Published in Scientific Papers. Series "Management, Economic Engineering in Agriculture and rural development", Vol. 25 ISSUE 3
Written by Alina MARCUTA, Cosmina SMEDESCU, Dragos SMEDESCU, Levente DIMEN, Liviu MARCUTA

This research aims to comparatively analyze the economic resilience of the European Union member states, in the context of successive economic shocks, by constructing composite scores that synthesize the adaptation and recovery capacity of each economy. The main goal was to highlight the structural and dynamic differences between economies, in terms of internal stability and response to crises, thus providing an integrated tool for evaluating and substantiating public policies. The objectives pursued included: (1) measuring structural resilience in the pre-crisis period, 2015–2019, (2) assessing post-shock resilience in the period 2020–2024, (3) comparing performances through standardized scores and (4) identifying the determinants of economic resilience in the EU. To achieve these objectives, a quantitative methodology was used, based on the aggregation and standardization of four main indicators: GDP per capita, unemployment rate, annual inflation (HICP) and total exports, with data from official sources (Eurostat) for all 27 EU Member States. The results show clear differences between economies, both in terms of structural fundamentals and post-crisis adjustment capacity. Germany, Ireland and the Netherlands stand out with high overall scores, while Greece, Spain and Estonia are at the bottom of the ranking, indicating persistent vulnerabilities or recent heightened pressures. Romania is in a middle position, with a balanced profile, but with clear needs for institutional consolidation and macroeconomic stability. The proposed scores provide a synthetic picture of resilience and can contribute to guiding development strategies and the efficient allocation of European resources.

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