COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT Environmental Implementation Review 2022 Country Report - ROMANIA Accompanying the document Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions Environmental Implementation Review 2022: Turning the tide through environmental compliance
Date: 2022-09-08
Institutions: Directorate-General for Environment, European Commission
Subjects: EU environmental policy, Romania, application of EU law, biodiversity, circular economy, climate change policy, environmental law, governance, pollution control measures, waste management

EN 

  EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 8.9.2022  SWD(2022) 271 final  COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT Environmental Implementation Review 2022      Country Report - ROMANIA             Accompanying the document Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions Environmental Implementation Review 2022: Turning the tide through environmental compliance       {COM(2022) 438 final} - {SWD(2022) 252 final} - {SWD(2022) 253 final} - {SWD(2022) 254 final} - {SWD(2022) 255 final} - {SWD(2022) 256 final} - {SWD(2022) 257 final} - {SWD(2022) 258 final} - {SWD(2022) 259 final} - {SWD(2022) 260 final} - {SWD(2022) 261 final} - {SWD(2022) 262 final} - {SWD(2022) 263 final} - {SWD(2022) 264 final} - {SWD(2022) 265 final} - {SWD(2022) 266 final} - {SWD(2022) 267 final} - {SWD(2022) 268 final} - {SWD(2022) 269 final} - {SWD(2022) 270 final} - {SWD(2022) 272 final} - {SWD(2022) 273 final} - {SWD(2022) 274 final} - {SWD(2022) 275 final} - {SWD(2022) 276 final} - {SWD(2022) 277 final} - {SWD(2022) 278 final}  
 
 
Romania  1 

This  report  has  been  written  by  the  staff  of  the  Directorate-General  for  Environment,  European  Commission. 
Any comments are welcome to the following e-mail address: ENV-EIR@ec.europa.eu  

More information on the European Union is available on the internet (http://europa.eu). 

Photographs:  

For reproduction or use of these photos, permission must be sought directly from the copyright holder. 

©European Union, 2022 

Reproduction is authorised provided the source is acknowledged. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ........................................................................................................................................... 3 

PART I: THEMATIC AREAS ...................................................................................................................................... 4 

Table of Contents 

Romania  2 

1. 

2. 

CIRCULAR ECONOMY AND WASTE MANAGEMENT ........................................................................................................ 4 
Measures towards a circular economy ................................................................................................................ 4 
Waste management ............................................................................................................................................. 6 
BIODIVERSITY AND NATURAL CAPITAL ...................................................................................................................... 10 
Nature protection and restoration ..................................................................................................................... 10 
Marine ecosystems............................................................................................................................................. 17 
Ecosystem assessment and accounting ............................................................................................................. 19 
3. ZERO POLLUTION ..................................................................................................................................................... 20 
Clean air ............................................................................................................................................................. 20 
Industrial emissions ............................................................................................................................................ 21 
Major industrial accidents prevention - SEVESO ................................................................................................ 24 
Noise .................................................................................................................................................................. 25 
Water quality and management ........................................................................................................................ 25 
Chemicals ........................................................................................................................................................... 30 
4. CLIMATE ACTION ..................................................................................................................................................... 32 
Key national climate policies and strategies ...................................................................................................... 32 
Effort sharing target ........................................................................................................................................... 32 
Key sectoral developments ................................................................................................................................. 33 
Use of revenues from the auctioning of EU ETS allowances .............................................................................. 34 

PART II: ENABLING FRAMEWORK: IMPLEMENTATION TOOLS .............................................................................. 35 

5. FINANCING ............................................................................................................................................................. 35 
Environmental investment needs in the European Union .................................................................................. 35 
EU environmental funding 2014-2020 ............................................................................................................... 37 
EU environmental funding 2021-2027 ............................................................................................................... 38 
National environmental protection expenditure ................................................................................................ 40 
Green budget tools ............................................................................................................................................. 42 
Overall financing compared to the needs .......................................................................................................... 44 
6. ENVIRONMENTAL GOVERNANCE ................................................................................................................................. 46 
Information, public participation and access to justice ................................................................................... 46 
Compliance assurance ........................................................................................................................................ 48 
Effectiveness of environmental administrations ................................................................................................ 49 
Reforms through the Commission’s Technical Support Instrument (TSI) ........................................................... 49 
TAIEX EIR Peer to Peer Projects .......................................................................................................................... 50 

 Environmental Implementation Review 2022 – Romania 

 
 
 
 
Romania  3 

Executive summary 

In  previous  Environmental 
Implementation  Reviews 
(EIRs), the main challenges identified for Romania for the 
implementation  of  EU  environmental  policy  and  law 
were: 

 

 

 

 

 

 

to  improve  waste  management, 
in  particular  by 
reducing landfilling and increasing separate collection 
of waste in order to increasing recycling;  
to  complete  the  Natura  2000  network  by  addressing 
the remaining insufficiencies in its sites of community 
importance (SCI) component, to  ensure the adoption 
of  the  management  plans  that  have  still  not  been 
adopted and the drafting of site-specific conservation 
objectives, to establish conservation measures for all 
Natura  2000  sites,  and  ensure  the  network 
is 
effectively managed;  
to  reduce  particulate  matter  and  nitrogen  dioxide 
emissions  by  reducing  traffic  congestion  and  taking 
further action on energy;   
to  improve  compliance  with  EU  urban  waste  water 
legislation in order to reach EU targets;  
to  improve  urban  wastewater  treatment  through 
appropriate investment;   
to    improve  the  coordination  and  to  enhance  the 
the  authorities  and 
administrative  capacity  of 
agencies  involved  in  implementing  EU  legislation,  in  
particular  on  water  and  waste  management  and 
 the  protection  and  management  of  Natura  2000 
sites. 

increase 

On waste management, there has been limited progress, 
with  no  real 
in  recycling  and  composting. 
Romania  needs  to  step  up  its  efforts  to  reach  EU 
recycling  targets  after  2020.  In  2021,  it  adopted  41 
county  waste  management  plans  and  the  Bucharest 
municipality waste management  plan. It will soon revise 
its  National  Waste  Management  Plan.  All  of  these  are 
positive  developments..  The  Romanian  recovery  and 
resilience plan (RRP) includes a circular economy national 
strategy  action  plan,  plus  waste  investments.  However, 
Romania needs to depart from landfilling and mechanical 
(MBTs)  and  develop  waste 
biological 
infrastructure  further  upstream  in  the  waste  hierarchy. 
Romania could end up having to pay fines because of its 
illegal and non-compliant landfills. 

treatments 

On water management, Romania has made only limited 
progress 
in  reducing  the  number  of  non-compliant 
agglomerations under the Urban Waste Water Treatment 
the 
Directive.  Romania 
implementation  of  the  Urban  Waste  Water  Treatment 
Directive  with  a  large  fraction  of  their  waste  waters 
remaining untreated, even though all the deadlines in the 

lagging  behind 

in 

is 

Accession Treaty have already expired. To improve water 
quality  and  make  sanitation  more  affordable,  the  waste 
water  system  needs  further  reforming  and  progress 
needs  to  be  made  on  building  the  necessary  and 
appropriate  waste  water  treatment  infrastructure.  The 
RRP contains investments in this area, but the  there is a 
wide implementation gap. 

On  air  quality,  Romania  has  made  limited  progress  in 
reducing  overall  emissions.  For  both  particulate  matter 
PM10  and  nitrogen  dioxide  (NO2),  there  were  still 
exceedances  reported  in  2020,  and  in  several  air  quality 
zones,  Romania  has  not  reached  the  target  values  for 
ozone  concentration.  The  RRP  allocates  funds  to  more 
sustainable energy and transport and can therefore help 
improve  the  situation.  However,  Romania  is  the  only 
Member  State  that  has  still  not  adopted  its  National  Air 
Pollution Control Programme (NAPCP), due in April 2019. 
This is a major setback. 

On the Natura 2000 network, Romania has made limited 
progress. It has adopted a number of management plans, 
but  a  significant  number  still  need  to  be  adopted.  The 
conservation status of habitats and species of EU interest 
must  also  be  improved  by  fully  protecting  Natura  2000 
sites,  using  EU  funds,  and  planning  investments  more 
strategically.  For  this,  the  increased  administrative  and 
technical  capacity  of  ANANP,  the  agency  in  charge  of 
protected areas, will be essential. The RRP does not have 
these 
for  biodiversity 
sufficient 
administrative  and 
the  shortfall 
therefore needs to be made up using other EU funds and 
national  resources.  It  is  also  necessary  to  reform  the 
forestry  system  and  forestry  procedures  to  effectively 
conserve the forests that should be protected under the 
EU  Habitats  and  Birds  Directives,  and  to  strictly  protect 
primary and old-growth forests. 

technical  needs; 

to  cover 

funds 

EU financing continues to provide substantial support for 
environmental 
implementation.  Total  environmental 
financing  reached  1.11%  of  GDP  in  2014-2020,  while 
environmental  investment  needs  are  estimated  to  be  at 
least  1.6%  of  GDP  in  the  coming  years,  signalling  a 
potential  financing  gap  of  0.49%  of  GDP  over  baselines. 
Romania  is  due  to  receive  over  EUR  29  182  billion  from 
its RRP (2021-2026) and EUR 29 219 billion from cohesion 
policy  funding  (the  European  Regional  Development 
Fund (ERDF) and  the European Social Fund (ESF)) (2021-
2027).  Absorption  of  funds  for  the  environment  is  still 
very  problematic,  with  Romania  risking  having  to  pay 
fines  very  soon  in  some  sectors,  if  urgent  action  is  not 
taken. 

Environmental Implementation Review 2022 – Romania 

 
 
 
Romania  4 

Part I: Thematic areas 

1. Circular economy and waste management 

Figure 1: Circular material use rate (%), 2010-20201 

Measures towards a circular economy 

The new Circular Economy Action Plan adopted in March 
2020 is one of the main building blocks of the European 
Green Deal. The EU’s transition to a circular economy will 
reduce  pressure  on  natural  resources  and  will  create 
sustainable  growth  and  jobs.  It  is  also  a  prerequisite  to 
achieve  the  EU’s  2050  climate  neutrality  target  and  to 
halt  biodiversity 
loss.  The  Action  Plan  announces 
initiatives  along  the  entire  life  cycle  of  products,  aiming 
to reduce the EU's consumption footprint and to double 
the EU's circular material use rate by 2030. It targets how 
products  are  designed,  promotes  circular  economy 
processes,  encourages  sustainable  consumption,  and 
aims to ensure that waste is prevented and the resources 
used are kept in the EU economy for as long as possible.  

The  circular  material  use  rate  is  a  good  indicator  of  an 
economy’s circularity, as it includes all the materials that 
are  fed  back  into  our  economy.  Large  differences  in  the 
circularity  rate  exist  between  countries.  To  help  achieve 
the  goal  in  the  EU  circular  economy  action  plan  of 
doubling  the  EU’s  circular  material-use  rate  by  2030, 
ambitious  measures  targeting  the  whole  product  life 
cycle are needed at Member State level. Such  measures 
range  from  sustainable  product  design  that  makes  it 
possible 
reparability, 
upgradability  and  recyclability  of  products,  to  other 
measures, 
increasing 
circularity  in  production  processes;  (iii)  recycling;  (iv) 
boosting eco-innovation; and (v) increasing the uptake of 
green public procurement. 

‘remanufacturing’;  (ii) 

the  durability, 

increase 

like:  (i) 

to 

Resource  productivity  expresses  how  efficiently  the 
economy  uses  material  resources  to  produce  wealth. 
Improving  resource  productivity  can  help  to  minimise 
negative 
impacts  on  the  environment  and  reduce 
dependency on volatile raw  material  markets.  As  shown 
in  Figure  2,  with  EUR  0.33  generated  per  kg  of  material 
consumed  in  2020,  resource  productivity  in  Romania 
remained well below the EU average of EUR 2.09 per kg. 

The  circular  (secondary)  use  of  material  in  Romania 
declined from 1.5% in 2015 to 1.3% in 2019. It is very low 
compared  to  the  EU  average  of  12.8%.  In  contrast  to 
most  other  Member  States,  Romania’s  performance  as 
regards the secondary use of material has deteriorated in 
the last few years. 

1 Eurostat, Circular Economy Monitoring Framework.  

 Environmental Implementation Review 2022 – Romania 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                                 
Figure 2: Resource productivity 2010-20202 

Eco-innovation 

Romania  5 

it 

is 

A  successful  transition  to  a  circular  economy  requires 
social  and  technological  innovation.  This  is  because  the 
full  potential  of  the  circular  economy  can  only  come 
when 
implemented  across  all  value  chains. 
Therefore, eco-innovation is an important enabling factor 
for  the  circular  economy.  New  approaches  to  product 
design  and  new  business  models  can  help  to  produce 
systemic  circular 
innovations,  creating  new  business 
opportunities. 

In  2021,  Romania  ranked  24th  on  the  2021  Eco-
innovation scoreboard, with a total score of 71, indicating 
that  Romania  needs  to  step  up 
its  eco-innovation 
activities.  In  all  five  components  (eco-innovation  inputs, 
eco-innovation 
outputs, 
socio-economic 
resource  efficiency  outcomes  and 
outputs)  of  the  2021  Index,  Romania  performs  well 
below the EU average. 

eco-innovation 

activities, 

Figure 3: Eco-innovation performance 2010-20194 

Circular economy strategies  

The  Commission  encourages  Member  States  to  adopt 
implement  national/regional  circular  economy 
and 
strategies covering the whole life cycle of products. This 
is  because  such  strategies  are  one  of  the  most  effective 
ways  to  progress  towards  a  more  circular  economy  at 
Member  State  level.  Since  the  launch  of  the  online 
European  Circular  Economy  Stakeholder  Platform 
in 
20173,  national,  regional  or  local  authorities  have  used 
the platform to share their strategies and roadmaps.  

Romania  does  not  yet  have  a  comprehensive  national 
circular  economy  action  plan  or  roadmap.  Nor  does  it 
have  sectorial  strategies 
textiles,  or 
construction. 

for  plastics, 

That  said,  under  the  Romanian  recovery  and  resilience 
plan  (RRP),  it  is  planned  to  adopt  a  national  circular 
economy strategy and an action plan covering the whole 
life  cycle  of  products,  as  well  as  legislative  acts  to 
operationalise  unitary  waste  management,  waste 
treatment  and  municipal  sanitation  services,  and  to 
extend  packaging  producer  responsibility.  Romania  is 
using  funds  from  the  European  Commission’s  Technical 
Support Instrument (TSI) to develop the strategy and the 
action plan. 

Reasons for this  poor performance include low demand, 
as  well  as  businesses’  and  the  general  population’s  low 
the 
environmental 
cumbersome  policy  framework  and  the  lack  of  policy 
vision and genuine incentives in this area. 

awareness, 

addition 

to 

in 

2 Eurostat, Resource productivity. 
3  Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform 

4  European  Commission  -  Directorate-General  for  Environment  (DG 
ENV), Eco-innovation Observatory, Eco-innovation Index. 

 Environmental Implementation Review 2022 – Romania 

 
 
 
                                                                 
 
 
 
                                                                 
Green public procurement 

Public  procurement  accounts  for  a  large  proportion  of 
European 
authorities’ 
consumption,  with  public 
purchasing  power  representing  around  14%  of  EU  GDP. 
Public  procurement  can  help  drive  the  demand  for 
sustainable  products 
reparability  and 
recyclability standards.  

that  meet 

Romania  does  not  have  a  national  strategy  for  green 
procurement.  However,  environmental  criteria  have 
in  public  procurement  since 
been 
the 
included 
green  public 
Law  69/2016  on 
publication  of 
procurement. In 2018, in application of the National GPP 
action Plan, the Ministry of  the Environment, Water and 
Forests and  the  National Agency for Public Procurement 
(ANAP)  issued  a  Green  Public  Procurement  Guide  that 
for  environmental 
includes  minimum  requirements 
protection for certain groups of products and services. 

Through  the  constant  involvement  of  the  ANAP  and  the 
Ministry  of  the  Environment,  Water  and  Forests, 
environmental  considerations  have  been  progressively 
integrated into procurement procedures. 

Romania  is  also  in  the  process  of  introducing  national 
GPP implementation monitoring systems, by establishing 
specific  procedures  to  be 
for  collecting 
information.  These  are  planned  for  after  the  revision  of 
Law  69/2016  on  green  public  procurement.  A  national 
green  public  procurement  plan,  setting  mandatory 
multiannual targets for the contracting authorities, is also 
being drafted. 

followed 

Romania  6 

Scheme7.  Since  the  2019  EIR,  there  have  been  54  new 
product  registrations  and  20  new  EU  Ecolabel  licenses 
registrations,  whereas  for  EMAS,  there  are  6 
less 
registrations. 

and 

approach 

integrated 

development, 

an 
sustainable 

In  the  2019  EIR,  Romania  received  priority  actions 
focusing on the need to ensure strategic long-term policy 
to 
development 
circular 
mainstreaming 
economy  thinking  and  eco-innovation  across  policies,  as 
well  as  the  need  to  increase  support  for  resource 
in  particular  by 
efficiency  measures  among  SMEs, 
training.  The 
investing 
Commission notes limited progress in this area, meaning 
that the priority actions remain valid. A priority action on 
circular material use has been added. 

in  education  and 

further 

2022 priority actions 

  Strengthen  the  policy  framework  to  speed  up  the 
transition  towards  the  circular  economy  by  all 
economic  sectors,  in  particular  by  implementing  the 
circular  economy  strategy  and  circular  economy 
action plan as soon as they are adopted. 

