creative and innovative capacity, the research representing a source of competitiveness and the main generator of knowledge. The purpose of the paper is to examine how European cohesion policy, through its financial instruments, are a source of competitiveness by implementation of anticipating strategies as regards research - development, innovation, human capital involved, leading to results that contribute to improving the competitiveness of firms, economic restructuring in ensuring the social composition by creating new jobs. Regarding the research methodology, the content analysis was used to highlight both the efforts and effects of R & D in the EU Member States, the data were analyzed both in structure and in dynamics. The research results highlight the existing gaps at the Romanian level comparing with EU 15, respectively EU 27.
