Romania has enacted Emergency Ordinance No. 8/2026, a sweeping economic recovery package that introduces R&D tax credits, accelerated depreciation, and compliance bonuses for businesses alongside billions of euros in state aid for manufacturing, green technology, defence, and high-tech sectors, while strengthening public-private partnership infrastructure to drive large-scale strategic investment.
Romania has published Emergency Ordinance No. 8 of 24 February 2026 in the Official Gazette, which introduced a comprehensive package of fiscal and investment measures aimed at supporting economic recovery.
Emergency Ordinance no. 8/2026 establishes a comprehensive framework for Romania’s economic relaunch, focusing on stimulating massive investments, technological modernisation, and fiscal consolidation through voluntary compliance.
This legislative decree also establishes a broad framework to boost economic recovery and industrial competitiveness. It introduces state aid schemes and tax incentives, including R&D credits and rewards for compliant taxpayers, with a strategic focus on high-tech industries, green energy, and defence.
The measure also promotes infrastructure development through public-private partnerships, strengthens the role of the Investment and Development Bank in mobilising domestic capital, and allows greater flexibility for private pension funds to invest locally. In addition, it updates fiscal thresholds and VAT rules to better support small businesses and sustainable, regionally balanced growth.
The key points regulated by this ordinance are:
Corporate fiscal modifications and incentives
- R&D tax credit: A 10% credit is introduced for eligible research and development expenses, which can be deducted from profit tax or the minimum turnover tax. Any unused portion can be compensated or refunded within a four-year period.
- Super-accelerated depreciation: For new technological equipment (Group 2.1) put into use in 2026, taxpayers can deduct up to 65% of the value in the first year.
- Stock market listing: An additional 50% deduction is granted for expenses related to the process of admission or maintenance on regulated trading markets.
- Micro-enterprise regime: The revenue ceiling remains at EUR 100,000. The ordinance clarifies rules regarding “related parties” and the requirement to have at least one employee, including a 30-day grace period for replacing staff.
Rewarding compliant taxpayers and simplification
- 3% bonus: A reduction of 3% of the annual profit tax or micro-enterprise income tax is granted for the 2025 fiscal year. This is conditioned on the full and timely payment of all tax obligations and the absence of outstanding debts.
- VAT on cash accounting: The eligibility ceiling is increased to RON 5,000,000 from March to December 2026 and to RON 5,500,000 starting in 2027.
Support for high-impact investments
The government is introducing targeted support for major investment projects worth at least RON 1 billion that can stimulate broader economic activity, develop local supply chains, and advance goals such as regional development, competitiveness, green technology, decarbonisation, or skilled job creation. Qualifying projects may receive financial backing through grants, tax credits, state guarantees, interest subsidies, or capital contributions.
A new state aid framework supports major investments through seven-year tax credits or grants with 200% supplementary deductions on eligible tangible and intangible assets.
State aid and de minimis schemes for priority sectors
Six development priorities have been assigned dedicated funding: manufacturing and industrial clusters (targeting trade deficit sectors), critical raw materials and net-zero technologies, and R&D and high-tech each receive EUR 1.05 billion, while defence industry modernisation receives EUR 200 million, and a diaspora startup programme for Romanians abroad receives EUR 100 million.
Public-private partnerships (PPP)
A new National Facility seeded with EUR 25 million will handle the technical and financial preparation of strategic public-private partnership projects, supported by a dedicated Inter-ministerial Committee led by the Finance Minister to coordinate PPP policy and monitor sector developments nationally.
Administrative improvements
The annual corporate tax return deadline is unified to the 25th day of the sixth month following year-end. First-quarter advance corporate tax payments will be calculated based on actual quarterly accounting profit rather than the previous year’s liability.