  Continue  developing  policy  along  strategic  long-term 
lines,  and  an  integrated  approach  to  mainstreaming 
sustainable  development,  circular  economy  thinking 
and  eco-innovation  across  policies,  as  well  as  not 
losing sight of the need to increase support resource 
efficiency  measures  among  SMEs,  in  particular  by 
investing further in education and training. 

  Adopt measures to increase the circular  material use 

rate. 

EU Ecolabel and the eco-management and audit scheme 
(EMAS) 

The number of EU Ecolabel products and EMAS-licensed5 
organisations in a given country provides some indication 
of  the  extent  to  which  the  private  sector  and  national 
stakeholders  in  that  country  are  actively  engaged  in  the 
transition  to  a  circular  economy.  It  also  shows  how 
committed  public  authorities  are 
supporting 
instruments designed to promote the circular economy.  

to 

As  of  September  2021,  Romania  had  78  products  out  of 
83 590, and 39 licenses out of 2 057, registered in the EU 
Ecolabel scheme, showing a low take-up of the products 
and licenses6. Moreover, 5 organisations, amounting to 5 
sites from Romania are currently registered in EMAS, the 
European  Commission's  Eco-Management  and  Audit 

Waste management 

Turning waste into a resource is supported by:  
(i)  fully 
legislation,  which 
implementing  EU  waste 
includes  the  waste  hierarchy,  the  need  to  ensure 
landfill  diversion 
separate  collection  of  waste,  the 
targets, etc.;  
(ii)  reducing waste generation and waste generation per 
capita in absolute terms;  
(iii)  limiting  energy  recovery  to  non-recyclable  materials 
and  phasing  out  landfilling  of  recyclable  or  recoverable 
waste. 

This section focuses on management of municipal waste8 
for which EU law sets mandatory recycling targets. 

5  EMAS  is  the  European  Commission’s  Eco-Management  and  Audit 
Scheme, a programme to encourage organisations to behave in a more 
environmentally sustainable way. 
6 European Commission, Ecolabel Facts and Figures. 

7  As  of  May  2018.  European  Commission,  Eco-Management  and  Audit 
Scheme. 
8 Municipal waste consists of (a) mixed waste and separately collected 
waste  from  households,  including  paper  and  cardboard,  glass,  metals, 

 Environmental Implementation Review 2022 – Romania 

 
 
                                                                 
 
 
                                                                 
 
Romania  7 

obligations  under 
1999/31/EC) in relation to 68 landfills11.  

the  Landfill  Directive 

(Directive 

To  date,  42  landfills  have  still  not  been  closed.  This 
second  referral  to  the  Court  may  result  in  penalties  for 
the  time  that  elapsed  after  the  first  judgment  until 
achieving compliance. 

From 
information  available  to  the  Commission,  a 
significant  number  of  irregular  and  substandard  landfills 
operate  in  Romania,  presenting  serious  risks  for  human 
health  and  the  environment.  Studies  and  investigations 
launched  by  the  European  Commission  have  found  that 
on some sites, most of the waste is landfilled without any 
treatment. These sites also lack infrastructure, as do the 
counties  where  they  are  located12.  In  November  2021, 
the  Commission  has  therefore  initiated  an  infringement 
procedure against Romania for failing to comply with the 
Landfill Directive13 and the Waste Framework Directive14 
15. 

Romania had made no real progress over the past decade 
on stepping up its recycling rate and diverting municipal 
waste  from  landfilling.  At  144  kg  per  capita  (after  a 
decrease in 2018), the recycling rate for municipal waste 
was  still  low  in  2020.  This  is  well  below  the  EU  2020 
average of 48%, as Figure 5 shows. 

Romania  is  considered  at  risk  of  missing  the  EU  2020 
targets  for  the  reuse/recycling  of  waste  and  needs  to 
step up investment in recycling to reach the EU 2020 and 
2025 recycling targets. 

Figure 5: Recycling rate of municipal waste, 2010-202016 

resource  efficiency  and 

Preventing products and materials from becoming waste 
for  as  long  as  possible  is  the  most  efficient  way  to 
improve 
the 
environmental  impact  of  waste.  Waste  prevention  and 
product re-use are the most preferred options under the 
waste hierarchy. The revised Waste Framework Directive 
in  2018  sets  new  obligations  on  waste 
adopted 
prevention  and 
introduces  more  effective  waste 
prevention programmes. 

reduce 

to 

Municipal  waste  generation  in  Romania  has  started  to 
increase in recent years. However, despite having risen to 
287 kg/year/inhabitant in 2020, it is still far below the EU 
average (505 kg/year/inhabitant), as Figure 4 shows. This 
indicates  that  Romania’s  economic  growth  is  not  yet 
decoupled from its generation of waste. 

Figure  4:  Municipal  waste  by  treatment  in  Romania, 
2010-20209 

Figure 4 also depicts the municipal waste by treatment in 
Romania  in  terms  of  kg  per  capita.  The  situation  varies 
from  region  to  region,  but  managing  waste  efficiently 
remains a major issue for Romania. 

The  Commission  decided  to  refer Romania back  to  the 
Court of Justice of the European Union for failing to fully 
comply  with  the Court  judgment10 of  18  October  2018, 
its 
which  found  that  Romania  had  failed  to  meet 

plastics,  bio-waste,  wood,  textiles,  packaging,  waste  electrical  and 
electronic  equipment,  waste  batteries  and  accumulators,  and  bulky 
waste, 
including  mattresses  and  furniture;  (b)  mixed  waste  and 
separately  collected  waste  from  other  sources,  where  such  waste  is 
similar in nature and composition to waste from households. (Directive 
2008/98/EC, Art. 3 2b). 
9 Eurostat, Municipal waste by waste operation, April 2022. 
10 EUR-Lex - 62017CJ0301 - EN - EUR-Lex (europa.eu) 

11 
https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/IP_21_5354. 
12 INF/21/5342. 
13 Directive 1999/31/EC. 
14  Directive 2008/98/EC. 
15 INF/21/5342. 
16 Eurostat, Recycling rate of municipal waste, April 2022.  

 Environmental Implementation Review 2022 – Romania 

 
 
 
                                                                                                        
 
                                                                 
implementation  gap.  The  Commission 

The Commission's Early Warning Report'17 listed Romania 
as  one  of  the  countries  at  risk  of  missing  the  EU  2020 
target  of  recycling  50 %  of  municipal  waste.  The  report 
listed key priority  actions  which  Romania should take to 
is 
close  this 
currently  finalising  its  analysis  of  Romania’s  progress  in 
implementing 
Early  Warning  Report 
recommendations, as well as an analysis of  the progress 
it  has  made  towards  reaching  the  2025  waste  recycling 
targets. It will present its Early Warning Report at the end 
of 2022 and assess the progress made to date. 

2018 

the 

Implementation of the 2018 waste legislative package 

Romania has notified the transposition of the 2018 waste 
package18 
the  Commission  and  a  conformity 
to 
assessment is under way. 

Waste Management Plans (WMP) and Waste Prevention 
Programmes  (WPPs)  are 
instrumental  for  a  sound 
implementation of the EU waste legislation. They set out 
key  provisions  and  investments  to  ensure  compliance 
with  existing  and  new  legal  requirements  (e.g.  waste 
prevention,  separate  collection  for  a  number  of  specific 
waste  streams,  recycling  and  landfill  targets).  Revised 
plans and programmes were due on 5 July 2020. 

and 

steel 

Following  a  significant  delay,  Romania  adopted 
in 
December  2017  its  national  WMP  and  its  national  WPP, 
both  of  which  are  valid  until  2025.  In  its  prevention 
programme, 
three  strategic  objectives  have  been 
proposed: (i) to reduce household waste per capita by 10 
%,  (ii)  to  decouple  the  increase  in  the  quantity  of 
packaging  waste  from  economic  growth,  and  (iii)  to 
promote  waste  prevention  in  the  wood  processing, 
chemical,  metallurgical 
industries.  A 
programme  is  in  place  and  good  initiatives  are  being 
developed,  but  progress  is  slow.  As  in  previous  years, 
there  is  a  need  for  more  systemic  thinking  and  more 
emphasis  on  waste  prevention  and  minimisation.  The 
national  WMP  tries  to  anticipate  the  new  targets  set  in 
the  revised  Waste  Directive  (Directive  (EU)  2018/851). 
But there are gaps that need to be addressed in order to 
ensure  compliance.  Besides,  since  all  41  county  WMPs 
and  the  Bucharest  municipality  WMP  were  adopted  in 
2021,  using  the  same  methodology,  it  is  necessary  to 
ensure  consistency  with  the  national  WMP  and  WPP, 
likely to be revised soon, and ensure compliance with the 

17  European  Commission,  Report  on  the  implementation  of  EU  waste 
legislation,  including  the  Early  Warning  Report  for  Member  States  at 
risk  of  missing  the  2020  preparation  for  re-use/recycling  target  on 
municipal waste, SWD(2018)422 accompanying COM(2018)656. 
18  Directive  (EU)  2018/851,  Directive  (EU)  2018/852,  Directive  (EU) 
2018/850  and  Directive  (EU)  2018/849  amend  the  previous  waste 
legislation and set more ambitious recycling targets for the period up to 
2035. 

Romania  8 

revised Waste Framework Directive19. The Commission is 
assessing  the  compliance  of  the  county  WMPs  with  the 
legal  requirements,  in  particular  Article  28  of  the  Waste 
Directive. It is understood that, to ensure the consistency 
and  compliance  of  both  county  WMPs  and  the  national 
WMP with the Waste Framework Directive, the  national 
WMP and WPP will be reviewed in the near future. 

The Romanian recovery and resilience plan has identified 
investments  for  the  development,  modernisation,  and 
completion  of  integrated  municipal  waste  management 
systems  at  county  level  or  at  city/municipality  level, 
which  should  be  in  line  with  the  national  and  county 
WMPs. 

instruments 

In  the  2019  EIR,  Romania  received  priority  actions,  to 
ensure  the  closure  and  rehabilitation  of  substandard 
landfills;  improve  and  extend  the  separate  collection  of 
waste; establish minimum service standards for separate 
waste  collection 
in  municipalities;  set  mandatory 
recycling  targets  for  municipalities,  with  penalties  for 
non-compliance;  and  to  work  on  developing  further 
economic 
for  waste  prevention  and 
management. Romania has made some progress, but it is 
very  slow,  and  recycling  is  not  taking  off.  The  priority 
actions  identified  in  2019  remain  valid,  especially  the 
need  to  improve  and  extend  separate  waste  collection 
and to have appropriate economic instruments for doing 
so. Romania has to take radical and immediate measures 
in  place  comprehensive  separate  collection 
to  put 
systems.  By  establishing  a  clear,  stable  and  workable 
waste management policy framework, public and private 
actors could develop long-term investment strategies for 
waste prevention, reuse and recycling, while phasing out 
the  landfilling  of  waste  and  avoiding  overcapacity  in 
residual  waste  management 
(such  as  mechanical 
biological treatment plants). 

2022 priority actions 

  Ensure  the  closure  and  rehabilitation  of  substandard 
landfills, and take action against illegal landfills and fly 
tipping. 

  Ensure that a national waste management plan and a 
waste prevention programme in line with the revised 
Waste Framework Directive are in place and that they 
are  consistent  with  the  41  county  plans  and  the 
Bucharest municipality plan. 
Improve and extend the separate collection of waste, 
including  for  bio-waste.  Establish  minimum  service 
standards  for  separate  collection  (e.g.  frequency  of 

 

the  Ministry  of 

19  The different waste management plans are available on the website 
the  Environment,  Water  and  Forests: 
of 
http://www.mmediu.ro/categorie/documente-de-planificare-pngd-
pjgd/239. 

 Environmental Implementation Review 2022 – Romania 

 
                                                                 
 
                                                                 
collections, types of containers etc.) in municipalities 
to ensure high capture rates of recyclable waste. Use 
the  economic  instruments,  e.g.  pay-as-you-throw, 
and 
for 
municipalities, with penalties for non-compliance (e.g. 
fines). 

set  mandatory 

recycling 

targets 

Romania  9 

 

separate  collection  and  improving  their  recycling 
performance. 
Improve  the 
functioning  of  extended  producer 
responsibility  (EPR)  systems,  in  line  with  the  general 
minimum EPR requirements. 

  Develop  and  run  implementation  programmes  for 
municipalities  to  give  them  support  in  organising 

 Environmental Implementation Review 2022 – Romania 

 
 
 
Romania  10 

2. Biodiversity and natural capital 

The 2030 EU biodiversity strategy adopted in May 2020 
aims to put the EU’s biodiversity on a path to recovery 
and  sets  out  new  targets  and  governance  mechanisms 
to achieve healthy and resilient ecosystems.  
In particular, the strategy sets out ambitious targets to: 
(i) protect a minimum of 30% of the EU’s land area and 
30% of its sea area and integrate ecological corridors, as 
part of a true trans-European nature network;  
(ii) strictly protect at least a third of the EU’s protected 
areas,  including  all  remaining  EU  primary  and  old-
growth forests;  
(iii)  effectively  manage  all  protected  areas,  defining 
clear  conservation  objectives  and  measures,  and 
monitoring them appropriately.  
The strategy also sets out an EU nature restoration plan 
–  a  series  of  concrete  commitments  and  actions  to 
restore  degraded  ecosystems  across  the  EU  by  2030, 
and  manage  them  sustainably,  addressing  the  key 
drivers of biodiversity loss. 

The EU’s Habitats and Birds Directives are key legislative 
tools  to  deliver  on  the  targets  in  the  EU’s  biodiversity 
strategy  for  2030  and  are  the  cornerstone  of  the 
European  legislation  aimed  at  conserving  of  the  EU's 
wildlife20.  

Romania  currently  is  looking  for  funding  to  develop  a 
national  biodiversity  strategy  until  2030.  Some  of  the 
targets  of  the  EU  Biodiversity  Strategy  have  been 
integrated into the government programme. 

Nature protection and restoration  

Natura  200021,  the  largest  coordinated  network  of 
protected  areas  in  the  world,  is  the  key  instrument  to 
achieve  the  objectives 
in  the  Birds  and  Habitats 
Directives. These objectives are to ensure the long-term 
protection,  conservation  and  survival  of  Europe’s  most 
valuable  and  threatened  species  and  habitats  and  the 
ecosystems  they  underpin.  Key  milestones  towards 
meeting  the  objectives  of  the  Birds  and  Habitats 
Directives  are:  (i)  the  setting  up  of  a  coherent  Natura 
2000 network; (ii) the designation of sites of community 
importance  (SCIs)  as  special  areas  of  conservation 

20  These  should  be  reinforced  by  the  Nature  Restoration  Law, 
according to the new EU Biodiversity Strategy. 
21  Natura  2000  comprises  Sites  of  Community  Importance  (SCIs) 
designated  pursuant  to  the  Habitats  Directive  as  well  as  Special 
Protection  Areas  (SPAs)  classified  pursuant  to  the  Birds  Directive. 
Figures  of  coverage  do  not  add  up  because  some  SCIs  and  SPAs 
overlap. 
‘Special  Areas  of  Conservation  (SACs)’  means  an  SCI 
designated by the Member States. 

(SACs)22; and  (iii)  the  setting of conservation objectives 
and measures for the Natura 2000 sites.  

Setting up a coherent network of Natura 2000 sites 

Romania  hosts  87  habitat  types23  and  245  species24 
covered  by  the  Habitats  Directive.  The  country  also 
hosts  populations  of  148  bird  taxa  listed  in  the  Birds 
Directive Annex I25. 

As  indicated  in  Figure  7  below,  by  2021,  22.7%  of  the 
Romanian  national  territory  was  covered  by  Natura 
2000  (EU  average  18.5%).  Special  protection  areas 
(SPAs)  classified  under  the  Birds  Directive  covered 
15.6%  (EU  average  12.8%)  and  sites  of  Community 
importance 
(SCIs)  designated  under  the  Habitats 
Directive  covered  16.9%  (EU  coverage  14.2%)  of  the 
territory. 

There were 606 Natura 2000 sites in Romania, including 
9 marine sites. The latest assessment of the SCI part of 
the  Natura  2000  network  shows  that  there  are  a  few 
insufficiencies,  meaning  that  Romania  still  has  to 
complete  its  Natura  2000  network.  An  infringement 
procedure has been open since July 201926. 

Considering  both  Natura  2000  and  other  nationally 
designated  protected  areas,  Romania  legally  protects 
23.50%  of  its  terrestrial  areas  (EU  27  average  26.4%) 
and 21.5% of its marine areas (EU 27 average 10.7%)27. 

22  Sites  of  Community  Importance  (SCIs)  are  designated  pursuant  to 
the  Habitats  Directive,  whereas  Special  Protection  Areas  (SPAs)  are 
designated pursuant to the Birds Directive. Figures of coverage do not 
add  up  because  some  SCIs  and  SPAs  overlap.  Special  Areas  of 
Conservation (SACs) are SCIs designated by the Member States. 
23 EEA, Article 17 dashboard, Annex I total, 2019. 
24  EEA,  Article  17  dashboard,  Annex  II  +  Annex  IV  excluding  those  in 
Annex  II  +  Annex  V  excluding  those  in  Annex  II,  2019.  This  counting 
only takes into account species and habitats for which assessment of 
conservation status was requested. 
25  EEA, Article  12  dashboard,  Annex  I,  2020. This counting  only  takes 
into account birds taxa for which information was requested. 
26 

https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/INF_19_425
1 
27  EEA, Protected Areas,  terrestrial  protected area percentage  (2021) 
and marine protected area percentage (2019), March 2022. 

