Encyklopedia Administracji Publicznej MW Pivot Skin

NUTS (Nomenclature of Units for Territorial Statistics) – a classification introducing a statistical division of economic areas of the EU member states into regional levels with a given population, developed in the EU as early as in the 1970s. The aim of the classification was to create a system facilitating the acquisition and sharing of information on regional statistics, e.g., in the field of demography or the labour market. NUTS is also used to identify problem areas, i.e. those that can receive the EU financial support. The territorial unit (administrative unit) classified under the NUTS means the geographical area with administrative authorities authorized to make administrative and strategic decisions for this area within the legal and institutional framework in force in the member state concerned. NUTS includes the division of areas into five categories, however in practice a three-tier division is used: NUTS 1: the main economic and social regions of the EU (the largest) with selected territorial units of NUTS 2 level: core regions that apply for support for regional policy (medium-sized), and in them there are territorial units of NUTS 3 level (the smallest): small regions that require a special approach. Using the NUTS classification, analyses of socio-economic development of the EU regions are carried out. The application of NUTS classification to units of individual member states is changing – every three years there is a revision of the classification and modification in the division into statistical units – these changes result in either a change of the number of these units or a change of the unit boundaries without changing their number [ M. Chałupczak-Styczeń ].