Romania needs functioning markets, not permanent exceptions — this is the message from the Competition Council in the context of the OECD. In energy, pressure remains on prices for industry, and solutions lie in interconnection, flexibility, storage, and long-term contracts, explains Bogdan Chirițoiu, President of the Competition Council.
What will be the main directions in improving market mechanisms after Romania’s accession to the OECD?
Romania’s accession to the OECD confirms that the Romanian economy operates on the basis of clear rules, comparable to those of the most developed countries in the world. The OECD is recognized as a club of advanced economies, and membership in this organization sends a strong signal of institutional stability and seriousness. At the same time, this status will contribute to strengthening the confidence of investors and financial markets, which means a decrease in the interest rates at which the state, Romanian companies and even the population borrow, thus reducing financing costs and supporting long-term economic development.
In the field of competition, Romania is not starting from scratch. We are familiar with the OECD instruments and practices, given that we have been an associate member of the Competition Committee since 2014, after previously having had the status of “observer” since 2006. As a result, from the point of view of competition policy, accession does not imply a change of direction, but rather the consolidation of a framework already largely aligned with the organization’s standards.
For market mechanisms, this means more predictability, more real competition and more trust. Investors – Romanian and foreign – look primarily at the quality of the rules, the way they are applied and the coherence of public policies. OECD membership provides this guarantee and creates a framework conducive to long-term investment.
The difference is that, with membership, these principles will be reflected more clearly and consistently in all public policies – from regulation and public procurement, to the governance of public enterprises and policies for the digital economy.
Ultimately, the direct benefit for the economy and consumers is a more open, fairer and more competitive market, where the rules are the same for all, investments are encouraged and economic growth is sustained and sustainable.
How should the re-liberalization of the gas market take place? How does the CC see a gas release program?
We are a competition authority and as a result, we want markets to function freely, unregulated, based on supply and demand mechanisms. It is true that in exceptional circumstances, administrative interventions can be justified, but they cannot become permanent without affecting the normal functioning of the markets. We have made a series of recommendations, since the first liberalization in July 2020, and some of them have been taken up.
The return to a free market must take place in such a way that there is predictability for all market players. Suppliers must identify the best sources of natural gas acquisition and build offers for end consumers, including household customers.
In parallel, extensive consumer information campaigns should be carried out regarding their rights and obligations, the functioning of the market, the structure of the bill and the difference between the regulated and competitive components. Consumers should also know that they have the possibility to change supplier and how this process is carried out. It is very important that suppliers get involved in information campaigns, including by sending, together with the bill, clear information on the reopening of the market and consumer rights. We saw that ANRE developed regulations to prepare for liberalization at the end of last year, so it issued an order that obliges natural gas suppliers to inform their customers, both households and non-households, that the current price cap scheme is ending. An informed consumer is an essential factor of competitive pressure: they compare offers, exercise their right to change supplier based on substantiated decisions.
At the same time, it is essential that the online platform for changing supplier (POSF) functions optimally, so that the process is fast and free of administrative barriers.
The entry of a new player on the supply market, namely Romgaz, even if it also has the quality of producer, would increase competitive pressure, as happened in the case of Hidroelectrica on the electricity supply market.
I also believe that some temporary and proportionate restrictions on customer retention should be introduced, in order to facilitate mobility and effective competition during the transition period, as well as the temporary obligation to offer a standard contract, with unitary and clear clauses that allow easy comparison of prices offered by suppliers. In order to increase predictability for consumers and stimulate term contracting on wholesale markets, I also recommended offering a fixed-price contract for a term of at least one year.
The liquidity of the wholesale market is essential for establishing relevant prices for traded products (monthly, quarterly, semi-annually, annually). In 2020, the Gas Release Program (GRP) was an effective tool: the trading obligation imposed on producers and suppliers was replaced by the obligation to bid on centralized markets, which ensured liquidity and contributed to the convergence of domestic prices with those in European hubs, such as CEGH and TTF.
In the conditions at that time, the GRP was an appropriate mechanism. Today, however, the market has evolved: the interconnection capacities of the NTS have increased significantly, and the correlation of domestic prices with European prices is already a reality. In addition, we anticipate a consistent impact on the wholesale segment of the new gas volumes that are to enter the market starting in 2027.
What are the main problems on the electricity market? Why do we have high prices, despite the entry of new capacities into the market?
As a rule, wholesale electricity prices in Romania are similar to those in the rest of Europe. Volatility on the European market – related to gas prices, CO₂ certificates, the COVID pandemic or the war in Ukraine – is also directly transmitted to Romania. We are part of an interconnected market and we cannot be completely isolated from these developments.
At the same time, it is an exceptional situation, due to the imperfect interconnection with the rest of the European Union, at the border between Hungary and Austria. In the “Core” region — which includes Germany, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Austria and northern Italy — European rules on the use of cross-border capacity are not fully applied. Member States are obliged not to block lines for neighbours, but derogations such as those applied in Austria contribute to maintaining congestion and limit the integration of cheaper energy during peak periods.
In addition, Ukraine, which used to be an energy exporter, is now an importer.
Therefore, the connection via Austria needs to be improved and, possibly, a viable alternative developed. One option would be to develop a connection via Poland, which is interconnected with the Baltic states and Germany. Such a route would reduce the risk that the countries of south-eastern Europe will be left with higher prices than the rest of the Union.