Environmental Implementation Review 2022 – Romania 

 
                                                                 
                                                                 
Figure  6:  Marine  & 
coverage28 

terrestrial  protected  area 

conservation  objectives  and  measures  has  expired  for 
383 sites in Romania. 

Romania  11 

As  Romania  had  not  designated  SCIs  as  SACs  and  had 
failed  to  set  site-specific  conservation  objectives  and 
measures,  the  Commission  opened  an  infringement 
procedure  in  July  2020  in  relation  to  383  sites30. 
According to the latest information provided within the 
Nature  Dialogue  held  on  8  December  2021,  221  sites 
subject  to  the  case  have  a  management  plan.  The 
remaining,  161  sites  still  do  not  have  a  management 
plan. Out  of  a total of 606 Natura 2000 sites, 132  sites 
do not have a management plan either.  

Progress in maintaining or restoring favourable 
conservation status of species and habitats 

To measure the performance of Member States, Article 
17  of  the  Habitats  Directive  and  Article  12  of  the  Birds 
Directive  require  reporting  on  the  progress  made 
towards  maintaining  or  restoring 
favourable 
the 
conservation status of species and habitats. 

According  to  the  report  submitted  by  Romania  on  the 
conservation  status  of  habitats  and  species  covered  by 
the  Article  17  of  the  Habitats  Directive  for  the  period 
2013-2018,  the  conservation  status  of  around  68%  of 
the  habitats  and  46%  of  species  was  good.  Regarding 
birds, about 19% of the breeding species showed short-
term  increasing  or  stable  population  trends  while  the 
same figure for the wintering species was 15%.  

Figure  7:  Natura  2000  terrestrial  protected  area 
coverage, 202129 

Designating Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) and 
setting conservation objectives and measures 

The  six-year  deadline  set  by  the  Habitats  Directive  to 
designate  SCI  as  SAC  and  establish  appropriate 

28  EU  Biodiversity  Strategy  Dashboard,  indicators  A1.1.1  and  A1.2.1, 
February 2022. 
29  European  Environment  Agency,  Natura  2000  Barometer,  February 
2022. 

30 

https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/INF_20_121
2. 

Environmental Implementation Review 2022 – Romania 

 
 
 
 
 
                                                                 
 
                                                                 
Figure  8:  Assessments  on  conservation  status  for 
habitats  for  2007-2012  and  2013-2018  reporting 
periods31 

Figure  9:  Assessments  on  conservation  status  for 
species 
for  2007-2012  and  2013-2018  reporting 
periods32 

All  in  all,  the  proportion  of  habitats  and  species  with 
good  conservation  status  seems  to  have  increased 
between the two reporting periods.  Agriculture was by 
far  the  greatest  pressure  on  habitats.  For  species,  the 
development,  construction  and  use  of  infrastructure 
and  the  extraction  and  cultivation  of  living  resources 
were  the  main  pressures.  Romania  has  made  progress 
in  adopting  management  plans  for  Natura  2000  sites 

Romania  12 

but  a  number  are  still  missing.  It  also  needs  to  make 
progress in effectively managing these sites. 

The  LIFE  programme  has  supported  some  nature 
conservation  projects  for  particular  (sensitive)  species 
and/or  habitats.  The  following  projects  all  ended  some 
years ago: several projects regarding large carnivores in 
the  Eastern  Carpathians,  LIFE  RE-bison  (which  is  about 
the  reintroduction  of  bisons  in  Romania);  LIFE  for 
Danube sturgeons; several projects on waste (the Acasa 
–  ELSYS  project,  elsysproject.ro),  VAL-C&DW  in  Buzau, 
Ecotic  Caravan  -  ECOTIC);  several  projects  on  the 
protection  of  bats  and  their  habitats  (www.batlife.ro, 
www.salvatililiecii.ro);  specific  projects  on  bird  species 
such  as  the  Dalmatian  Pelican  or  Aquila  Pomarina 
(www.pomarina.ro)  ;  a  project  on  marshes  (Life  for 
Marsh;  fundatiacarpati.ro).  There  are  a  few  ongoing 
ROSALIA33 
projects  with 
(www.liferosalia.ro);  CARPATHIA, 
the  second  LIFE 
project  on  forest  protection  in  the  Fagaras  Mountains 
(www.carpathia.org),  and  the  Fish  For  Life  project  to 
restore connectivity on a river. 

objectives: 

ambitious 

The Romanian Ministry of the Environment, Water and 
Forests  has  put  together  a  database  of  all  the  LIFE 
projects  funded  so  far  in  Romania,  as  part  of  their 
capacity building project34. 

Under  the  Romanian  RRP,  a  reform  relates  to  the 
system  of  managing  protected  natural  areas  for  the 
implementation  of  the  EU 
coherent  and  effective 
Biodiversity  Strategy.  The  reform’s  objective 
is  to 
operationalise  the  current  framework  for  designating 
nature  protected  areas,  in  particular  by  establishing  a 
mechanism  for  interlinking  legislation  specific  to  the 
various  sectors  that  have  an  impact  on  biodiversity, 
namely  education,  agriculture, 
forestry,  hunting, 
tourism, spatial organisation, transport and energy. 

In  the  2019  EIR,  Romania  received  seven  priority 
actions,  particularly  to  complete  the  Natura  2000 
designation  process  and  put  in  place  clearly  defined 
conservation objectives and the necessary conservation 
measures  for  the  sites  in  question.  Romania  still  needs 
to  respond  to  the  neccesity  to  complete  the  Natura 
2000 
remaining 
insufficiencies  in  its  SCI.  It  has  made  progress  on 
developing  and  adopting  site-specific  conservation 
objectives.  The  other  priority  actions  relate  to  the 
importance  of  communicating  with  stakeholders,  of 

addressing 

network 

the 

by 

31  European  Environment  Agency,  Conservation  status  and  trends  of 
habitats  and  species,  December  2021.  Please  note when  comparing 
the  figures  shown  for  2007-2012  and  2013-2018  these  may  also  be 
affected by changes of methods or due to better data availability. 
32 Idem. 

33  This  project  addresses  threats  to  five  saproxylic  beetle  species  in 
forest in the Putna Vrancea Natura 2000 site in Romania, particularly 
the  relative  lack  of  favourable  habitat  due  to  removal  of  dead  wood 
and old-growth forest being restricted to small and isolated patches. 
34 The partial list of projects can be downloaded from BAZA DE DATE 
LIFE | Ministerul Mediului (mmediu.ro) and a more complete list can 
be found on Proiecte LIFE în România | Life program. 

Environmental Implementation Review 2022 – Romania 

 
 
 
 
 
                                                                 
                                                                 
getting authorities to cooperate with each other, and of 
ensuring  data  collection  and  access 
forest 
management  plans.  Progress  has  been  limited  in  these 
areas. 

to 

Bringing nature back to agricultural land and restoring 
soil ecosystems 

 Agricultural land 

The biodiversity strategy works alongside the new farm 
to fork strategy and the new common agricultural policy 
(CAP)  to  support  and  achieve  the  transition  to  fully 
sustainable agriculture.  
The  biodiversity  and  farm  to  fork  strategies  have  set 
four important targets for 2030:  
- a 50% reduction in the overall use of – and risk from – 
chemical pesticides; 
-  a  50%  reduction  in  the  use  of  more  hazardous 
pesticides; 
-  a  50%  reduction  in  losses  of  nutrients  from  fertilisers 
while  ensuring  there  is  no  deterioration  of  soil  fertility 
(which  will  result  in  a  20%  reduction  in  the  use  of 
fertilisers);  
- bring back at least 10% of agricultural area under high-
diversity  landscape  features  and  increase  areas  under 
organic farming to at least 25%. 

Romania,  with  an  estimated  3,45%  of  its  area  under 
organic farming, is below the EU average of 9,07% (2020 
data, Eurostat). 

Figure  10:  Share  of  total  utilised  agricultural  area 
occupied by organic farming per Member State, 202035 

Romania  13 

Approximately one third of all farms in the EU are found 
in  Romania  (some  3.9  million  farm  holdings).  Farming 
structures are highly polarised - large and medium sized 
farms,  account  for  around  7%  of  holdings,  but  manage 
some  70%  of  Romania’s  agricultural  area,while  93%  of 
the holdings are less than 5 hectares. These holdings are 
typically  subsistence  and  semi-subsistence  holdings, 
managing  the  other  30%  of  the  country’s  agricultural 
area.  More  than  one  fifth  of  farmland  is  under  high 
nature  value  systems  of  farming  in  Romania.  The 
combination of intensive agriculture by large farms and 
subsistence  agriculture  by  small  farms  results  in  a 
relatively good overall situation in terms of greenhouse 
gas (GHG)  emissions, nitrate  levels in groundwater and 
the state of biodiversity. Among the key challenges  for 
the  environment  and  land  management  are  the  dual 
pressures  of  the  risk  of  abandonment  of  agricultural 
activities 
from 
intensification  in  others.  Large  agricultural  areas  are 
affected  by  soil  degradation  phenomena  (erosion, 
landslides,  and  desertification),  risks  that  are  expected 
to  intensify  as  the  effects  of  climate  change  increase. 
The irrigation systems are mostly degraded and function 
poorly36. 

some  areas,  and  pressures 

in 

Soil ecosystems 

soil 

new 

strategy, 

Soil  is  a  finite  and  extremely  fragile  resource.  It  is 
increasingly degrading in the EU. 
on 
adopted 
EU 
The 
17 November 2021,  stresses  the 
importance  of  soil 
protection,  of  sustainable  soil  management  and  of 
restoring  degraded  soils  to  achieve  the  Green  Deal 
objectives  as  well  as  land-degradation  neutrality  by 
2030.  
This entails:  
(i) preventing further soil degradation;  
(ii)  making  sustainable  soil  management  the  new 
normal;  
(iii) taking action for ecosystem restoration 

One  factor  of  degradation  is  the  area  of  soil  that  is 
sealed or artificialized.37 The net land taken per year in 
the period 2012-2018 can be seen as a measure of one 
important  pressure  on  nature  and  biodiversity  -  land 
use  change  -  which  constitutes  at  the  same  time  an 

36  Commission  Recommendations  for  Romania’s  CAP  Strategic  Plan, 
2020, 
https://ec.europa.eu/info/food-farming-fisheries/key-
policies/common-agricultural-policy/cap-strategic-
plans_en#documents. 
37 Artificial  land cover  is defined as the total of roofed built-up areas 
(including  buildings  and  greenhouses),  artificial  non  built-up  areas 
(including sealed area features, such as yards, farmyards, cemeteries, 
car  parking  areas  etc.  and  linear  features,  such  as  streets,  roads, 
railways, runways, bridges) and other artificial areas (including bridges 
and  viaducts,  mobile  homes,  solar  panels,  power  plants,  electrical 
substations, pipelines, water sewage plants, and open dump sites). 

35 
https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/sdg_02_40/default/
table?lang=en (Eurostat, Area under organic farming, February 2022). 

Environmental Implementation Review 2022 – Romania 

 
 
 
                                                                 
                                                                 
Romania  14 

environmental  pressure  on  people  living  in  urbanised 
areas. 

Forests and timber 

Despite  a  reduction  in  the  last  decade  (land  take  was 
over 1000 km2/year between 2000 and 2006), land take 
in EU28 still amounted to 539km2/year between 2012-
2018.  The  net  land  take  concept  combines  land  take 
with  land  return  to  non-artificial  land  categories  (re-
cultivation).  While  some  land  was  re-cultivated  in  the 
EU-28 in the period 2000-2018, 11 times more land was 
taken. 

Romania  ranks  above38  the  EU  average  with  net  land 
take of 114,6 m2/km2 (EU-28 average: 98.3 m2/Km2). 

its  reporting  on 

In  2018,  Romania  updated 
land 
degradation  according  to  the  Performance  Review  and 
Implementation  System  (PRAIS3)  reporting  platform39 
intended  to  combat  the  degradation 
with  actions 
identified. 

Figure  11:  Land  take  and  re-cultivation 
(m2/km2), 2012-201840 

in  EU27 

The EU forest strategy for 2030, adopted in July 2021, is 
part  of  the  ‘Fit  for  55’  package.  The  strategy  promotes 
the many services that forests provide. Its key objective 
is  to  ensure  healthy,  diverse  and  resilient  EU  forests 
that  contribute  significantly 
the  strengthened 
to 
biodiversity and climate ambitions.  
Forests are important carbon sinks and conserving them 
is vital if the EU is to achieve climate neutrality by 2050  

Of  the  27%  of  EU  forest  area  protected  under  the 
Habitats Directive, less than 15% of assessments show a 
favourable conservation status42. The  share of  forested 
areas in the EU with a bad conservation status increased 
from 27% in 2015 to 31% in 201843.  

In Romania, forests cover 32,46% of  the territory44 and 
more than 40% of the assessments reveal a bad to poor 
status45.  In  Romania,  a  total  of  165  000  hectares      are 
covered by primary forests46. 

to 

the 

According 
Environmental  Crime  Directive, 
frequent offence in Romania47. 

Impact  Assessment 

for 
logging 

the 
is  a 

illegal 

launched  an 

infringement 
The  Commission  has 
procedure  under  Article  258  of  the  Treaty  on  the 
Functioning of the European Union against Romania for 
systemic  breaches  of  the  EU  environmental  law  in 
relation  to  forestry  activities48  ,  and  sent  a  reasoned 
opinion to Romania in July 2020. The Commission found 
that  Romania  had  failed  to  carry  out  efficient  and 
adequate  checks  to  verify  operators’  compliance  with 
the  obligations  imposed  by  the  Timber  Regulation  and 
to  apply  appropriate  penalties.  Moreover, 
forest 
management  plans  are  also  adopted  and  implemented 
prior  to  the  completion  of  the  assessments  required 
Strategic 
under 
Environmental  Assessment  Directive50.  Also,  by  using 
remote  sensing  imagery,  the  Commission  has  found 

the  Habitats  Directive49 

and 

Romania  has  not  yet  committed  itself  to  setting  land 
degradation  neutrality  targets  under  the  United  Nations 
Convention on Combating Desertification41. 

38 Land take  in Europe — European Environment Agency (europa.eu) 
Figure 6. 
39 All Reports | Prais3 (unccd.int). 
40  European  Environment  Agency,  Land  take  in  Europe,  December 
2021. 
41  The LDN Target Setting Programme | UNCCD. 

42 EEA, State of Nature in the EU. 
43 EUR-Lex - 52020DC0635 - EN - EUR-Lex (europa.eu) 
44 EEA, Forest information system for Europe. 
45 COM SWD (2021) 652. 
46 JCR, Mapping and assessment of primary and old-growth forests in 
Europe, p. 13. 
47 [1] SWD (2021) 465 final/2, p. 18. 
48 
https://ec.europa.eu/atwork/applying-eu-law/infringements-
proceedings/infringement_decisions/index.cfm?lang_code=EN&typeO
fSearch=false&active_only=0&noncom=0&r_dossier=20202033&decis
and 
ion_date_from=&decision_date_to=&title=&submit=Search 
https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/INF_20_121
2. 
49  
conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora. 
50  
Directive  2001/42/EC  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of 
the  Council  of  27  June  2001  on  the  assessment  of  the  effects  of 
certain plans and programmes on the environment. 

Council  Directive  92/43/EEC  of  21  May  1992  on  the 

Environmental Implementation Review 2022 – Romania 

 
 
 
                                                                 
                                                                 
evidence  that  several  valuable  Natura  2000  sites  have 
deteriorated  due  to 
logging  activities.  Lastly,  the 
Commission found that the Romanian authorities refuse 
systematically  to  grant  access  to  forest  management 
plans. 

Since  the  infringement  procedure  was  launched,  some 
progress can be noticed. The new version of the timber 
tracking  system  has  entered  into  force,  but  some  key 
elements  are  missing 
(forest  management  maps, 
satellite  alerts,  etc.).  Legislation  on  the  assessment  of 
environmental impacts of the forest management plans 
was  adopted,  but  subsequently  suspended  by  court 
order.  Romania  still  needs  to  remedy  the damage 
done to Natura 2000 sites. 

reform  of 

The  Romanian  RRP  entails  a 
forest 
management  and  governance  systems  through  the 
development  of  a  new  national  forest  strategy  and 
subsequent  legislation.  The  reform’s  objective  is  to 
ensure  a  clear  and  robust  strategic  and  regulatory 
framework for the implementation of sustainable forest 
policies  to  support  climate  change  mitigation  and 
adaptation. 

Figure  12:  Conservation  status  of  forests  protected 
under  the  Habitats  Directive  in  EU  Member  States, 
2013-2018 (% assessments)51 

Romania  15 

Between  March  2017  and  February  201953,  Romania 
carried out 1 986 checks on domestic timber operators. 
It  also  carried  out  161  checks  on  operators  importing 
timber. 
is  estimated  that  Romania  had  3  700 
operators  placing  domestic  and  161  operators  placing 
imported  timber  types  onto  the  internal  market  over 
the reporting period. 

