Land grabbing has become a priority topic in academic research and a political concern, due to interests in the dynamics of the phenomenon and its negative impact on the sustainable development of agriculture in rural areas. This phenomenon generates changes in production systems of agriculture with adverse environmental consequences, adversely affects socio-economic and cultural conditions and leads to lower overall efficiency in agriculture. This article analyses the links between land concentration, land grabbing and sustainable development of agriculture in Romania compared to other old and new EU-28 countries. The results of the research show that the land grabbing in Romania has a significant dimension compared to the other countries analyzed, which has led to an inadequate agrarian structure and adverse effects on the sustainable performance of agricultural holdings and the sustainable development of rural areas.

Integration in the European Union has faced Romania with new challenges and objectives out of which sustainable development in rural areas is a priority. A diverse and efficient rural economy is needed, capable of generating resources that will increase the quality of life and observe environmental protection. The analysis presented in the paper brings into evidence economic, social and environmental characteristics from the Romanian rural areas, compared to EU-27 and a series of developed countries (Germany and France) or which joined EU later (Poland and Hungary). The research results highlight major disparities between Romania and the countries surveyed concerning the development on the principles of sustainability in the rural areas.

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Studying the economic profitability provides information concerning the efficiency of the patrimony management and the corresponding remuneration of the invested capital. Therefore, the analysis of the economic profitability rates is an instrument of appreciating the economic performance of companies, also of their competitiveness, and it is useful in substantiating the decisions of investors, managers, creditors and of the other user categories. This paper presents and illustrates within a suitable case study, the significance of the economic profitability rate in accordance with its expression under the material aspect or of the patrimony financing sources, also depending on the activity cycle whose efficiency is analysed. Additional information related to the companies' increasing capacities of economic performance can be obtained by studying the factors that influence the level and evolution of the economic profitability rate using some economic-financial analysis models.

Summary Romania has favourable conditions to develop the agriculture thanks to its significant