Regulatory Frameworks for Innovation and Cooperative Development

Abstract

A robust national regulatory and strategic framework plays a crucial role in fostering research, innovation, and sustainable economic development. This paper analyzes the extent to which national policies in the Republic of Moldova support innovation and entrepreneurship, with a particular focus on the positioning of cooperative enterprises within the innovation ecosystem. The study is based on a qualitative methodological approach, relying on the documentary analysis of key legislative and strategic documents, complemented by a comparative and interpretative perspective. The findings reveal that Moldova has developed a relatively complex policy framework aimed at promoting a knowledge-based economy, including the National Programme in the fields of research and innovation for 2024–2027, which emphasizes institutional capacity building, technology transfer, and integration into the European Research Area. However, the results indicate that the effectiveness of these policies is constrained by insufficient coherence, weak interconnections between research and business sectors, and limited operationalization of policy instruments. A significant gap identified by the study concerns the limited integration of cooperatives into innovation and entrepreneurship policies, including those targeting small and medium-sized enterprises. Additionally, although the concept of smart specialization is recognized at the strategic level, its practical implementation remains underdeveloped. The paper concludes that enhancing policy integration, strengthening implementation mechanisms, and explicitly incorporating cooperative enterprises into innovation strategies are essential for improving economic resilience, fostering inclusive growth, and supporting sustainable development. UDC: [004.8:336.77]+[341.1(EU):004.8]; JEL: O31, O32, O38, R58, R11