It 

forest 

deforestation 

A  proposal  for  the  Regulation  on  the  making  available 
on  the  EU  market  and  export  of  products  associated 
with 
degradation 
and 
(Deforestation  Regulation)  was  adopted  on  17 
November 2021, following a request from the Council in 
2019  to  table  a  legislative  proposal  to  address  the 
problem,  and  a  European  Parliament 
resolution 
recommending  the  Commission  to  come  forward  with 
an  EU  legal  framework  to  halt  and  reverse  EU-driven 
global  deforestation.  This  Regulation  will  repeal  and 
replace  the  EU  Timber  Regulation,  as  the  new 
Deforestation  Regulation  will  essentially  integrate  and 
improve the existing system to control timber legality.  

Invasive alien species (IAS) 

in 

and 

land 

changes 

IAS  are  a  key  cause  of  biodiversity  loss  in  the  EU 
use, 
sea 
(alongside 
overexploitation, climate change and pollution).  
Besides  inflicting  major  damage  on  nature  and  the 
economy,  many  IAS  also  facilitate  the  outbreak  and 
spread of infectious diseases, posing a threat to humans 
and  wildlife.  The  implementation  of  the  EU  Invasive 
Alien  Species  Regulation  and  other  relevant  legislation 
must be stepped up. The  biodiversity strategy for 2030 
aims  to  manage  recognised  invasive  alien  species  and 
decrease the number of  ‘red  list’ species they threaten 
by 50%.  

(EUTR)52 
The  European  Union  Timber  Regulation 
prohibits  the  placing  on  the  EU  market  of  illegally 
harvested  timber.  According  to  the  EUTR,  EU  Member 
States’  competent  authorities  must  conduct  regular 
checks on operators and traders and apply penalties for 
non-compliance.  With  the  amendment  of  Article  20  of 
the EUTR, reporting every 2 years has been changed to 
become  annual  reporting  and  covers  the  calendar  year 
as of 2019. 

51  European  Environment  Agency,  Conservation  status  and  trend  in 
conservation status by habitat group - forests, January 2022. 
52 Regulation (EU) No 995/2010 of the European Parliament and of the 
Council of 20 October 2010. 

The  core  of  the  Regulation  (EU)  1143/2014  on  IAS54 
(‘the IAS Regulation’) is the list of IAS of Union concern.  

The  total  number  of  IAS  of  Union  concern  is  currently 
66,  of  which:  30  are  animal  species;  36  are  plant 
species;  41  are  primarily  terrestrial  species,  23  are 
primarily  freshwater  species,  1  is  a  brackish-water 
species and 1 is a marine species.  

According  to  a  2021  report55  on  the  review  of  the 
application of the IAS Regulation, the implementation of 

53 COM/2020/629 final. 
54  Regulation  (EU)  No  1143/2014  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of 
the Council of 22 October 2014 on the prevention and management of 
the introduction and spread of invasive alien species 
55  Report  from  the  Commission to  the  European  Parliament  and the 
Council  on  the  review  of  the  application  of  Regulation  (EU)  No 
1143/2014  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council  of  22 
October 2014 on the prevention and management of the introduction 
and spread of invasive alien species, COM(2021) 628 final, 13.10.2021. 

Environmental Implementation Review 2022 – Romania 

 
 
                                                                 
 
                                                                 
identified  some  challenges  and  areas 

the  IAS  Regulation  is  already  starting  to  deliver  on  its 
objectives such as a coherent framework for addressing 
IAS at EU level and increased awareness of the problem 
of  invasive  alien  species.  At  the  same  time,  the  above 
for 
report 
for 
improvement.  Given 
deadlines 
implementing  the  various  obligations  of  the 
IAS 
Regulation applied gradually between July 2016 and July 
2019,  it  is  premature  to  draw  conclusions  on  several 
aspects of the implementation of the IAS Regulation. 

that 

the 

A 2021 report56 on the baseline distribution shows that 
from  the  66  species  on  the  Union  list,  13  have  been 
observed  in  the  environment  in  Romania.  The  spread 
can be checked in Figure 13. 

56  Cardoso  A.C.,  Tsiamis  K.,  Deriu  I.,  D'  Amico  F.,  Gervasini  E.,  EU 
Regulation 1143/2014:  assessment  of  invasive  alien species of  Union 
concern  distribution,  Member  States  reports  vs  JRC  baselines,  EUR 
30689  EN,  Publications  Office  of  the  European  Union,  Luxembourg, 
2021, ISBN 978-92-76-37420-6, doi:10.2760/11150, JRC123170. 

Romania  16 

Figure 13: Number of invasive alien species of EU 
concern, based on available georeferenced 
information for Romania, 2021 

An  infringement  procedure  is  ongoing  for  Romania  on 
several accounts: 

  Romania  failed  to  establish  and  implement  a  single 
action  plan  or  a  set  of  action  plans  fulfilling  the 
requirements  specified  in  Article  13  of  the  IAS 
Regulation  by  13  July  2019  and  to  transmit  it/them 
to the Commission without delay; 

  Romania failed to establish a surveillance system of 
IAS  of  Union  concern,  or  include  it  in  its  existing 
system,  or  to  establish  a  system  of  monitoring  or 
other  procedures  to  prevent  the  spread  of  IAS  into 
or  within  the  EU  by  13  January  2018  in  order  to 
comply with Article 14(1) of the Regulation.  

In the 2019 EIR, Romania had received a priority action 
increase  coordination  and  consistency  between 
to 
Natura 2000 and forest management plans. Progress in 
this  area  is  still  limited,  so  the  priority  action  remains 
valid. 

With  regard  to  IAS,  Romania  received  a  priority  action 
to investigate the apparent  lack of data  and seek  ways 
of improving its surveillance systems. Since it has failed 
to do so, the priority action remains valid. 

2022 priority actions  

  Consider  for  implementation  the  measures  that 
have been included in the priority action framework 
(PAF). 

  Complete  the  Natura  2000  network  by  addressing 

the remaining insufficiencies in its SCI part. 

Environmental Implementation Review 2022 – Romania 

 
                                                                 
 
 
Romania  17 

  Ensure  the  adoption  of  the management  plans  that 
have still not been adopted and the drafting of site-
specific  conservation  objectives  and  establish 
conservation measures for all Natura 2000 sites. 
  Provide  resources  to  implement  all  conservation 
measures  so  that  species  and  habitats  can  be 
maintained  or restored to a favourable conservation 
status. 

  Continue  to  enhance  efforts  to  collect  reliable  data 
on the conservation status of protected habitats and 
species  as  well  as  their  occurrence  at  site  level  and 
to improve the quality of the reported data and the 
permitting procedures. 

  Ensure  that  ANANP  (the  agency 

in  charge  of 
protected  areas)  has  the  sufficient  technical  and 
administrative  capacity  to  carry  out  its  tasks.  In 
general,  strengthen  the  administrative  capacity  to 
improve  the  designation  and  management  of 
protected  sites.  Strengthen  communication  with 
stakeholders. 

  Urgently take further adequate action against illegal 
logging  activities,  carry  out  efficient  and  adequate 
checks  to  verify  operators’  compliance  with  the 
obligations  imposed  by  the  Timber  Regulation  and 
apply appropriate penalties and remedy the damage 
done to Natura 2000 sites. 

  Ensure  that  the  necessary  assessments  are  carried 
out  in  accordance  with  the  Habitats  and  Strategic 
Environmental  Directives  prior  to  adopting  forest 
management  plans.  Provide  access 
forest 
management plans. 

to 

  Adopt a national forest strategy and ensure genuine 
protection  for  what  should  be  “protected  forests” 
under  the  EU  and  national  law.  Specific  national 
guidelines  are  needed  for  managing  protected 
forests and offering guidance to all those involved in 
forest  planning  and  management.    Ensure  that 
afforestation and reforestation projects   are subject 
to the relevant environmental legislation and in line 
with  the  requirements  of  the  national  forest 
strategy. 

  Draw  up  and  implement  an  action  plan  or  a  set  of 
action  plans  to  fulfill  the  requirements  of  the  IAS 
Regulation. 
Investigate the apparent lack of data and seek ways 
of improving Romania’s surveillance system. 

 

Marine ecosystems 

The EU Biodiversity Strategy  2030 aims to  substantially 
reduce  the  negative  impacts  on  sensitive  species  and 
habitats  in  marine  ecosystems  and  to  achieve  good 
environmental status as well as eliminate or reduce the 

catches 

endangered, 
incidental 
threatened  and  sensitive  species  to  a  level  that  allows 
species recovery and conservation57. 

protected, 

of 

The  Marine  Strategy  Framework  Directive  (MSFD)58 
requires Member States to achieve good environmental 
status  (GES)  for  their  marine  waters.  To  that  end, 
Member  States  must  draw  up  marine  strategies  for 
their marine waters, and cooperate with Member States 
sharing  the  same  marine  region  or  subregion.  These 
marine  strategies  comprise  different  steps  to  be 
developed and implemented over six-year cycles. 

Among  other  obligations,  the  MSFD  requires  Member 
States  by  15 October 2018  to  draw  up  a  set  of  GES 
characteristics  for  each  descriptor  (Article  9),  and  to 
provide  an  initial  assessment  of  their  marine  waters 
(Article 8). The Commission then assesses whether this 
constitutes  an  appropriate  framework  to  meet  the 
requirements of the Directive. 

The  Commission  has  assessed  Romania’s  2018 
determinations  of  GES  for  each  of  the  MSFD’s  11 
descriptors59 and determined their level of adequacy  in 
relation  to  the  Commission  Decision  on  criteria  and 
methodological standards on GES of marine waters60. 

A  good  or  very  good  score  indicates  that  the  national 
determinations  of  GES  are  well  aligned  with  the 
Commission  GES  Decision  requirements,  providing 
qualitative  and  quantitative  national  environmental 
objectives  to  be  achieved  for  Member  States’  marine 
waters. 

57  The  EU  Common  Fisheries  Policy  (CFP)  aims  to  contribute  to  the 
achievement  of  the  objectives  of  the  environmental  legislation  for 
marine ecosystems. 
58  Directive  2008/56/EC  establishing  a  framework  for  community 
action in the field of marine environmental policy. 
59  Annex  I  to  Directive  2008/56/EC  establishing  a  framework  for 
community action in the field of marine environmental policy (Marine 
Strategy Framework Directive), OJ L 164, 25.6.2008, p. 19–40. 
60  This  assessment  was  made  in  relation  to  the  ”Commission  GES 
Decision“, Commission Decision No 2017/848,  pp. 43-74. 

Environmental Implementation Review 2022 – Romania 

 
                                                                 
Figure  14:  Level  of  adequacy  of  GES  determination  by 
Romania  (BLK  region)  with  criteria  set  under  the 
Commission  GES  Decision  –  article  9  (2018  reporting 
exercise)61 

Figure 15: Level of adequacy of national assessment of 
Romania’s  marine  environment  (BLK  region)  with 
criteria  set  under  the  Commission  GES  Decision  – 
article 8 (2018 reporting exercise)62 

Romania  18 

In 

Romania  has  one  marine  sub-region  which  is  the  Black 
this  marine  sub-region,  2  out  of  11 
Sea. 
determinations  of  GES  were  assessed  as  good  or  very 
good. The national determination of GES by Romania is 
coherent for 2 out of the 11 MSFD descriptors. 

Romania is missing data  for three descriptors: D4 Food 
web,  D7  Hydrographical  changes,  and  D11  Energy, 
including underwater noise. 

The  MSFD  also  requires  that  Member  States  make  an 
assessment of the current environmental status of their 
marine waters in relation to the determination of GES. A 
good  or  very  good  score  indicates  that  Member  States 
have  good  capabilities  for  assessing  their  marine 
environment  in  accordance  with  the  requirements  set 
out in the Commission GES Decision. 

61  Assessment  carried  out  by  the  European  Commission  of  the  data 
reported by the Member States, January 2022. Please note that only 
two sub-sections of descriptor D1 are displayed (D1-M Mammals and 
D1-B  Birds).  For  the  assessment,  these  two  sub-sections  were 
considered as a whole after averaging them.  

Out  of  11  descriptors,  5  were  scored  as  good  or  very 
good. Romania’s assessment of its marine environment 
is  consistent  with  the  requirements  set 
in  the 
Commission GES Decision for 5 out of 11 descriptors. 

Romania is missing data for four descriptors, D1-B Birds, 
D4  Food  web,  D7  Hydrographical  changes,  and  D11 
Energy, including underwater noise. 

In the 2019 EIR, the Commission suggested Romania to 
ensure timely reporting on the various elements of the 
Marine  Strategy  Framework  Directive  (MFSD),  so  that 
Romania  can  be  part  of 
future  Commission's 
assessments.  Since  then,  Romania  has  done  the 
reporting  and  the  Commission  has  carried  out  its 
assessment.  However,  the  Commission  has  identified 
some  deficiencies  that  Romania  should  address  (see 
below). 

the  MSFD63,  while 

As  highlighted  in  the  Commission’s  report  on  the 
implementation  of 
regional 
cooperation  has  improved  since  the  adoption  of  the 
MSFD,  more  cooperation 
is  needed  to  attain  full 
regional coherence of the marine strategies, as required 
by the Directive. 

In  March  2022, 
the  European  Commission  also 
published a  Communication  with recommendations for 
Member States. The Commission assessment  highlights 
that  Member  States  need  to  step  up  their  efforts  to 
determine  the  GES  and  to  use  of  the  criteria  and 

62 Idem. 
63 COM(2020)259. 

Environmental Implementation Review 2022 – Romania 

 
 
                                                                 
 
                                                                 
methodological standards according to the Commission 
GES  Decision.  The  considerations  set  out  above  form 
the basis for the 2022 priority actions. 

2022 priority actions 

  GES assessments to be completed where missing. 
  Reach  GES  for  descriptors  where  this  is  not  yet  the 

case. 

  Ensure  regional  cooperation  with  Member  States 
sharing  the  same  marine  (sub)region  to  address 
predominant pressures. 
the  Commission’s  recommendations 
Implement 
regarding  the  preparation  of  the  marine  strategies, 
encompasing: the assessment, the determination of 
GES and the establishment of environmental targets. 

 

Ecosystem assessment and accounting  

The  EU  biodiversity  strategy  for  2030  calls  on  Member 
States  to  better  integrate  biodiversity  considerations 
into  public  and  business  decision  making  at  all  levels 
and to develop natural capital accounting. The EU needs 
a  better  performing  biodiversity  observation  network 
and  more  consistent  reporting  on  the  condition  of 
ecosystems.  

An ecosystem assessment is an analysis of the pressures 
on  –  and  the  condition  of  –  terrestrial,  freshwater  and 
marine  ecosystems  and  their  services.  It  uses  spatially 
explicit  data  and  a  comparable  methodology  based  on 
European data about the functions of  ecosystem assets 
and the ecosystem services they produce.  

Ecosystem  accounting  is  built  on  five  core  accounts 
(ecosystem  extent,  ecosystem  condition,  physical 
ecosystem  services,  monetary  ecosystem  services  and 
monetary  ecosystem  assets).  These  accounts  are 
compiled  using  indicators  of  ecosystem  assets  and  the 
ecosystem services they produce.  

to  support  decision-making 

The  project  “Demonstrating  and  promoting  natural 
in  Romania” 
values 
implements  the  ecosystem  assessment  process 
in 
Romania. Public policy analysis aims to assess the level 
integration  of  the  concept  of  ecosystems  and 
of 
ecosystem  services  into  public  policy  for  the  period 
2014-2020  in  order  to  develop  recommendations  on 
integrating  the  results  of  mapping  and  biophysical 
into  decision-making  processes.  An 
assessments 
inventory of the responsible institutions, an institutional 
map, and a questionnaire to identify institutional needs 
related to the ecosystem assessment process have been 
created. 

Romania  19 

Romania’s  major  achievements  in  this  area  have  been 
the  mapping  of  ecosystems  at  the  national 
level, 
achieving "Ecosystems classification in Romania EUNICE 
3" (intermediate version), as well as the development of 
tools for updating this classification (land field guide to 
identify  the  ecosystems,  methodological  guide  for 
assessing  the  ecosystem  services).  The  selection  of 
methods for assessing the ecosystem services based on 
the matrix of indicators and on the comparative analysis 
of existing methods is also a major achievement. 

Romania  has  provided  updated  information  and  made 
encouraging  progress  since  January  2016  (Figure  16). 
This  assessment 
implementation 
is  based  on  27 
questions and updated every 6 months. 

Figure  16:  ESMERALDA  MAES  Barometer,  January 
2016-March 2021 (Mars 2021)64 

2022 priority action 

for 

development, 

  Continue supporting the mapping and assessment of 
ecosystems  and  their  services,  and  of  ecosystem 
accounting 
appropriate 
using 
integrating  ecosystem  extent, 
indicators 
condition  and  services  (including  some  monetary 
values)  into  national  accounts;  continue  supporting 
the  development  of  national  business  and 
including  natural  capital 
biodiversity  platforms, 
accounting systems to monitor and value the impact 
of business on biodiversity. 

64 European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Publication Office, EU 
Ecosystem  assessment:  summary  for  policymakers,  page  80,  May 
2021. 

Environmental Implementation Review 2022 – Romania 

 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                                 
Romania  20 

3. Zero pollution

Clean air 

its 

EU  clean  air  policies  and  legislation  need  to  significantly 
improve air quality in the EU, moving the EU closer to the 
quality recommended by the WHO and curbing emissions 
of key air pollutants.  
Air  pollution  and 
impacts  on  ecosystems  and 
biodiversity  should  be  further  reduced  with  the  long-
term  aim  of  not  exceeding  critical  loads  and  levels.  This 
requires  strengthening  efforts  to  reach  full  compliance 
with EU clean-air legislation and defining strategic targets 
and actions for 2030 and beyond.  
The 2030 zero-pollution action-plan targets are to reduce 
the health impacts of air pollution by 55% and to reduce 
the  EU  ecosystems  threatened  by  air  pollution  by  25%, 
compared to 2005.  

