This guide provides an overview of the key sectors, legal frameworks, and considerations for investing in Romania in 2025.​

Economic Landscape

Romania’s economy has demonstrated resilience and dynamism, with a GDP per capita (in purchasing power parity, or PPP) of approximately $47,203 in 2024. The country benefits from a diverse economic structure, encompassing industries such as manufacturing, agriculture, information technology, and services. Its membership in the European Union further enhances its appeal by providing access to a vast single market.

Key Investment Sectors

Information Technology (IT) and Software Development

Romania has emerged as a regional hub for IT and software development, boasting a highly skilled workforce and competitive labour costs. The government’s support for digitalisation and innovation has fostered a conducive environment for tech startups and established firms alike.​

Renewable Energy

The country’s commitment to sustainable development has opened avenues in renewable energy, particularly wind and solar power. Romania’s geographical features and favourable climate conditions make it suitable for renewable energy projects and renewable energy storage, aligning with the EU’s green energy targets.

Agriculture and Agribusiness

With vast arable land and a tradition in agriculture, Romania presents opportunities in agribusiness, including organic farming, food processing, and export-oriented agricultural production. Investments in modernising agricultural practices can yield significant returns.​

Infrastructure and Construction

The government’s focus on improving infrastructure, supported by EU funds, has led to increased investments in transportation, logistics, and construction sectors. Projects such as highway expansions and the modernisation of ports are underway, offering investment prospects.​

Legal and Regulatory Framework

Company Formation

Foreign investors can establish various types of business entities in Romania, with the most common being the Limited Liability Company (SRL). The process involves registering with the National Trade Register Office and complying with relevant legal requirements.​

Taxation

• Corporate Income Tax: Standard rate of 16%.
• Dividend Tax: Increased from 8% to 10% starting January 2025.
• Value Added Tax (VAT): Standard rate of 19%, with reduced rates for specific goods and services.

Romania has an extensive network of double taxation treaties, providing relief to foreign investors from being taxed twice on the same income.​

Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Regulations

The Romanian government maintains an open stance towards Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), and strategic sectors are subject to screening procedures to safeguard national interests. Investments exceeding specific thresholds or in sensitive areas may require prior approval from relevant authorities.​

Incentives for Investors

To attract foreign capital, Romania offers various incentives, including:​

• State Aid Schemes: Financial support for projects that contribute to regional development, job creation, and innovation.
• Tax Incentives: Deductions and exemptions for investments in research and development, as well as reinvested profits in specific sectors.
• Access to EU Funds: Grants and financing opportunities for projects aligned with EU objectives, such as sustainability and digital transformation.​

Practical Considerations

• Labour Market: Romania offers a skilled and multilingual workforce, particularly in technical and engineering fields.
• Banking and Finance: A well-developed banking sector facilitates financial transactions and provides businesses with access to credit.
• Legal Assistance: Engaging local legal counsel is advisable to navigate regulatory requirements and ensure compliance with relevant laws.​

Investing in Romania in 2025 presents a strategic opportunity to tap into a growing economy within the European Union. By understanding the local market dynamics, regulatory environment, and available incentives, foreign investors can make informed decisions and capitalise on the country’s potential.

The post How to Invest in Romania: A 2025 Guide for Foreign Investors appeared first on Valahia.News.

This guide outlines everything you need to know before buying property in Romania in 2025.

Who Can Buy Property in Romania?

EU/EEA Citizens

Citizens of the European Union (EU) and European Economic Area (EEA) countries have the same rights as Romanian nationals when it comes to purchasing real estate. This means they can buy both land and buildings freely, whether for personal use or as a foreign investment.

Non-EU Citizens

Non-EU citizens can also buy property in Romania, but with some limitations:

• They are allowed to purchase apartments, houses, and commercial buildings directly
• They cannot directly purchase land (including land attached to a house)

However, non-EU citizens can still own land indirectly by setting up a Romanian company, typically a Limited Liability Company (SRL). Once established, this legal entity can acquire and own land without restriction.