In this context, the European Commission is preparing a new legislative package on the regulation of interconnections between states (“European Grids Package”), through which it will strengthen the investment monitoring mechanism and provide part of the financing for some projects.
On the other hand, the regulatory framework has improved. Resolving the situation in the balancing market and introducing an advance for all contracts concluded in the wholesale energy market reduce the risk of speculative behavior.
We need to develop energy storage capacity (in batteries or pumped storage plants) and improve the flexibility of the network, so that cheaply produced energy can be stored and used during periods of high consumption, when prices rise.
For household consumers with low incomes, a support mechanism has been introduced, through which the state grants a monthly electronic voucher of 50 lei, usable exclusively for paying electricity bills.
The big problem, however, is the high prices for industrial, energy-intensive consumers, who provide jobs. We need solutions so that large industrial consumers can have lower energy prices, which will ensure their competitiveness especially against companies from outside the EU. I believe it is important to encourage long-term contracts, including PPAs for industry, which can provide stability for both producers and large consumers and reduce pressure on the spot market. Regulators, both energy and competition, companies and legislators need to discuss and reach a formula through which large consumers can receive cheaper resources.
What have been the biggest challenges since taking over your mandate in the CC?
One of the biggest challenges has been, perhaps surprisingly, maintaining institutional stability in an often volatile economic and political environment. There are not many institutions that have managed to ensure business continuity, without major crises, sudden changes in leadership or radical reorganizations. The fact that we managed to maintain the functioning of the Competition Council in a stable manner, without scandals and without major syncopes, was a constant challenge and, at the same time, an important result.
Another essential challenge was to orient the institution’s activity towards real economic problems, with a significant impact on markets and consumers. We aimed not to limit ourselves to the formal sanctioning of certain practices, but to intervene in sectors with major economic relevance – energy, public procurement, the financial sector, retail – where distortions can affect competitiveness and consumer welfare. This approach involved strengthening analytical capacity, institutional maturity in managing sensitive cases and maintaining a balance between firm application of the law and ensuring a stable and predictable framework for the business environment.
In conclusion, we managed to maintain the independence of the Council and consolidate its functioning at a high-performance level, both in terms of the quality of economic analysis and the coherence of the decisions adopted.
What are the main performance indicators (KPIs) achieved in 2025 and targeted for 2026?
In 2025, the main performance indicators focused primarily on the efficiency in detecting and sanctioning anti-competitive practices, controlling economic concentrations, monitoring markets, and managing state aid. Our indicators do not only reflect numbers, but also the institution’s ability to effectively manage challenges and strengthen the functioning of markets in a complicated economic context.
We initiated 14 new investigations in sectors relevant to the economy – from IT services and digital platforms to traditional markets – and 65% of them target possible cartel agreements. We completed 18 investigations and applied total sanctions of 347.4 million lei, mostly for anti-competitive agreements. It should be noted that we conducted the first investigation on the labor market, an approach of major relevance for labor mobility and the proper functioning of the economy.
This result placed us first in the European Union in terms of the number of completed cases concerning possible infringements of Articles 101 and 102 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), with a total of 9 cases. Romania was followed by Italy, with 6 cases, and France and Germany, with 5 cases each.
We authorized 119 transactions – a record in the last 22 years. In cases where necessary, we imposed commitments so that consumers were not affected or we launched investigations to analyze the long-term effects. This indicator reflects the investment dynamics of the Romanian economy, but also our ability to quickly and rigorously assess the impact on the market structure.
An essential element for us is the quality of decisions: in approximately 90% of the cases finally resolved in court, the decisions were favorable to the authority, which confirms the robustness of our economic and legal analysis.
Another strategic KPI is the monitoring of markets with systemic impact – energy, food, RCA – and the analysis of public interventions, including in the field of state aid, where measures of over 50 billion lei have been approved. Our role is to ensure that economic support is compatible with competition rules and does not generate permanent distortions.
Overall, the 2025 indicators do not only reflect the volume of activity, but also the consolidation of a modern authority, with solid economic analysis, with decisions confirmed in court and with an active role in shaping a stable and predictable competitive environment.
2026 is expected to be a demanding year, with important investigations and projects to be completed. We will conclude the case regarding the marketing of crop seeds, as well as the file on the sugar market, both of which are relevant to the agri-food sector.
This year we also expect to see the completion of investigations with a European dimension, such as the Apple case, where Romania is among the five member states that are analyzing possible anti-competitive practices in the digital advertising market. Another relevant case is the one concerning Sony and the game console market.
Probably the most important case of the year will be the investigation in the banking sector regarding ROBOR – the first case of this nature. It is a sensitive case, with systemic implications, which requires an extremely rigorous economic analysis and a careful assessment of the functioning of the market.
In the area of state aid, attention is focused on the restructuring plans of Tarom and the Oltenia Energy Complex.
We are also in permanent dialogue with the European Commission regarding the modernization of Unit 1 at Cernavodă, as well as the necessary steps to authorize state aid for the construction of units 3 and 4. Overall, the challenge of 2026 will be to manage these complex files with the same rigor and independence, while maintaining the stability and predictability of the competitive framework.
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The interview first appeared in the printed edition of Energynomics Magazine in late March 2026.
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