The  EU  has  developed  a  comprehensive  suite  of  air-
quality  legislation,  which  sets  health-based  air-quality 
standards65  and  emissions-reduction  commitments66  by 
Member State for several air pollutants. 

In Romania, air quality continues to give cause for grave 
concern. The latest available annual estimates (for 2019) 
by the European Environment Agency67 point to about 21 
500 premature deaths (or 244 800 years of life lost (YLL)) 
attributable  to  fine  particulate  matter  concentrations68, 
640 (7 600 YLL) to ozone concentrations69 and 3 660 (41 
800 YLL) to nitrogen dioxide concentrations70 71. 

Emissions  of  key  air  pollutants  have  decreased 
significantly  in  Romania  over  the  last  few  years,  while 
GDP growth continued (see graph). Romania has failed to 
submit  the  latest  air  pollutant  emission  projections 
required  under  Article  10(2)  of  the  National  Emission 
Reduction  Commitments  Directive  (NECD)72.  The  latest 
inventory data submitted by Romania, prior to review by 

65 European Commission, 2016. Air Quality Standards 
66 European Commission, Reduction of National Emissions. 
67 European Environment Agency, Air Quality in Europe –2021 Rapport. 
Please  see  details 
in  this  report  as  regards  the  underpinning 
methodology, p.106. 
68  Particulate  matter  (PM)  is  a  mixture  of  aerosol  particles  (solid  and 
liquid) covering a wide range of sizes and chemical compositions. PM10 
refers  to  particles  with  a  diameter  of  10  micrometers  or  less.  PM2.5 
refers  to  particles  with  a  diameter  of  2.5  micrometers  or  less.  PM  is 
emitted from many human sources, including combustion. 
69 Low-level ozone is produced by photochemical action on pollution.  
70  NOx  is  emitted  during  fuel  combustion e.g., from  industrial  facilities 
and  the  road  transport  sector.  NOx  is  a  group  of  gases  comprising 
nitrogen monoxide (NO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2). 
71  Please  note  that  these  figures  refer  to  the  impacts  of  individual 
pollutants, and to avoid double-counting cannot be added up to derive 
a sum. 
72Directive 2016/2284/EU. 

the  Commission,  indicate  that  Romania  is  in  compliance 
with  the  emission  reduction  commitments  for  non-
methane  volatile  organic  compound  (NMVOC),  sulphur 
dioxide (SO2) and ammonia (NH3), and in non-compliance 
with  the  emission  reduction  commitments  for  nitrogen 
dioxide (NOx) and PM2.5 in 2020.   

Furthermore, Romania has not submitted its National Air 
Pollution  Control  Programme 
The 
Commission  decided  to  refer  Romania  to  the  Court  of 
Justice  for  failing  to  adopt  its  first  NAPCP  to  reduce 
national  emissions  of  certain  atmospheric  pollutants 
under  Directive  (EU)  2016/2284 on  the  reduction  of 
national emissions of certain atmospheric pollutants. 

(NAPCP)73 

. 

Figure  17:  Emission  trends  of  main  pollutants/  GDP  in 
Romania, 2005-201974 

73 https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_21_6264. 
74 European Environment Agency. 

Environmental Implementation Review 2022 – Romania 

 
                                                                 
 
 
                                                                 
Figure  18:  PM2.5  and  NOx  emissions  by  sector  in 
Romania, 201975 

In  2020,  exceedances  above  the  limit  values  established 
by  the  Ambient  Air  Quality  Directive  (AAQD)  were 
registered  for  nitrogen  dioxide  (NO2)  in  three  air  quality 
zones  and  for  particulate  matter  (PM10)  in  four  zones. 
Furthermore,  for  several  air  quality  zones  the  target 
values for ozone concentration have not been met76. 

Persistent  breaches  of  air  quality  requirements,  which 
have  severe  negative  effects  on  health  and  the 
environment,  are  being  followed  up  closely  by  the 
European  Commission  through  infringement  procedures 
(mainly  over  PM10  and  NO2  exceedances)  covering  all 
for 
Member  States  concerned, 
exceedances  of  PM10  and  NO2  limit  values.  The  Court  of 
Justice of the European Union has delivered a judgement 
on  exceedances  of  PM10  limit  values  (C-638/18;  COM  vs 

including  Romania 

Romania  21 

Romania)  confirming  non-compliance  with  Directive 
2008/50/EC.  The  aim  of  these  legal  actions  is  to  bring 
about the swift implementation of appropriate measures 
to bring all air quality zones into compliance with EU air 
quality standards. An infringement  procedure is ongoing 
for  shortcomings  in  Romania’s  air  quality  monitoring 
system. 

The Romanian recovery and resilience plan entails  some 
reforms that may be helpful to address air quality issues, 
notably in taxation. 

In  the  2019  EIR,  Romania  received  priority  actions  to 
improve on air quality and indicated that action would be 
needed,  e.g.  in  the  context  of  the  forthcoming  national 
air  pollution  control  programme  (NAPCP),  to  reduce 
emissions  from  the  main  sources  (by  accelerating  the 
reduction of nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions and nitrogen 
dioxide  (NO2)  concentrations,  accelerating  reductions  in 
particulate  matter  (PM2.5  and  PM10)  emissions  and 
concentrations,  upgrading  and  improving  the  air  quality 
monitoring network, and ensuring timely reporting of air 
quality  data).  No  real  progress  has  been  made,  and 
Romania  still  does  not  have  the  effective  tools  (NAPCP, 
appropriate  data  modelling,  forecasting,  appropriate 
data  collection,  analysis  and  monitoring,  adequate 
monitoring systems) or policies to address these issues. 

2022 priority actions  

  Adopt  as  a  matter  of  urgency  the  National  Air 

Pollution Control Programme (NAPCP). 

  Ensure  full  compliance  with  the  EU  air  quality 
standards  and  maintain  downward  emissions  trends 
of  air  pollutants  to  reduce  adverse  air  pollution 
impacts  on  health  and  the  economy  with  a  view  to 
reaching WHO guideline values in the future. 

  Upgrade  and  improve  the  air  quality  monitoring 
network,  and  ensure  timely  reporting  of  air  quality 
data.  

Industrial emissions 

The  main objectives of EU policy on industrial emissions 
are to:  
(i) protect air, water and soil;  
(ii) prevent and manage waste;  
(iii) improve energy and resource efficiency;  
(iv) clean up contaminated sites.  
To  achieve  this,  the  EU  takes  an  integrated  approach  to 
the  prevention  and  control  of  routine  and  accidental 
industrial emissions. The cornerstone of the policy is the 
Industrial  Emissions  Directive  (IED)77.  The  Commission 

75 European Environment Agency. 
76 European Environment Agency, Eionet Central Data Repository. 

77  Directive  2010/75/EU  covers  industrial  activities  carried  out  above 
certain thresholds. It covers the energy industry, metal production, the 
mineral and chemical industry, waste management, and a wide range of 

 Environmental Implementation Review 2022 – Romania 

 
 
 
                                                                 
                                                                 
 
tabled a proposal  in April  202278. The revision seeks to 
improve the Directive’s contribution to the zero-pollution 
objective, as well as its consistency with climate, energy 
and circular economy policies. 

The  overview  of  industrial  activities  regulated  by  IED 
below  is  based  on  data  reported  to  the  EU  Registry 
(2018)79. 

industrial 

In  Romania,  around  960 
installations  are 
required  to  have  a  permit  based  on  the  IED.  The 
distribution of installations is shown in the  figure below. 
On  2  December  2021,  the  Commission  decided  to  refer 
Romania  to  the  Court  of  Justice  of  the  European  Union 
for not ensuring that three industrial plants operate with 
a  valid  permit  under  the  IED  in  order  to  prevent  or 
reduce pollution. 

The  industrial  sectors  in  Romania  with  the  most  IED 
installations in 2018 were intensive rearing of poultry or 
pigs  (49%),  followed  by  the  waste  management  sector, 
including  landfills  (13%),  the  metal  sector  (9%)  and  the 
chemical sector (8%). 

Romania  22 

Figure  19:  Number  of  IED  industrial  installations  per 
sector in Romania, 201880 

industrial  sectors 

identified  as  contributing  the 
The 
largest  burden  to  the  environment  for  emissions  to  air 
were the energy sector for sulphur oxides (SOx), nitrogen 
oxides  (NOx),  arsenic  (As),  mercury  (Hg)  and  nickel  (Ni); 
the  metal  production  sector  for  emissions  of  dioxin  and 
sulphur oxides (SOx) as well as emissions of heavy metals 
such  as  zinc  (Zn),  lead  (Pb),  nickel  (Ni),  mercury  (Hg), 
chromium (Cr), cadmium (Cd) and arsenic (As). 

The breakdown is shown in the following graph. 

industrial  and  agricultural  sectors  (e.g.  intensive  rearing  of  pigs  and 
poultry, pulp and paper production, painting and cleaning). 
78 
 European  Commission,  proposal  for  a  revision  of  the  Industrial 
Emissions Directive, 4 April 2022. The revision of the IED is performed in 
parallel to the revision of Regulation (EC) No 166/2006 on the European 
Pollutant Release and Transfer Register (E-PRTR). 
79 https://industry.eea.europa.eu/ 

80  European  Environment  Agency,  EU  Registry,  European  Industrial 
Emissions Portal (data retrieved on 3 November 2021). 

 Environmental Implementation Review 2022 – Romania 

 
 
                                                                                                        
 
 
                                                                 
Figure  20: Emissions  to air from IED sectors and rest of 
national total air emissions in Romania, 201881 

Figure  21:  Relative  releases  to  water  from  industry  in 
Romania, 201882 

Romania  23 

The  environmental  burdens  for  industrial  emissions  to 
water  come  mainly  from  the  treatment  of  waste  water 
for  nitrogen,  phosphorous,  total  organic  carbon  and 
heavy  metals  but  no  information  is  available  as  to  the 
origin  of  this  waste  water.  Refineries  contribute  also  for 
total  organic  carbon  and  the  chemical  sector  for  heavy 
metals.  The  breakdown,  based  on  E-PRTR  data, 
is 
presented in the Figure below. 

The  EU  approach  taken  to  enforcement  under  the  IED 
creates  strong  rights  for  citizens  to  have  access  to 
relevant information and to participate in the permitting 
process.  This  empowers  citizens,  and  NGOs,  to  ensure 
that  permits  are  appropriately  granted  and  their 
respected.  As  part  of  environmental 
conditions 
to 
competent  authorities  are  afford 
inspection, 
undertake  site  visits  to  IED  installations  to  take  samples 
and to gather necessary information. According to Article 
23(4) of the IED, site visits are carried out between once 
every  year  and  once  every  3  years,  depending  on  the 
environmental  risks  posed  by  the  installations.  In  2018, 
Romania  carried  out  1 668  site  visits,  the  majority  of 
which  were  to  installations  for  the  intensive  rearing  of 
the  waste 
poultry  or  pigs 
management sector (22%) and the energy sector (13%). 

followed  by 

(33%), 

81  European  Environment  Agency,  Long-Range  Transboundary  Air 
Pollution  (LRTAP),  Air  pollutant  emissions  data  viewer  (Gothenburg 
Protocol, LRTAP Convention) 1990-2019 (data retrieved on 3 November 
2021). 

82  European  Environment  Agency,  E-PRTR,  European 
Industrial 
Emissions  Portal.  The  heavy  metals  are  presented  both  as  a  weighted 
sum  of  eco  toxicity  and  human  toxicity  factors  to  illustrate  both  the 
ecological  and  human  impact  (based  on  USEtox)  (data  retrieved  on  3 
November 2021). 

 Environmental Implementation Review 2022 – Romania 

 
 
 
 
                                                                 
 
 
 
                                                                 
Figure  22: Number of inspections in IED installations in 
Romania in 2018 83  

Major industrial accidents prevention - SEVESO 

Romania  24 

The  main  objectives  of  EU  policy  on  the  prevention  of 
major industrial accidents are to: 
(i)  control  major  accident  hazards  involving  dangerous 
substances, especially chemicals;  
(ii)  limit  the  consequences  of  such  accidents  for  human 
health and the environment;  
(iii)  continuously  improve  prevention,  preparedness  and 
response to major accidents.  
The  cornerstone  of  the  policy  is  Directive  2012/18/EU 
(the Seveso-III Directive85). 

The below overview of industrial plants regulated by the 
Seveso-III Directive, hereafter ‘Seveso establishments’, is 
based on data  reported to the eSPIRS database (2018)86 
and  the  Romania  report  on  the  implementation  of  the 
Seveso-III Directive for the period 2015-201887. 

In  Romania,  out  of  the  263  Seveso  establishments,  151 
are  categorised  as  lower-tier  establishments  (LTE)  and 
112  as  upper-tier  establishments  (UTE)  –  based  on  the 
quantity  of  hazardous  substances  likely  to  be  present. 
The UTE are subject to more stringent requirements. The 
evolution  of  the  number  of  Seveso  establishments  is 
presented in Figure 23. 

Figure  23:  Number  of  Seveso  establishments 
Romania, 2011, 2014 and 201888  

in 

According to Romania, the External Emergency Plan (EEP) 
is required for 111 UTE. In 2018, 111 UTE had an EEP and 
111  of  these  EEP  had  been  tested  over  the  last  3  years. 
The summary is shown in Figure 24. The establishment of 
is  essential  to  allow  proper  preparation  and 
EEPs 
effective  implementation  of  the  necessary  actions  to 

85  Directive  2012/18/EU  on  the  control  of  major-accident  hazards 
involving dangerous substances 
86 European Commission, Seveso Plants Information Retrieval System.  
87 As provided for by Article 21(2) of the Seveso-III Directive 
88 European Commission, Assessment and summary of Member States’ 
Implementing  Decision  2014/896/EU 
implementation  reports  for 
(implementing  Directive  2012/18/EU  on  the  control  of  major  accident 
hazards involving dangerous substances), 2022. 

The  development  of  Best  Available  Techniques  (BAT) 
Reference  Documents  (BREFs)  and  BAT  Conclusions 
ensures  a  good  collaboration  with  stakeholders  and 
enables  a  better  implementation  of  IED84.  Since  the  last 
EIR  report,  BAT  Conclusions  were  adopted  for  Waste 
Incineration, for the Food, Drink and Milk Industries and 
for  Surface  Treatment  Using  Organic  Solvents  including 
Wood and Wood Products Preservation with Chemicals. 

The  Commission  relies  on  the  efforts  of  national 
competent  authorities  to  implement  the  legally  binding 
BAT  conclusions  and  associated  BAT  emission  levels  in 
environmental  permits,  resulting  in  considerable  and 
continuous reduction of pollution. 

In  2019,  Romania  received  priority  actions  to  review 
permits  to  comply  with  new  adopted  BAT  conclusions 
and  to  strengthen  control  and  enforcement  to  ensure 
compliance  with  BAT  conclusions,  as  well  as  to  address 
pollution from the energy sector. 

These  actions  remain  valid  as  the  Commission  launched 
infringement  procedure  against  Romania  for  3 
an 
installations in the energy sector being operated without 
a  permit.  There 
infringement  procedure 
pending  related  to  penalties  applicable  to  infringements 
of  the  national  provisions  adopted  pursuant  to  this 
Directive and their implementation. 

is  also  an 

2022 priority actions 

  Review  permits  to  ensure  that  they  comply  with  the 

new adopted BAT conclusions. 

  Continue tackling pollution from the energy sector. 

83  European  Environment  Agency,  EU  Registry,  European  Industrial 
Emissions Portal (data retrieved on 3 November 2021). 
84European Commission BAT reference documents 

 Environmental Implementation Review 2022 – Romania 

 
 
 
 
                                                                 
 
 
 
                                                                 
protect  the  environment  and  the  population  should  a 
major industrial accident nevertheless happen. 

Noise 

Romania  25 

Figure 24: Situation regarding EEP in Romania, 201889 

The  information  to  the  public  referred  to  in  Annex  V  of 
the Seveso-III Directive – especially about how the public 
concerned will be warned in case of a major accident, the 
appropriate  behaviour  in  the  event  of  a  major  accident, 
and  the  date  of  the  last  site  visit  –  are  permanently 
available  for  94%  of  the  Seveso  establishments 
in 
Romania. 

The  share  of  UTE  for  which  information  on  safety 
measures  and  requisite  behaviours  were  actively  made 
available  to  the  public  over  the  last  few  years  are 
presented in Figure 25. 

Figure 25: Share of UTE for which information on safety 
measures and requisite behaviours were actively made 
available  to  the  public  in  Romania,  2011,  2014  and 
201890 

2022 priority action 

  Strengthen  control  and  enforcement  to  ensure 
compliance  with  the  Seveso-III  Directive  provisions, 
especially on information to the public. 