It is also worth noting that purchasing property does not automatically grant the buyer residency rights in Romania. A separate residence permit is required for this purpose.

Step-by-Step Process to Buy Property

1. Define Your Purpose

Are you buying for personal use, to rent, or for resale? This will influence location, property type, and legal structuring, especially if land is involved.

2. Get a Fiscal Identification Number (NIF)

All foreign buyers are required to register with the Romanian tax authorities to obtain a fiscal identification number. This is required for signing contracts and paying related taxes.

3. Perform Due Diligence

Before signing anything:

• Verify that the seller legally owns the property
• Check for debts, encumbrances, or disputes in the Land Registry (Carte Funciară)
• Physically inspect the property to confirm its state and layout

A real estate lawyer can handle these steps and protect your interests.

4. Sign a Pre-Contract (Optional)

In many cases, the buyer and seller will sign a pre-contract (promissory agreement) outlining the price, payment terms, and the deadline for the final contract. A deposit of 5–10% is usually paid at this stage.

5. Finalize the Sale

• The final sale contract must be signed in the presence of a Romanian notary public
• The notary will verify all legal documents and ensure proper registration
• Ownership is not official until the property is registered with the Land Book

Costs of Buying Property

When buying real estate in Romania, factor in these costs:

• Notary Fees: Generally between 0.5% and 2% of the property value
• Land Registry Fee: Approximately 0.5% of the price
• Legal Fees: Vary by provider, typically €500–€1,000 for a complete service package
• Property Transfer Tax: Around 3% (may vary slightly based on property age and use)
• Annual Property Tax: Between 0.08% and 0.2% of the assessed value

Can Foreigners Get a Mortgage?

Yes, but it’s easier for EU citizens. Romanian banks do offer mortgages to foreign buyers, but non-EU citizens may face stricter documentation requirements, lower loan-to-value ratios, and sometimes longer approval timelines. Many buyers opt for cash purchases or use financing from their home country.

Special Considerations for Non-EU Buyers

• Company Formation: To purchase land, non-EU citizens must form a Romanian legal entity (usually an SRL)
• Residency: Owning a property does not give you the right to live in Romania; a residence permit is needed
• Inheritance & Exit Strategy: Plan how the property will be passed on or sold, primarily if you’re not residing in Romania

Buying property in Romania as a foreigner is a relatively straightforward process, especially for EU citizens. With proper legal guidance, the same applies to non-EU buyers, even if they must go through a Romanian company. The market remains one of the most affordable in Europe, offering good rental yields and solid long-term value.

The key is due diligence, transparency, and collaborating with professionals who are familiar with the local laws. Whether you’re dreaming of a mountain retreat, an apartment in the capital, or a seaside investment, Romania in 2025 remains one of Europe’s best-kept real estate secrets.

The post Buying Property in Romania as a Foreigner: A 2025 Guide appeared first on Valahia.News.

A recent story on how profitable it is to invest in BVB sparked investors’ imaginations. Ziarul Financiar, one of Romania’s most reputable financial newspapers, published a revealing study to answer this question: is it profitable to invest in BVB?

In short, according to the study, if one had invested EUR 20 a month since 1998 in the leading indices of the Bucharest Stock Exchange, one would’ve accumulated a small fortune of EUR 51,000. Is it too little for some of you? Let’s compare it to other possible options.

The same small investment of EUR 20 a month would’ve got the investor only EUR 6,050 if kept in the mattress, as most people do. Also, the same investment, placed in a bank, would’ve got EUR 12,100.

In other words, banks would’ve doubled the amount of money saved, but investments in Bucharest Stock Exchange would’ve brought eight times more. Let’s be clear: the math shows that stock investments yield higher profits in Bucharest even compared to the situation when it was invested in S&P 500. Another aspect to consider is that the investment was calculated if money was invested in the main index of BVB while other stocks were offering better margins.

