AHK Romania expresses its deep concern about the consequences of Romania’s failure to fulfill its obligations under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) and calls on all stakeholders to follow the necessary course of reforms. The loss of the 231 million euros from the PNRR would have critical and deeply damaging effects on the economy, especially in the current context of economic slowdown, inflationary pressures and decreased investments, announces the Romanian-German Chamber of Commerce.
European funds and the money from the PNRR in particular represent an essential tool for Romania’s modernization and for increasing economic competitiveness through investments in infrastructure, digitalization, green transition and streamlining public administration. The loss of these resources would affect the business environment, jobs and long-term development prospects.
“The possible loss of PNRR funds represents a major economic risk for Romania. We are not just talking about the EUR 231 million currently under discussion, but about over EUR 2 billion that may become inaccessible if reforms do not advance,” warns Sebastian Metz, CEO and member of the Board of Directors of AHK Romania. He emphasizes that “in an already difficult period for the economy, Romania cannot afford to lose these resources.”
Volker Raffel, President of AHK Romania, adds: “Romania needs to remain a strong economic partner in the European Union. Rebalancing a sustainable budget in the long term requires, after the recent tax increases, more efficiency in state administration and reducing unnecessary bureaucracy. In order to obtain EU funds, it is essential that Romania has efficient public institutions that allow for the proper management of these funds, so that they are not diminished or paid late. Both the reduction of EU funds and the delays in their payment unnecessarily slow down economic growth.
Reforms can no longer be postponed, they are essential for the country’s economic future.”
Respecting the milestones and coherent implementation of reforms is not only a European obligation, but also a fundamental condition for maintaining investor confidence and attracting new investments. It is important that EU funds are available in full and on time, and that funding applications are processed and paid within the stipulated timeframe.
AHK Romania reaffirms its willingness to remain a constructive dialogue partner for the authorities, supporting with expertise and institutional cooperation all efforts aimed at accelerating the implementation of reforms and strengthening the competitiveness of the Romanian economy.