89 Idem. 
90 Idem. 

The  Environmental  Noise  Directive91  provides  for  a 
common  approach  to  avoid,  prevent  and  reduce  the 
harmful  effects  of  exposure  to  environmental  noise, 
although  it  does  not  set  noise  limits  as  such.  The  main 
instruments  it  uses  in  this  respect  are  strategic  noise 
mapping  and  planning.    A  relevant  2030  zero  pollution 
action  plan  target  is  a  reduction  by  30%  of  the  share  of 
people 
transport  noise 
compared to 2017.  

chronically  disturbed  by 

Excessive noise from aircraft, railways and roads is one of 
the  main  causes  of  environmental  health‐related  issues 
in  the  EU.  It  produces  ischemic  heart  disease,  stroke, 
interrupted sleep, cognitive impairment, and stress92. 

limited  set  of  data93, 
In  Romania,  based  on  a 
environmental  noise  is  estimated  to  cause  at  least 
around  800  premature  deaths  and  2000  cases  of 
ischaemic  heart  disease  annually94.  It  also  causes  some 
200  000  people  to  suffer  from  disturbed  sleep.  The 
proportion  of  Ipeople  exposed  to  noise  fell  by  5% 
between 2012 and 2017. On the basis of the latest full set 
of information that has been analysed, noise mapping of 
agglomerations, roads and railways is complete. 

In the 2019 EIR, Romania received two priority actions to 
complete  noise  maps  and  action  plans.  As  outlined 
above, wit has made considerable progress. 

Water quality and management 

EU  legislation  and  policy  requires  that  the  impact  of 
pressures  on  transitional,  coastal  and  fresh  waters 
(including  surface  and  ground  waters)  be  significantly 
reduced.  Achieving,  maintaining  or  enhancing  a  good 
status  of  water  bodies  as  defined  by  the  Water 
Framework Directive  will  ensure that EU citizens benefit 
from good quality and safe drinking and bathing water. It 
will  further  ensure  that  the  nutrient  cycle  (nitrogen  and 
phosphorus)  is  managed  in  a  more  sustainable  and 
resource-efficient way . 

: (i) the  data 

91 Directive 2002/49/EC 
92 WHO 2018, Environmental Noise Guidelines for the European Region 
93  For  further  information: European  Environment  Agency,  Noise  Fact 
Sheets 2021. 
94  These  figures  are  an  estimation  by  the  European  Environmental 
Agency  based on 
reported  by  Member  States 
on noise exposure  covered  by  Directive  2002/49/EC; (ii) ETC/ATNI, 
2021, Noise indicators 
Environmental Noise Directive 
the 
2021: Methodology  for  estimating  missing  data, ETC/ATNI  Report  No 
2021/06, European Topic Centre on Air Pollution, Transport, Noise and 
Industrial 
impact 
calculations, ETC/ACM,  2018,  Implications  of  environmental noise on 
health  and  wellbeing  in  Europe,  Eionet  Report  ETC/ACM  No  2018/10, 
European Topic Centre on Air Pollution and Climate Change Mitigation.  

Pollution; (iii) the methodology 

health 

under 

for 

 Environmental Implementation Review 2022 – Romania 

 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                                 
                                                                 
Romania  26 

bodies101 reach  good  ecological  status  (with  unknown 
status 0.2%) and 97.7% have  good  chemical  status. For 
groundwaters,  10.5%  failed  to  achieve  good  chemical 
status but 100% are in good quantitative status. 

The  figure  below  illustrates  the proportion  of  surface 
water  bodies in Romania and  other  European  countries 
that failed to achieve good ecological status. 

Figure  26:  Proportion  of  surface  water  bodies  (rivers, 
lakes, transitional and coastal waters) in less than good 
ecological status per River Basin District102.  

Water Framework Directive 

is 

(WFD)95 

The  Water  Framework  Directive 
the 
cornerstone of EU water policy in the 21st century96. The 
WFD  and  other  water-related  directives97  set  the 
framework 
integrated  water 
sustainable  and 
management, which aims at a high level of protection of 
water resources, prevention of further deterioration and 
restoration to good status.  

for 

By March 2022, all Member States are asked to submit to 
the  Commission  the  third generation  of  river-basin 
management  plans  (RBMPs)  required  under  the  WFD. 
Malta  has  not  yet  reported  it.  These  RBMPs  will  be 
subject to a Commission assessment.  

Implementation 

Report98,  which 

The  Commission  also  published  in  December  2021  the 
assesses 
6th 
implementation  of  the  WFD  and  the  Floods  Directive. 
This 
the 
an 
implementation  of  the  programmes  of  measures  and  of 
the new priority substances.  

assessment 

includes 

report 

of 

The  assessment  report  for  Romania99  shows  that  the 
Programme  of  Measures 
included  13,343  planned 
measures  for  the  period  2016  to  2021,  and  4,822 
measures (which  corresponds to 36% of total measures) 
were  planned  to  be  implemented  up  to  2018.  However, 
only 59, 7 % out of the latter planned measures had been 
implemented  by  2018.  The  highest  percentage  of 
measures  implemented  has  been  reached  for  measures 
tackling  pressures  from  agricultural  activities.  Measures 
implemented in the first half of the second planning cycle 
contribute to some degree, to reaching the objectives of 
comparison  between  measures 
the  WFD. 
implemented in 2016 to 2018 and measures planned for 
implementation  in  2019  to  2021  reveals  the  obvious 
disproportion  between  the  two  halves  of  the  2016  to 
2021 planning cycle. 

The 

The  following  figure  presents  the  percentage  of surface 
water  bodies  in  Romania  and  other  European  countries 
failing to achieve good chemical status. For Romania, the 
percentage  is  2.3%,  if  one  includes  water  bodies  failing 
due 
to  substances  behaving  as  ubiquitous  PBTs 
(Persistent, Bio-accumulative, and Toxic). Without uPBTs, 
the  percentage  of  surface  water  bodies  that  fail  to 
achieve good chemical status remains the same. 

Figure  27:  Percentage  of  surface  water  bodies  not 
achieving good chemical status103 

Based  on  the  2nd  RBMPs  reporting  and  data  published 
2020100, 
surface  water 

in Romania 66.1% of 

all 

95 The Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC). 
96 The EU Water Policy. 
97  This 
includes  the  Groundwater  Directive  (2006/118/EC),  the 
Environmental  Quality  Standards  Directive  (2008/105/EC),  the  Floods 
Directive  (2007/60/EC),  the  Bathing  Water  Directive  (2006/7/EC),  the 
Urban  Waste  Water  Treatment  Directive  (91/271/EEC),  the  new 
Drinking  Water  Directive  (2020/2184/EC),  the  Nitrates  Directive 
(91/676/EEC),  the  Marine  Strategy  Framework  Directive  (2008/56/EC) 
and the Industrial Emissions Directive (2010/75/EU). 
98  See  the  6th  Implementation  Report  of  the  WFD  and  the  Floods 
Directive. 
99  European  Commission,  Directorate-General 
for  Environment, 
Assessment  of  Member  States’  progress  in  Programmes  of  Measures 
during  the  second  planning  cycle  of  the  Water  Framework  Directive. 
Member State: Romania, 2022. 
100 WISE Freshwater (europa.eu). 

101 River, lake, transitional, coastal, territorial. 
102 European Environment Agency, 2021.    
103 European Environment Agency, December 2019.  

 Environmental Implementation Review 2022 – Romania 

 
                                                                 
 
 
 
 
                                                                 
Under  the  IED  framework,  it  should  be  stressed  that 
Romania  showed  a  significant  decrease  (72.5%)  in  the 
last decade in releases of heavy metals like Cd, Hg, Ni, Pb 
and 15.1% in Total Organic Carbon (TOC) to water104. 

the 

In  Romania, 
total  water  abstracted  annually 
(corresponding  to  2019  baseline)  from  surface  and 
groundwater  sources is 8.658.08 hm3  (EEA,  2022).  The 
percentage of water abstraction per sector is 15.61% for 
agriculture,  12.42%  for  public  water  supply,  21.28%  for 
electricity  cooling,  42.14%  for  manufacturing  and  8.54% 
for  manufacturing  cooling,  as  illustrated  in  the  figure 
below.  Romania uses  a 
register to  control  water 
abstractions. Small abstractions do not require permits in 
Romania and not all are registered. 

Figure 28: Water abstraction per sector in Romania105 

Romania  27 

Figure  29.  Water  exploitation  index  plus  (WEI+)  inside 
EU, 2017108 

It  is  worth  mentioning,  as  a  positive  step,  that  Romania 
has  implemented  the  Blueing  the  Black  Sea  Program109 
with  World  Bank  support.  The  project  provides  farmers 
with small-scale infrastructure to reduce the discharge of 
nutrients  such  as  nitrogen  and  phosphorous  into  bodies 
;  promotes  behavioural  change  at  the 
of  water 
community  level;  and  strengthens  the  institutional  and 
regulatory capacities of beneficiaries. 

Floods Directive 

Implementation  Report. 

As  mentioned,  the  Commission  published  in  December 
includes, 
2021  the  6th 
the 
amongst  others, 
Preliminary  Flood  Risk  Assessments  during  the  second 
cycle (2016-2021). 

the  review  and  update  of 

It 

In Romania, the water exploitation index plus (WEI+)106 is 
4.40%  (corresponding  to  year  2017),  which  is less than 
20% that is generally considered as an indication of water 
scarcity107. 

The bar below presents the WEI+ index in Romania and in 
the EU-27. Romania is ranked 12th in the EU level in terms 
of WEI+. 

report110  showed 
The  assessment 
that  Romania’s 
Preliminary  Flood  Risk  Assessment  (PFRA)  was  clear  and 
contained the relevant information. A clear methodology 
for  taking  climate  change  into  consideration  has  been 
developed,  including  the  incorporation  of  the  results  of 
climate change scenarios into the hydraulic modelling of 
future flood risk. It can be highlighted as a good practice 
that  Romania  has  included  the  risk  of  flooding  from 
sewerage  systems  in  the  assessment  of  past  floods. 
However,  the  assessment  identified  that  the  impact  of 
urban  development  and  other  land-use  changes  on  the 
risk of flooding has not been considered. 

Risk Management 

Romania has  not  yet  reported  the second generation 
(FRMPs) under 
of Flood 
the Floods  Directive.  When 
the European 
Commission will assess  progress  since  the  adoption  of 
the first  FRMPs  and  publish  a  new  report,  as  done  in 
2019. 

done, 

Plans 

104 European Environment Agency, June 2021. 
105European  Environment  Agency,  Water  abstraction  by  source  and 
economic sector in Europe, 2022. 
106 The Water Exploitation Index plus (WEI+) is a measure of total fresh 
water  use  as  a  percentage  of  the  renewable  freshwater  resources 
(groundwater and surface water) at a given time and place. It quantifies 
how  much  water  is  abstracted  and  how  much  water  is  returned  after 
use to the environment. 
107  By  May  2022,  EEA  will  develop  seasonal  WEI+  at  river  basin  and 
NUTS2  level,  which  provide  a  more  complete  picture  of  water  stress 
and water scarcity for each Member State 

108 EEA, Water exploitation Index Plus, 2022. 
109 Romania - Blueing the Black Sea Consultations (worldbank.org) 
110  European  Commission,  Directorate-General 
for  Environment, 
Assessment  of  Second  Cycle  Preliminary  Flood  Risk  Assessments  and 
Identification  of  Areas  of  Potential  Significant  Flood  Risk  under  the 
Floods Directive : Member State : Romania, 2022 

 Environmental Implementation Review 2022 – Romania 

 
 
 
                                                                 
 
 
 
                                                                 
Drinking Water Directive  

Figure 31: Romania, bathing water quality 2017-2020115 

Romania  28 

On  the  Drinking  Water  Directive111,  no  new  assessment 
of the quality of drinking water is available since the 2019 
EIR.  The  quality  of  drinking  water  in  Romania  has  not 
been 
indicated  as  an  area  of  concern.  The  recast 
Directive  112entered  into  force  on  12  January  2021, 
Member States have until 12 January 2023 to transpose 
it  into  national  law.  Romania  will  have  to  comply  with 
these updated quality standards. 

Connection to the public water supply is incomplete with 
only  approximately  57%  of  the  population  being 
connected,  the  lowest  rate  in  the  EU.  Romania  has  also 
demonstrated  a  high  leakage  rate  of  its  water  supply 
systems  (23%  leakage).  Investment  in  the  water  supply 
network is therefore needed. 

Bathing Water Directive 

Regarding  the  Bathing  Water  Directive,  Figure  30  shows 
that in 2020, of Romania’s 50 bathing waters, 70% were 
of  excellent  quality113.  Detailed 
information  on  the 
Romania‘s  bathing  waters  is  available  via  an  interactive 
map viewer of the European Environment Agency. 

Figure  30:  Bathing  water  quality  in  Europe  in  the  2020 
season114 

Nitrates Directive 

in  Romania, 

The 2019 EIRmentions that Romania has a revised action 
programme in place implementing the Nitrates Directive 
and  applying  to  the  whole  national  territory  and  that 
legislative modifications had brought improvements. The 
Romanian  authorities  have  decided  to  apply  the  whole 
identifying  nitrate 
instead  of 
territory  approach 
vulnerable  zones  and  changed  some  measures  of  the 
Action  Programme,  with  significant 
improvements. 
However, 
in  2016–2019,  groundwater 
quality    slightly  improved  compared  to  the  previous 
reporting period, with around 15% of stations exceeding 
the annual average of 50 mg nitrate per l. Romania also 
needs  to  tackle  eutrophication  and  would  need  to  take 
remediation  actions.  There  are  also  hotspots  where 
pollution  should  be  urgently  diminished116.  Too  much 
nitrogen or phosphorus in water can cause algal blooms. 
This  may  adversely  affect  fish,  bathers,  and  the  wider 
environment negatively. Romania has designated all of its 
that 
territory  as 
sensitive  areas  and  decided 
agglomerations  over  10  000  p.e.  discharging 
into 
sensitive  areas  must  apply  biological  treatment  with 
nitrogen and phosphorus removal117. 

Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive 

Urban  wastewater needs to be treated before discharge 
so  it  does  not  pollute  the  environment.  In  Romania, 

111 OJ L 330, 5.12.1998, p. 32–54. 
112 OJ L 435, 23.12.2020, p. 1–62. 
113  European  Environment  Agency,  2021.  State  of  bathing  water  — 
European Environment Agency (europa.eu)  , p. 17. 
114 European Environment Agency, Bathing Water Quality in 2020, 2022. 

115  European  Environment  Agency,  European  Bathing  Water  Quality  in 
2017, 2018, 2019, 2020. 
116 
content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:52021DC1000&from=EN. 
117 Wise, https://water.europa.eu/countries/uwwt/romania. 

https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-

 Environmental Implementation Review 2022 – Romania 

 
 
 
 
                                                                 
 
 
                                                                 
urban  wastewater  is  treated  in  642  plants  across  the 
country  before  it  is  discharged.  Romania  has,  over  the 
years,  encountered  difficulties  in  meeting  its  obligations 
under  the  Urban  Wastewater  Treatment  Directive118. 
Based on the last reporting, it appears that further efforts 
need  to  be  stepped  up  to  provide  for  the  collection  of 
additional 7.16 million p.e of urban wastewater (35.9%), 
biological  treatment  to  additional  12.87  million  p.e  of 
urban wastewater (65.7%), and biological treatment with 
nitrogen  and  phosphorus  removal  to  additional  7.72 
million p.e. of urban wastewater (58.8%).119 Overall, only 
12%  of  the  urban  wastewater  in  Romania  is  treated 
according  to  the  requirements  of  the  UWWTD.  This  is 
below the EU average of 76%. 

Figure  32:  The  proportion  of  urban  waste  water  that 
meets  all  requirements  of  the  UWWTD  (collection, 
biological treatment, biological treatment with nitrogen 
and/or  phosphorus  removal)  in  compliant  urban  areas 
of the UWWTD (‘compliance rate’)120 

Despite improvements in compliance over the years, for 
which  the use of EU funding  has been  fundamental,  the 
Commission  sent  a  reasoned  opinion  to  Romanian  for 
failure to comply with the Urban Wastewater Treatment 
Directive in relation to the agglomerations above 10 000 
population  equivalent  (p.e.),  which  benefitted  from  a 
transitional  period 
in  accordance  with  Romania’s 
Accession  Treaty.  In  fact,  185  large  agglomerations  are 
still  not 
in  conformity  with  the  urban  wastewater 
collection obligations, while 188 large agglomerations do 
not  comply  with  secondary  treatment  obligations,  and 
189  large  agglomerations  with  the  tertiary  treatment 
obligations121. 

Romania has one of the lowest compliance rates with EU 
water  legislation  (6%)  and  faces  the  highest  investment 
needs to reach and maintain compliance. Efforts need to 
be  stepped  up  to  extend  and  modernise  drinking  water 
to  ensure  a 
and  wastewater 

infrastructure,  and 

118 https://water.europa.eu/countries/uwwt/romania. 
119 Wise, https://water.europa.eu/countries/uwwt/romania. 
120 European Commission, WISE Freshwater, 2021. 
121 

https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/inf_22_601. 

Romania  29 

sustainable service at a reasonable price. Although there 
has  been  some  progress  in  recent  years,  water  leakages 
in  the  public  network  and  the  lack  of  urban  wastewater 
treatment are ongoing problems. 