This post is not financial advice, and we are not financial advisors. We just liked the study and published it to our readers. Experts say investing in stock is safer than in crypto or other options, so Bucharest Stock Exchange could prove an option for those who want to start saving and investing. After all, EUR 20 a month is worth losing if investments aren’t going as planned, right? You know what they say – invest only the money you can lose. From this perspective, Ziarul Fiananciar’s study is more than welcome to clarify this aspect.

The post Study: How Profitable Is It to Invest in Bucharest Stock Exchange? appeared first on Valahia.News.

In the worldwide ranking, Romania is placed after Uzbekistan and before Bangladesh. Unfortunately, Romania ranks at the bottom of the list among all European countries.

Why is Romania in this situation? In the post-pandemic years, the country experienced impressive development and investment in green and energy areas. The European Commission created an investment budget of around 1.39 billion euros to support the Romanian energy system. Moreover, many influential companies in the field, such as Prime Batteries Technology, are expanding and investing in the development of the energy and green infrastructure of the country.

So, why is Romania still at the bottom of the European countries list?

The issue comes from the internal bodies that have the authority to handle these investments and the logistical delegation of the funds accordingly. It is clear that the country lacks the necessary individuals, policymakers and environment, climate and ecology institutions that are reliable and certified and have the power and the genuine interest in sustaining the green-orientated future of Romania.

Green Infrastructure Finance Propensity Index 2022

The study included 61 countries and territories representing 83% of the world’s population, 88% of the global GDP, and 83% of global CO2 emissions. As seen in the image below, it is based on ratings derived from seven criteria.

“The study looked at how attractive conditions are in different countries for private finance in green infrastructure, focusing in particular on elements such as renewable energy, transport electrification, waste management and support for the circular economy. Private capital continues to be largely interested in high-income countries, supported by membership of climate-conscious international organisations such as the OECD and the EU”.

Dinu Bumbăcea, Country Managing Partner, PwC Romania

The macroeconomic environment is where Romania performs the best, coming in at number 25, based on the S&P sovereign rating, the Gini coefficient (income inequality), and GDP growth. It is placed in the bottom half of the list in the following categories: regulatory and business climate (32nd), financial market strength (34th), availability of green financing alternatives (55th), dedication to green goals (44th), and green growth (61st).

According to the report, it is clear that public funding will not be sufficient to support a transition requirement now estimated at USD 93.2 trillion at the scale and speed needed to meet the Paris Agreement targets

PwC Representative

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When it comes to profitability, one should not confuse it with value. This is why, whenever you are interested in the brand’s image rather than its profitability, please check this top of the most valuable Romanian brands together with the top of the healthiest brands at international level, compiled by SeeNews.

Trustworthy and certified websites and businesses usually rank first or on the first few results pages, as such, the top was assorted with the help of the most prominent Brand Directory for Romania. This is an annual reliable, and certified brand value ranking engine. Also, we checked the information provided by the Ministry of Finance for each company.

Some companies are most profitable than others. But let’s see which one to invest in first.

The methodology for compiling this top

• We checked the search results on Google: “Romanian Brands.” This is the first step when checking the performance of any top brands – if the companies are successful in ranking higher in SERPs (Search Engine Ranking Positions), then it’s more likely to rank for reviews and analytics insights in the field of business, brands, and economy.
• We checked the leading generation directories that base their ranking on companies’ reviews, such as Brand Directory. If the companies were appreciated by multiple users that specify top valuable or top profitable Romanian brands and other various news-worthy updates, it means that the accuracy and reliability of the top in the specified category increases. Moreover, this helped with the general checking of whether the brands are present in other tops or lead generation platforms, indicating that both the public and professional eye previously appreciated them hence the brand listing being trustworthy.
• We checked the awards, the news updates, and the certifications won by the Romanian brands chosen. If they previously received multiple awards and certifications or have business news-flash record breakings, it is a sign of appreciation from the experts in the industry.

