An Approach for Survey of the Sustainable Development at Regional Level: Case of Bulgaria

Many national and EU strategies and documents put targets that will lead to a positive change for people and better life. For examples, the EU 2020 strategy assess the progress by indicators focused on employment, investment in research and development, education, energy efficient and risk of poverty. The system for monitoring of sustainable development in Bulgaria includes 56 indicators grouped in ten key areas such as socio-economic development, sustainable consumption and production, social inclusion, demographic changes, public health, sustainable transport, natural resources, global partnership and good governance. But at regional level, these sets of indicators are difficult to apply by many reasons. The aim of research was testing of an approach for survey of the sustainable development of a territorial unit. A complex index for assessment of sustainable development of territorial units was design by set of significant indicators, which evaluate socio-economic conditions for life and development in the territorial unit. The approach and the index were applied for survey of NUTS 3 level regions in Bulgaria, according the EU legislation, by using the last available official data of the National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria. Benefits of the approach using were summarized.