The  Romanian  RRP  has  identified  some  key  reforms  to 
support  the  water  sector,  particularly  to  strengthen  the 
regulatory framework for the sustainable management of 
the  water  and  wastewater  sectors  and  accelerate  public 
access to quality services. The objective of this reform is 
to  improve  the  capacity  of  regional  water  infrastructure 
operators  and  to  improve  the  quality  and  efficiency  of 
cooperation  between  them  and  local  authorities/inter-
community  development  associations  (IDAs),  and  water 
and  channel  infrastructure  owners.  In  view  of  this,  a 
number  of  legislative  and  regulatory  changes  have  been 
identified.  The  reconfiguration  of  the  current  economic 
mechanism of the National Water Administration (ANAR) 
is another important reform to ensure the modernisation 
and  maintenance  of  the  national  water  management 
system  and  proper 
implementation  of  the  Water 
Framework Directive and Floods Directive. 

in  the  water  sector  aimed 

In  the  2019  EIR,  Romania  has  received  several  priority 
actions 
in  particular  at 
strengthening  the  monitoring  of  surface  water  by 
covering  all  relevant  quality  elements 
in  all  water 
categories,  and  better 
implementing  the  UWWTD 
requirements, in particular by establishing a realistic and 
efficient implementation plan spanning the coming years, 
including  forecasted  financing  sources.  Very 
limited 
progress  has  been  made.  A  realistic  and  efficient 
implementation  plan  covering  the  coming  years  and 
including  forecasted  financing  sources  has  not  yet 
materialised. 

2022 priority actions 

  Strengthen  the  monitoring  of  surface  water  by 
covering  all  relevant  quality  elements  in  all  water 
categories, 
including  hydromorphological  quality 
elements  and  improve  quantitative  and  chemical 
groundwater monitoring. 

 

  Ensure  that  projects  with  the  potential  to  affect  the 
status  of  water  bodies  are  thoroughly  assessed  and 
justified  in  line  with  the  requirements  in  the  Water 
Framework Directive (Article 4(7)).  
Improve  the  implementation  of  the  Urban  Waste 
Water  Treatment  Directive  requirement  i  of  more 
stringent  treatment  of wastewater for discharge into 
sensitive areas, and ensure investments to enable the 
appropriate treatment of wastewater from big cities. 
  Complete  the  implementation  of  the  Urban  Waste 
Water Treatment  Directive for all agglomerations, by 
building  up  the  necessary  infrastructure:.  Step  up 
efforts to ensure implementation of the Urban Waste 
Water  Treatment  Directive,  in  particular  by  having  a 
realistic  and  efficient  implementation  plan  covering 

 Environmental Implementation Review 2022 – Romania 

 
 
                                                                 
the  coming  years, 
sources. 

including  forecasted  financing 

Responsibility  for  checking  compliance  with  REACH  in 
Romania lies with the following authorities126: 

Romania  30 

Chemicals 

The EU seeks to ensure that chemicals are produced and 
used  in  a  way  that  minimises  any  significant  adverse 
effects  on  human  health  and  the  environment.  In 
October  2020,  the  Commission published  its  chemicals 
strategy  for  sustainability 
'Towards  a  Toxic-Free 
Environment'122  which  led  to  some  systemic  changes  in 
EU  chemicals  legislation.  The  strategy is  part  of  the  EU's 
zero-pollution  ambition  –  a  key  commitment  of  the 
European Green Deal 

- 

legislation123 provides  a  baseline 
The  EU’s  chemicals 
protection for human health and the environment. It also 
ensures  stability  and  predictability 
for  businesses 
operating within the internal market.  

Labelling  and  Packaging 

Since 2007, the Commission has gathered information on 
the  enforcement  of  the  Regulation  on  the  Registration, 
Evaluation,  Authorisation  and  Restriction  of Chemicals 
(the  REACH  Regulation)  and 
the  Regulation  on 
(the  CLP 
Classification, 
Regulation). In December 2020, the Commission assessed 
the  Member  States’  reports  on  the  implementation  and 
enforcement  of  these  Regulations124,  in  line  with  Article 
117(1)  of  the  REACH  Regulation  and  Article  46(2)  of  the 
CLP  Regulation.  According  to  the  latest  available  data, 
national enforcement structures have not changed much. 
However,  it  is  apparent  from  this  report  that  there  are 
still many disparities in the implementation of the REACH 
and  CLP  Regulations,  notably 
law 
enforcement.  Recorded  compliance  levels  in  Member 
States seem to be quite stable over time, but with a slight 
worsening  trend,  which  is  likely  due  to:  (i)  enforcement 
authorities  being  more  effective 
in  detecting  non-
compliant  products/companies;  and  (ii)  more  non-
compliant products being put on the EU market.  

in  the  area  of 

  National Environmental Guard,  
  Labour Inspection and  
  National  Consumer  Protection  Authority  (for  the  CLP 

Regulation).  

Romania  has  drawn  up  but  partially  implemented  both 
REACH  and  CLP  enforcement  strategies127.  They  consist 
of: 

  annual enforcement planning, 
  priorities 

for  enforcement,  monitoring  actions, 
reports, 

enforcement 

enforcement 
performance indicators and external reporting. 

activities, 

As  a  rule,  all  infringements  of  REACH  are  considered  as 
serious  or  very  serious  environmental  administrative 
offences.  If  the  infringement  is  sufficiently  serious,  the 
competent  authority  may  decide  to 
impose  further 
penalties  in  addition  to  a  fine.  That  authority  may 
also, where  necessary, order  the  provisional  seizure  of 
assets and documents. 

reactive/non-routine 

Romania  allocates  90  staff  members  to  REACH  and  CLP 
enforcement,  with  384  man-hours/year,  plus  43  labour 
inspectors128.  At 476 in 2019, the number of REACH and 
CLP controls remains well below the EU average   Most of 
the  REACH  controls  done  are  proactive  (inspections), 
compared  with 
(i.e. 
investigations  in  response  to  complaints,  accidents,  and 
referrals).  The  actual  level  of  expertise  has  increased 
since  the  last  reporting,  but  it  is  still  not  sufficient  for 
some  REACH-related  tasks,  namely  for  risk  management 
and some specific areas of concern such as nanomaterials 
and  endocrine  disruptors.  The  low  percentage  of  non-
compliance  cases  out  of  the  total  number  of  controls 
should be underlined129. 

controls 

In August 2021, the Commission published a  measurable 
assessment  of  the  enforcement125  of  the  two  main  EU 
Regulations on chemicals (the REACH Regulation and the 
CLP  Regulation)  using  a  set  of  indicators  on  different 
aspects of enforcement. 

122 COM(2020) 667 final. 
123  REACH: OJ L 396, 30.12.2006, p.1. -  CLP: OJ L 252, 31.12.2006, p.1 
124 European Commission, Final Report, on the operation of REACH and 
CLP, Final report_REACH-CLP MS reporting_2020.pdf (europa.eu). 
125  European  Commission,  REACH  and  CLP  enforcement:  EU  level 
enforcement indicators. 

126  Final report REACH-CLP MS reporting_2020.pdf (europa.eu), p. 71. 
127 Final report REACH-CLP MS reporting_2020.pdf (europa.eu), p. 76. 
128 European Commission, Final Report, on the operation of REACH and 
CLP, Final report REACH-CLP MS reporting_2020.pdf (europa.eu), p. 75. 
129    Final  report  REACH-CLP  MS  reporting_2020.pdf  (europa.eu),  p. 87-
88. 

 Environmental Implementation Review 2022 – Romania 

 
 
                                                                 
                                                                 
Figure 33: Percentage % of non-compliance cases out of 
the  total  number  of  REACH  and  CLP  controls  during 
2019  per  Member  State  and  compared  to  the  EU 
average130 

Romania  31 

2022 priority action 

  Upgrade  administrative  capacities  to  implement  and 

enforce  a zero tolerance to non-compliance. 

130 European Commission, Final Report, on the operation of REACH and 
CLP, pp.87-88, 2022. 

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Romania  32 

4. Climate action 

law  also 

In  line  with  the  Paris  Agreement  and  as  part  of  the 
European Green Deal, the European Climate Law sets the 
EU  target  of  reaching  climate  neutrality  by  2050  and 
reducing  greenhouse  gas  (GHG)  emissions  by  55%  by 
2030  compared  to  1990.  The 
limits  the 
contribution  that  carbon  removals  can  make  towards 
in  2030  to  ensure  a  sufficient 
emission  reductions 
mitigation  effort.The  EU  and 
its  Member  States 
submitted  updated  Nationally  Determined  Contribution 
(NDC)  to  the  UNFCCC  in  December  2020.  The  EU  is 
working  across  all  sectors  and  policies  to  cut  GHG 
emissions  and  make  the  transition  to  a  climate-neutral 
and  sustainable  economy,  as  well  as  addressing  the 
unavoidable consequences of climate change. EU climate 
legislation  incentivises  emissions  reductions  from  power 
generation,  industry,  transport,  the  maritime  sector  and 
fluorinated  gases  (F-gases)  used  in  products.  For  road 
transport,  EU  legislation  requires  the  GHG  intensity  of 
vehicle  fuels  to  be  cut  by  6%  by  2020  compared  to 
2010131  and  sets  binding  GHG  emission  standards  for 
different 
F-gas 
Regulation,  the  EU’s  F-gas  emissions  will  be  cut  by  two 
thirds  by  2030  compared  with  2014  levels.  From  2021, 
emissions and removals of GHGs from LULUCF have been 
included  in  the  EU  emission-reduction  efforts.  The  EU 
adaptation  policy  is  an  integral  part  of  the  European 
Green  Deal.  From  2021,  Member  States  are  required  to 
report on their national adaptation policies133, as the EU 
Climate  Law  recognises  adaptation  as  a  key  component 
of  the  long-term  global  response  to  climate  change. 
Member  States  will  be  required  to  adopt  national 
strategies,  and  the  EU  will  regularly  assess  progress  as 
part  of  its  overall  governance  on  climate  action.  The 
updated  EU  adaptation  strategy,  published  in  February 
2021, sets out how the EU can adapt to the unavoidable 
impacts  of  climate  change  and  become  climate  resilient 
by 2050. 

categories132.  Under 

vehicle 

the 

Key national climate policies and strategies 

Romania  has  an  integrated  National  Energy  and  Climate 
Plan (NECP) for 2021-2030. The work builds on long-term 
energy and climate plans. 

Romania’s  RRP  allocates  41.03%  of  the  plan  to  climate 
objectives  and  outlines  crucial  reforms  and  investments 
to  speed  up  the  green  transition,  including  investments 

131  The Fuel  Quality  Directive (Directive 98/70/EC)  sets  strict  quality 
requirements  for  fuels  used  in  road  transport  in  the  EU  to  protect 
human health and the environment, and to make road travel across the 
EU safer. 
132 Directive 98/70/EC. 
133 Article 29 of Regulation (EU) 2018/1999. 

for  renewable  energy  and  the  renovation  of  public  and 
private buildings. 

In  terms  of  adaptation  priorities,  the  National  Climate 
Change  and  Low  Carbon  Green  Growth  Strategy  focuses 
on  measures  and  actions  for  12  priority  sectors  and 
identifies  different  types  of  risks  and  climate  related 
events  such  as  landslides,  soil  erosion,  storm  damage, 
drought, floods, disease outbreaks, or the lack of access 
to water resources. 

total  greenhouse  gas  emissions  have 
Romania’s 
considerably  decreased  compared  to  1990.  Economy-
wide  greenhouse  gas  emissions  decreased  by  59% 
between 1990 and 2020. Emissions per capita are lower 
than the EU average. However, the emission intensity of 
its economy is  still twice as  high  as the EU average.  The 
production  of  goods  and  services  in  Romania  remains 
very carbon and energy intensive. 

Figure  34:  Total  greenhouse  gas  emissions 
international aviation) in Romania, 1990-2020 

(incl. 

Effort sharing target  

For emissions not covered by the EU’s emissions trading 
scheme  (ETS),  Member  States  have  binding  national 
targets under the Effort Sharing Legislation134.  Under EU 
legislation, Romania has a  target  of limiting the increase 
of GHG emissions in the non-ETS sectors (buildings, road 
and domestic maritime transport, agriculture, waste, and 
small industries) to +19% by 2020 and reducing emissions 
by 2% by 2030 compared to 2005 levels. 

The country’s non-ETS emissions in 2019 were lower than 
its 2020. In its National Energy and Climate Plan, Romania 
intends  to  achieve  the  same  reductions  as  its  current 
Effort Sharing target  for 2030 of -2%. 

134 Regulation (EU) 2018/842 

 Environmental Implementation Review 2022 – Romania 

 
                                                                 
 
                                                                 
Figure  35:  Emissions  and  targets  under  the  Effort 
Sharing Decision/ Effort Sharing Regulation in Romania, 
2020 and 2030 as percentage change from 2005 

Figure  37:  Greenhouse  gas  emissions  by  sector  in 
Romania135 
1990-2019, 
projections 2021-2030136 

emissions 

historical 

– 

Romania  33 

Figure 36: Emissions, annual emission allocations (AEAs) 
and  accumulated  surplus/  deficit  of  AEAs  under  the 
Effort Sharing Decision in Romania, 2013-2020  

Key sectoral developments 

In  road  transport,  the  GHG  intensity  of  vehicle  fuels  in 
Romania fell by 2,8%. The country needs to act swiftly to 
meet  the  current  reduction  target  by  6%.  There  are 
several  types  of  action  that  Member  States  can  take  in 
this  regard,  for  example,  further  expanding  the  use  of 
electricity  in  road  transport,  supporting  the  use  of 
biofuels, in particular advanced biofuels, incentivizing the 
development and deployment of renewable fuels of non-
biological origin and reducing upstream emissions before 
refining processes. 

Transport  in  2019  in  Romania  represented  16%  of  the 
total  greenhouse  gas  emissions.  Emissions  have 
increased by 40% compared to 2005. 

in  buildings, 

improving  energy 
To  reduce  emissions 
efficiency of the building  stock is needed. It also creates 
increased  energy  savings.  This  is  even  more  relevant 
considering  that  energy  consumption  in  buildings  in 
Romania is at 45% of the total energy consumption in the 
country (compared to the 40% EU average.  The focus in 
the  RRP  on  the  energy  efficiency  of  private  and  public 
buildings,  with  about  EUR  1.72  billion,  is  expected  to 
contribute to facilitating the green transition.  

In the Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF) 
sector,  Romania  is  projected  to  see  decreasing  net 
removals  by  2030.  Reported  quantities  under  the  Kyoto 
in  Romania  show  net 
Protocol  for  LULUCF  sector 
removals  of  -32.2  Mt  CO2-eq  on  average  for  the  period 
2013  to  2019.  With  this,  Romania  accounts  for  9.3%  of 
the  annual  average  sink  of  -344.9  Mt  CO2-eq  of  the  EU-
27. Accounting for the same period depicts net credits off 
-6.3 Mt CO2-eq on average, which corresponds to 5.4% of 
the EU-27 accounted sink of -115.0 Mt CO2-eq. 

135  The  sectors  in  the  figure  correspond  to  the  following  IPCC  sectors: 
Energy supply: 1A1, 1B and 1C. Energy use in manufacturing industries: 
1A2.  Industrial  processes  and  product  use:  2.  Transport:  1A3.  Other 
energy  use:  1A4,  1A5  and  6.  Agriculture:  3.  Waste:  5.  International 
aviation: 1.D.1.a. 
136 European Environmental Agency, Total GHG trends and projections. 

Environmental Implementation Review 2022 – Romania 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                                 
Figure  38:  Reported  and  accounted  emissions  and 
removals from LULUCF in Romania 137 

Romania  34 

  Promote the electrification of the car fleet as it poses 
an opportunity for Romania’s economy and jobs since 
automotive manufacturing is a significant employer. 
  Ensure  a  just  transition  as  in  relative  terms  Romania 
has    a  very  high  share  of  employment  in  fossil  fuel 
extraction, notably coal mining. 

Use of revenues from the auctioning of EU ETS 
allowances 

The  total  revenues  from  the  auctioning  of  emission 
allowances  under  the  EU  ETS  over  the  years  2012-2021 
amounted  to  over  EUR  3,  6  billion.  In  Romania,  50%  of 
revenues  is  earmarked  for  climate  change  and  energy 
purposes  and  an  additional  6%  is  earmarked  for  GHG 
reduction  projects,  with  15%  going  to  indirect  carbon 
compensation and 29% to the general budget. 

2022 priority actions 

  Accelerate  the  decarbonisation  of  the  transport 

 

sector. 
Improve  energy  efficiency 
consumption and final energy consumption. 

in  primary  energy 

  Ensure the sustainability of bioenergy use. 
 

Increase  the  uptake  of  renewable  energy.  Despite  a 
high  share  of  renewable  energy,  Romania’s  energy 
supply  remains  the  most  significant  source  of 
greenhouse gas emissions. 

137  The  differences  between  reported  and  accounted  emissions  from 
LULUCF under the Kyoto Protocol are described in the ‘explanatory note 
on  LULUCF  –  accounted  and  reported  quantities  under  the  Kyoto 
Protocol’.   

Environmental Implementation Review 2022 – Romania 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                                 
 
 
Romania  35 

Part II: Enabling framework: Implementation tools

5. Financing  

Environmental investment needs in the 
European Union 

Financing  environmental  measures  is  essential  for  their 
success.  Although  most  financing  comes  from  national 
sources, various EU funds contribute significantly, helping 
to close the financing gaps .  

Post-2020,  environmental  measures  will  also  be 
supported by the EU’s  COVID-19 Recovery  Fund (via  the 
RRF) and the ‘do no significant harm’ principle which runs 
across the EU budget. The renewed commitments made 
at  COP26  (Glasgow,  October-November  2021)  and  the 
Biodiversity  Convention  (April-May  2022)138  will  also  be 
reflected 
in  the  EU  budget.  Overall  environmental 
investment gaps (EU-27). 