Top Most Profitable Romanian Brands 2022

1. Hidroelectrica

In Romania, Hidroelectrica is the top producer of electricity and the main supplier of the technical services needed for the National Energy System. The company become a significant economic participant as a result, particularly in these challenging times for the market.

The Romanian energy producer is the most successful and profitable business in the whole of Central and South-Eastern Europe. Hidroelectrica reached a total net profit of more than 600 million euros in 2021.

2. OMV Petrom

Even if the oil and gas giant left room for others to lead the tops, it is still one of the most potent Romanian brands with one of the most vast and profitable activity at an international level. The brand experiences solid and constant profit flow, with a revenue growth of approximately EUR 55 M in the past year, and a total net profit of more than 500 million euros.

3. Dacia

As the best-selling car in Europe in 2022, Dacia remains one of the best Romanian products to be exported elsewhere. Recently, Dacia has reached 10,000,000 units produced and celebrated its achievement with style.

Dacia encountered a more than EUR 300M loss from EUR 1,335, falling in third place. Despite that, Dacia is still one of the most purchased European Automobile brands, with 17 brand rankings.

4. Romgaz S.A.

Romgaz is the largest producer of natural gas in Romania. The company reached a total net profit of almost 400 million euros in 2021 and maintained a steady position at the top. Moreover, the company is also a great source of employment for the country, represented by more than 6000 employees.

5. Dedeman

Dedeman, an industry leader, built only with Romanian capital, experienced a 24% increase in gross revenue from 2021, a bit over EUR 100M. The brand managed to increase the retail sector, together with one of its biggest market competitors, Altex, which experienced an increase of 31%.

After the pandemic, the two brands propelled the retail sector as one of the most profitable fields in the Romanian market.

6. Emag

Emag is the biggest e-commerce retailer in Romania. E-commerce increased in popularity after the pandemic, and it helped push the so-called Romanian Amazon up in the top three.

The brand increased 29% in the past year, reaching a gross revenue of almost EUR 1,027M, becoming one of the most profitable Romanian brands. E-mag has recently expanded to other Eastern-European markets and opened warehouses in Hungary and later in Bulgaria.

7. Banca Transilvania

Bank Transilvania is one of the most powerful and profitable Romanian brands. The brand experienced revenue growth of EUR 20M and 14 brand rankings, being evaluated as one of the world’s leading banking brands.

8. Digi – RCS & RDS

Digi experienced revenue growth of almost EUR 30M in the past year, reaching a total revenue of EUR 377M. The brand has 12 previous rankings and is among the leading Telecoms brands internationally.

9. Electrica Furnizare S.A.

Electrica Furnizare SA is a member of the Electrica Group and has more than 120 years of experience in the energy industry. Since 2014, the brand has been successfully listed on the London Stock Exchange and the Bucharest Stock Exchange. Since the pandemic, the business has kept growing, entering the top Romanian brands with total revenue of EUR 236M.

10. Catena

Catena experienced revenue growth with a total of EUR 162M, entering for the first time in the most profitable Romanian brands top, with the Pharma industry.

As seen, the business landscape keeps changing regarding top brands regarding profitability, value, and economic power. One thing is clear, the pandemic was a major influencing factor in the positioning and laddering of brands in the Romanian market, with retail and banking brands at the top and most profitable.

If you want to invest in Romania, this top might inspire you. For more companies to invest in, we recommend you check the Bucharest Stock Exchange, where you might find some exciting listings that were very profitable in the last year. Who knows which one could reach our top in the following period?

The post Top Most Profitable Romanian Brands appeared first on Valahia.News.

The new facility will be situated close to the Hungarian border in Oradea, in the northwest, and will have a 6 million-tyre annual production capacity. This project is considered a greenfield investment project reaching an investment worth EUR 650 million.

Due to the war between Russia and Ukraine and the ensuing tightening of sanctions, the board of directors from Nokian Tyres took a decision last month to start a controlled withdrawal from the region and signed a contract to sell its Russian business.

As a result, Nokian Tyres decided to expand its operation plans and invest in a new production plant in Europe in order to secure the supply of its products. As such, the coming Romanian factory is key in reaching its goals.

“This investment is a significant strategic decision enabling our future growth. A world-class manufacturing facility in Europe is a key step in getting additional capacity and creating a balanced manufacturing platform as we start building the new Nokian Tyres without Russia”.

Jukka Moisio, Nokian Tyres Presdinet and CEO

Oradea hosts the perfect location for the establishment and development of the plant due to the green energy produced near the site, the logistical and administrative benefits, and the available skilled workforce.

“After a thorough evaluation of over 40 locations and several factors, such as skilled workforce availability, logistical advantages and stable business environment, it was clear that Oradea was the best choice for our new factory”.

Adrian Kaczmarczyk, Nokian Tyres SVP Supply Operations

Construction of the plant is set to commence in early 2023, while the first tyres are anticipated to be manufactured in the second part of 2024 with an estimated workforce count of 500 employees. Commercial production is anticipated to begin in early 2025, together with an establishment of a house distribution facility for transportation and storage of tyres to be added to the factory site.

*Article photo source: Nokian Tyres Official*

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Yarooms, a SaaS company providing leading workplace experience solutions, has secured 2 million EUR financing to pursue a new market opportunity and accelerate growth. GapMinder is a lead investor with 1.6 million EUR, and SeedBlink is also an investor.

Yarooms is a Romanian tech company co-founded in 2010 by Dragos Badea, Emil Muhtu and Marcel Preda. The company creates powerful yet easy-to-use workplace management software such as solutions for desk booking, meeting room booking, hybrid work planning, digital signage and visitor management.

To thrive in the modern world, workplaces must become more human-centric than ever. Strong collaboration culture, flexibility, and employee autonomy – Yarooms’ mission is to help companies foster these values and bring freedom to their employees. We are agile and understand our industry very well, allowing us to innovate and create solutions that help our clients create cutting-edge employee experiences even in the hardest times, such as the Covid pandemic. As we pursue newly identified market opportunities, we are looking to accelerate growth by expanding the team and its know-how.

Dragoș Badea, CEO and Co-founder of Yarooms

Their leading investor also believes Yarooms is a well-designed product with a dedicated team behind it.

We are confident that hybrid work is the new normal regarding the way of using the office as both employers and employees realized the advantages of this new way of working together. Yarooms is well positioned in this new market with a well-designed product, doubled by a first-mover advantage, and a fantastic team with high execution capabilities. We are happy to support YAROOMS in bringing their new direction to life and shaping the future of modern workplaces around the world.

Cosmin Ochișor, partner GapMinder

At the same time, the representative of SeedBlink, Andrei Dudoiu, praises the team at Yarooms and the product’s potential.

We are excited to welcome Yarooms as part of our portfolio of funded companies and to share this opportunity with our community of European investors! Looking at Yarooms’ results, the founding team demonstrated it’s both resilient and ambitious, and their solution has proven to deliver great results for a so-far bootstrapped company.

Andrei Dudoiu, Managing Partner at SeedBlink

Yarooms serves companies across 50+ countries, some of the most important markets being the USA, Canada, Italy, UK. The company has clients from different industries, such as financial institutions, governmental authorities and educational institutions. Some clients are Columbia University, Dedalus, National Health Service, AAA, Dr. Martens, Cerved and Robalino.

Yarooms is not the first and definitely not the last Romanian company financed on Seedblink, the Romanian platform dedicated to start-ups and investors. We wrote about many more Romanian start-ups, such as Storis or L!NK, all gathering their first rounds of investments on Seedblink. If you are an investor, or a company searching for investments, take a look at these opportunities and get inspiration.

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Fitch Ratings is a leading source of credit ratings, analysis, and research for international capital markets. The “BBB-” rating stands for middle-class enterprises that are now satisfactory and have a sufficient payment capacity, indicating that expectations of default risk are currently low.

“The capital remains a safe environment for investors”

Nicusor Dan, Bucharest General Mayor

The independent credit profile of the capital is rated at ”BBB+”, meaning that an obligor has the necessary resources to fulfill its financial obligations. However, unfavourable economic situations or altering circumstances are more likely to make the obligee less able to fulfill its financial obligations. Given the current economic and business environment in Bucharest, the information indicates that the rating of the Municipality of Bucharest is at the same level as the sovereign rating of Romania.

This is favourable given that Bucharest needs investments in areas such as heating, infrastructure, mobility, environment, and health, and it has enormous potential for investment development.

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According to ZF, approximately 15 to 1 is the ratio of investments between retail and food, beverages and tobacco production. More precisely, for every EUR 3 invested in Romania by Kaufland, Lidl or Carrefour, which builds modern stores, dairy, juice or sweets producers, led by Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Unilever, Lactalis or Danone, pay only EUR 0,20 for local factories.

How does this affect Romania? In a decade, Romania has EUR 10 billion of new investments in trade but only 600 million euros in the production of food and beverages. Thus, Romanian consumers buy “made in Poland” or “made in Hungary” goods rather than locally. Many giant multinationals such as Mars, Nestle, Colgate-Palmolive and L’Oreal do not have any factories in Romania, although they do in many neighbouring countries.

It’s easier just to sell on a market, not to bother to invest and have production. In the last 20-30 years, we have seen multinationals buying and then closing factories. It is clear that for these foreign groups, the Romanian industry is not of interest, they only want to create a market here.

Cristian Parvan, president of PIAROM.

Numerous local consumer products sector factories have closed during the past ten years. Still, no new investment totalling more than 50 million euros has been made in a production facility run by an international corporation. Furthermore, these organizations requested public assistance even when they made investments or planned to do so.

The state is generous with foreigners but caustic with its own. He gives them state aid but nothing to us. I did not receive any state aid or European funds. I reinvested the profit obtained.

Ioan Popa, founder of Transavia

As we reported, Romania’s trade deficit exceeds EUR 10 billion, a record sum, despite the efforts of the Romanian companies to market and sell their goods. Mihai Daraban, the president of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Romania (CCIR), highlights a significant problem in Romania, as the country is more of a market to the Western countries than a producer. He also emphasizes that Romania’s exports can not compete in volumes with the imports, which are much more expensive.

Will Romanians eventually learn to purchase more of their products and solicit their services? Incredibly, indigenous brands are difficult to find in a nation where the most prominent shops are all from the West.

The post Romania Becomes Sales Market for Multinational Companies appeared first on Valahia.News.

Private and governmental landowners with suitable afforestation plots are eligible for payments under a EUR 500 million programme funded entirely by the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF), which the European Commission has already authorized.

The EUR 500 mln scheme approved today will allow Romania to create new forested areas. These forests will help prevent erosion and flooding, clean the air and combat climate change. The measure will not only contribute to the objectives of the EU Green Pact but will also support the economic development of rural areas in Romania.

Margrethe Vestager, Executive Vice President

Afforestation is the process of establishing a forest in an area where there was previously no vegetation. At least 0.5 ha of compact forest bodies or 0.1 ha of forest strips encircling arable land to conserve it should be included in the plots of land devoted to the program.

Finally, afforestation must follow a project plan certified by the Romanian Forest Guard, which specifies the tree and shrub species to be planted, as well as the density of plants.

Despite how impressive this may appear, afforestation operations are useless unless the Romanian government takes action against illicit loggers. Despite all these investments from the European Union, the forests in Romania are cut down, and this is the main problem, not the lack of funds.

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