Overall environmental investment gaps (EU27) 

The EU’s green transition investment needs cover a range 
of  interlinked  areas.  The  additional  investment  needs 
over baselines (i.e., the gap between what is needed and 
what  is  forecast  to  be  invested  if  no  additional  action  is 
taken) for climate, energy and transport were estimated 
at  EUR  390  billion  per  annum  (EU27)139,  with  a  further 
EUR  130  billion  to  deliver  the  EU's  core  environmental 
objectives140.  Climate  adaptation  costs  can  also  be 
significant,  reaching  a  total  of  EUR  35-62  billion 
(narrower  scope)  or  EUR  158-518  billion  (wider  scope) 
per  year141.  Those  investment  needs  do  reflect  the 
implementation  objectives  to  2020  and  to  2030  (except 
for climate adaptation costs that are expected to stay for 
longer time horizon). 

A  preliminary  update  of  the  EU’s  core  environmental 
investment  gap  is  provided  in  Table  1142.  Almost  40%  of 
the  environmental  investment  needs  relate  to  dealing 
with  pollution,  accounting  for  nearly  two-thirds  of  the 

138  The  Convention  on  Biological  Diversity  (cbd.int);  Post-2020  Global 
Biodiversity Framework | IUCN. 
139  SWD(2021)621,  accompanying  proposal  COM  (2021)557  to  amend 
the REDII Directive (EU) 2018/2001. 
140 SWD(2020) 98 final/2. 
141  SWD(2018)292.  Impact  assessment  accompanying  the  Proposal  for 
the LIFE Regulation (COM (2018)385). 
142  With  decreases  due  to  Brexit  and  some  reconciliation  among  the 
objectives.  Source:  European  Commission,  DG  Environment,  ‘Study 
supporting  EU  green  investment  needs  analysis’  (ongoing,  2021-2023) 
and DG Environment internal analysis ‘Environmental investment needs 
and financing in the EU’s green transition’ July 2020. 

in  circular  economy  and  waste 

total  gap  if  combined  with  water  management.  The 
investment  gap 
is 
estimated  between  EUR  13-28  billion  a  year,  depending 
on 
implemented.  The  annual 
biodiversity financing gap is estimated at around EUR  20 
billion. 

levels  of  circularity 

Table  1:  Estimated  breakdown  of 
environmental 
objective, 2021-2030 (per annum)143 

the  EU27’s 
investment  gaps,  by  environmental 

Estimated investment gap (EU-27, 
p.a.)  

Environmental 
objective 

Pollution  prevention 
& control 

Water  management 
& industries 

Circular  economy  & 
waste 

 EUR billion 

 42.8 

 26.6 

 13.0 

Biodiversity 
ecosystems 144 

& 

 21.5 

R & D & I and other 

Total 

 6.2 

 110.1 

 % 

 39% 

 24% 

 12% 

 20% 

 6% 

 100% 

Environmental investment needs in Romania 

Romania  has  significant  investment  needs  in  the  water 
for  ensuring  biodiversity 
and  waste  sectors  and 
protection. Efforts also need to be stepped up to address 
air  quality  issues  by  ensuring  that  the  transport  and 
energy sectors become more sustainable. Administrative 
capacities  issues  and  absorption  problems  hamper  the 

143 European Commission, DG Environment, ‘Study supporting EU green 
investment  needs  analysis’  (ongoing,  2021-2023)  and DG  Environment 
internal analysis ‘Environmental Investment needs and financing in the 
EU’s green transition’, July 2020. 
144  To  meet  the  needs  of  the  2030  Biodiversity  Strategy  (Natura 2000, 
green infrastructure), at least EUR 20 billion a year should be unlocked 
for  nature  (COM/2020/380  final)  while  to  fully  cover  the  strategy 
(including  restoration)  EUR  30-35  billion  may  be  needed,  indicating  a 
gap  of  EUR  10-20  billion  a  year  compared  to  current  baseline 
expenditure. 

 Environmental Implementation Review 2022 – Romania 

 
 
 
 
 
                                                                 
 
 
 
                                                                 
adequate use of the funds available in the environmental 
field. Romania also has prioritization and planning issues. 

Pollution prevention & control 

to 

The  EU’s  first  Clean  Air  Outlook145  under  the  clean  air 
programme estimated that the total air pollution control 
costs 
reduction 
requirements (ERRs) by 2030 amount to EUR 1.75 billion 
per year for Romania, including EUR 1.27 billion a year on 
capital costs. 146. 

the  NECD  emission 

reach 

all 

the 

2018 

suggests147 

legislation, 

second  Clean  Air  Outlook 

that 
The 
implementing 
2030 
climate/energy  measures  and  the  NAPCP  shall  largely 
facilitate  reaching  those  targets  by  2030  (except  for 
ammonia  for  15  Member  States,  including  Romania). 
Nevertheless,  the  NEC  Directive  also  requires  certain 
emission  reductions  already  for  the  period  2020-2029, 
including  to  reach  pro-rata  progress  towards  the  2030 
targets by 2025 (based on a linear or other trajectories). 

Water management 

Significant  investment  is  still  needed  in  Romania  to 
accelerate  compliance  with  the  Water  Framework 
Directive  (WFD)  and  the  Floods  Directive.  Romania  is 
making  little  progress  on  compliance  with  the  Urban 
Waste Water Directive (UWWTD). 148  

While compliance with EU water legislation has been the 
over-arching  priority  for  the  Romanian  water  sector  for 
almost  two  decades,  complying  with  the  UWWTD  has 
proved  by  far  the  most  difficult  task  and  it  remains 
sanitation 
extremely  challenging,  despite  massive 
investments. 

About  64%  of  natural  water  bodies  and  38% 
modified/artificial  water  bodies  meet  the  standard  of 
“good  ecological  status”  or  better  required  by  the  EU 
Water  Framework  Directive.  However,  there  are  major 
chemical and quantitative issues149. 

Given  that  tariff  affordability  is  already  stretched  in 
Romania,  if  compared  to  other  Member  States,  there 

145 
https://ec.europa.eu/environment/air/pdf/clean_air_outlook_overview
_report.pdf 
146  Covering  the  reductions  of  and  the  emission  ceilings  for  5 
atmospheric  pollutants,  SOx,  NOx,  PM2.5,  NH3  and  VOC  by  2030, 
compared  to  2005.  Source:  Progress  towards  the  achievement  of  the 
IIASA  2018,  p.  29. 
EU’s  air  quality  and  emissions  objectives, 
Requirements are based on Directive (EU) 2016/2284. 
147 COM (2021) 3 Final and Report Annex.   
148 Implementation of the Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC), 
the Environmental Quality Standards Directive (2008/105/EC amended 
by Directive 2013/39/EU) and the Floods Directive (2007/60/EC): 
Report-implementation-WaterFrameworkDirective.pdf. 
149 OECD - Water Supply Sanitation - Country Factsheet 

Romania  36 

limited  scope  for  raising  funds  to  finance 
may  be 
investment  needs 
from  water  users.  Significant 
investments  are  needed  to  comply  with  the  revised 
Drinking  Water  Directive,  extend  access  to  vulnerable 
populations  and  improve  network  efficiency  (reduce 
leakage),  and  to  comply  with  the  UWWTD.  A  recent 
OECD  study  assessed  the  investment  needs  of  the  EU 
water  industry  (to  meet  the  legal  requirements  for 
drinking  water  and  sanitation),  and  found  that  the 
cumulative  expenditure  needed  for  Romania  will  reach 
approximately  EUR  21.6  billion  (EUR  6.5  billion  for  the 
Drinking Water Directive + EUR 15.1 billion for the Urban 
Waste Water Treatment Directive) for 2020-2030. Of this, 
only  EUR  5.6  billion  was  found  to  be  capital  investment 
need (26%) which is under the EU-average of 47% (of the 
total expenditure need). In annual terms, this implies an 
annual  financing  need  of  the  water  industry  of  around 
2.2  billion  euros  (drinking  water  and  sanitation),  with  at 
least  560  million  of  capital  investment  need  per  year 
(with  almost  80%  of  that  related  to  wastewater). 
Moreover, the recent 6th Water Framework Directive and 
Implementation  Report150  and  the 
Floods  Directive 
financial - economic study151 accompanying it, are also a 
relevant 
this  domain. 
Irrespectively,  the  water  investment  plan  (the  cohesion 
enabling  condition)  should  provide  needs  and  costs 
estimates. 

information 

source  of 

in 

Waste & circular economy 

The  EU  waste  study  comprehensively  assessed  the 
investment  needs  for  municipal  and  packaging  waste. 
According  to  this,  Romania  needs  to  invest  around  EUR 
610 million in the waste sector in 2021-2027 additionally 
to  baselines.  This  increases  to  EUR  893  million  in  2021-
2035, implying an annual investment need of EUR 60-90 
million a year on average152. The investment is necessary 
in collection, biowaste treatment, recycling reprocessors, 
waste  sorting  facilities  and  waste  registry  digitalisation, 
but does not include key waste streams (plastics, textiles, 
furniture)  or  the  investment  potential  arising  from  a 
higher  circular  economy  uptake  (in  sectors  as  housing, 
transport, or food).  

Priority  areas  remain  those 
in  the  Early 
Warning  Report  for  Romania  for  2018153,  notably  waste 
management  plans,  extended  producer  responsibility 

identified 

150 WFD and FD Implementation Reports – DG Environment – European 
Commission. 
151  European  Commission,  Directorate-General 
for  Environment, 
Economic  data  related  to  the  implementation  of  the  WFD  and  the  FD 
and the financing of measures, Final report. Publications Office, 2021. 
152  European  Commission,  Study  on  investment  needs  in  the  waste 
sector and on the financing of municipal waste management in Member 
States,  2019. 
153 European Commission, Early Warning Report, Waste.   

 Environmental Implementation Review 2022 – Romania 

 
 
                                                                 
 
                                                                 
incentives, 
schemes,  separate  collection,  economic 
technical  support  for  local  authorities,  communication 
and awareness-raising, and spending of EU funds154. 

subsequently topped up with over EUR 50 billion (current 
prices)  from  the  REACT-EU  programme  (for  cohesion-
policy action against COVID-19)158.  

Romania  37 

The  future  EU  allocation  for  the  sector  is  expected  to 
decrease  under  the  new  programming  period,  to  cover 
only  a  small  part  of 
for 
investments,  while 
investments  are  still 
necessary. Consequently, Romania is advised to make the 
best use out of the available funds. 

the  necessary  budget 

important 

Biodiversity & ecosystems 

its 

Prioritised  action  frameworks  (PAFs)  adopted  by  the 
Member  States  according  to  Article  8  of  the  Habitats 
Directive  present  the  conservation  priorities  for  the 
supporting  green 
Natura  2000  network  and 
infrastructure,  their  costs  and  planned  funding  sources 
for  the  period  corresponding  to  the  current  multiannual 
financial framework (MFF) (2021-2027). For Romania, the 
total  identified  needs  amount  to  EUR  543.7  million  per 
year,  including  EUR  150  million  annual  one-off  costs155. 
Priority  areas 
include  the  elaboration  of  the  new 
management plans for Natura 2000 sites, the updates to 
implementation  of 
existing  management  plans,  the 
management plans, the strengthening of the institutional 
capacity  of  ANANP,  the  restoration  of  wetland  and 
grassland habitats and associated species, the restoration 
forest 
of  9110  beech  stands,  the  prevention  of 
fragmentation and maintenance of the integrity of forest 
corridors outside Natura 2000 sites and the restoration of 
the  longitudinal  connectivity  of  rivers  in  Natura  2000 
sites and outside of them. Additional costs to implement 
the  Biodiversity  Strategy  to  2030,  concerning  increased 
protection and restoration, are not included in the above. 

EU environmental funding 2014-2020 

The  multiannual  financial  framework  (MFF)  for  2014-
2020  allocated  almost  EUR  960  billion  (in  commitments, 
2011 prices)156 for the EU to spend over this period. The 
commitment 
in  this  2014-2020  MMF  to  the  green 
transition included a 20% climate spending target. It also 
included  funding  opportunities  for  the  environment,  in 
particular, under the European Structural and Investment 
(ESI)  Funds157.  The  2014-2020  MFF  budget  was 

154  https://op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/4d5f8355-
bcad-11e9-9d01-01aa75ed71a1. 
155  The  N2K  Group,  Strengthening  investments  in  Natura  2000  and 
improving  synergies  with  EU  funding 
instruments  report  to  the 
European Commission, 2021.  
156 Council Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 1311/2013. 
157  The  European  Structural  and  Investment  (ESI)  Funds  include  the 
European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the Cohesion Fund (CF), 

in 

invest 

Romania  received  EUR  34.8  billion  from  the  ESI  Funds 
over  2014-2020  to 
job  creation  and  a 
sustainable  and  healthy  European  economy  and 
environment. 
The  planned  direct  environmental 
investment  amounted  to  EUR  4.4  billion,  with  a  further 
EUR  1.8  billion 
indirect  environmental 
investment value, totaling EUR 6.1 billion. 

identified  as 

Figure 40 provides an overview of (planned) individual ESI 
Funds  earmarked  for  Romania  (EU  amounts,  without 
national amounts). 

Figure  39:  ESI  Funds  allocated  to  Romania,  including 
environmental investments, 2014-2020159 

Policy 

the  European  Social  Fund  (ESF)  with  the  Youth  Employment  Initiative 
(YEI),  the  European  Agricultural  Fund  for  Rural  Development  (EAFRD) 
and the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF). 
158 Regulation (EU) 2020/2221. 
159  European  Commission,  DG  Environment  -  Data  analysis,  DG 
Environment  analysis  based  on  ESI Funds Open  Data  Portal 
(cohesiondata.ec.europa.eu), Integration  of  environmental  concerns  in 
Cohesion 
(EU)  No 
1303/2013,Regulation  (EU)  2021/1060 and Implementing  Regulation 
for  data:  December  2021. 
(EU)  No  215/2014. Cut-off  date 
Environmental investments here are captured via the combined use of 
intervention  fields  and  coefficients  under  the Regulation  (EU)  No 
1303/2013 and Regulation (EU) 2021/1060  allowing for a more precise 
identification  and  valuation  of  relevant environmental investments. 
N.B.  Indirect  environmental  investments  are  valued  using  the  Annex  I 
environmental  coefficients  of  the Regulation 
(EU)  2021/1060 (as 
opposed to full value). 

2017), Regulation 

(COWI, 

Funds 

 Environmental Implementation Review 2022 – Romania 

 
 
 
                                                                 
 
 
                                                                                                        
Table 2:  Direct  and indirect environmental investments 
under the ESI Funds in Romania, 2014-2020160 

Instrument 

Under Cohesion policy (ERDF + CF) 
Direct environmental investments 
water 
waste 
air quality 
biodiversity and nature 
land rehabilitation 
climate and risk management 
Indirect environmental investments 
renewable energy 
energy efficiency 
other energy161 
sustainable transport 
sustainable tourism 

Under EAFRD/rural development 
Direct environmental investments 
water 
climate and risk management 
Indirect environmental investments 
renewable energy 

Under EMFF 
Direct environmental investments 
environment  protection  &  resource 
efficiency 
Indirect environmental investments 
business development, R&I 

Under ESI Funds total  
Direct environmental investments 
Indirect environmental investments 

Allocations  
for the environment  
(EUR million) 

5 447.7 
3 686.8 
2 224.3 
318.2 
390.6 
250.3 
24.7 
478.7 
1 760.8 
19.6 
440.9 
22.6 
1 212.9 
64.9 

651.0 
650.3 
385.5 
264.8 
0.7 
0.7 

40.1 
40.1 
40.1 

0.04 
0.04 

6 138.8 
4 377.2 
1 761.6 

Funding for the environment from the ESI Funds has also 
been    supplemented  by  other  EU  funding  programmes 
available  to  all  Member  States,  such  as  the  LIFE 
programme  or  the  Horizon  2020,  and  some  European 
Investment  Bank  (EIB)  financing,  adding  up  to  an 
estimated  total  of  EUR  6.6  billion  of  EU  environmental 
financing for Romania in 2014-2020. 

investments 

in 
tracking 

identified  here 
the 
from 

160  European  Commission,  DG  Environment  -  Data analysis.  The  values 
the  specific 
of  environmental 
environmental  areas  may  differ 
values 
at cohesiondata.ec.europa.eu, e.g. for clean  air or biodiversity due  to 
two factors: the set of environmental coefficients used and the range of 
funds assessed. DG Environment’s analysis here covers the full range of 
ESI Funds. See also previous footnote. 
161  Intelligent  energy  distribution  systems  (smart  grids)  and  high 
efficiency co-generation and district heating, based on intervention field 
53  and  54  respectively  (with  40%  environmental  coefficients)  of 
Regulation (EU) 2021/1060, Annex I. 

Romania  38 

is  entirely  dedicated 

The  LIFE  programme162 
to 
environmental  and  climate  objectives. 
finances 
demonstration  and  best  practice  actions  for  green 
solutions  to  be  deployed.  In  the  2014-2020  period, 
Romania  has  received  EU  support  for  four  nature  LIFE 
projects, with EUR 12.8 million from the LIFE programme 
(out  of  1  028  EU27  LIFE  projects  with  the  total  EU 
contribution of EUR 1.74 billion)163. 

It 

In 2014-2020, the Horizon 2020 allocated about EUR 13.0 
million  for  Romania,  in  particular  for  circular  economy, 
including  raw  materials,  nature  and  resources,  climate 
action,  earth  observation  and  cultural  heritage,  which  is 
about  4.3  %  of  Romania’s  total  allocation164.  From  the 
European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI), Romania 
received  EUR  41.3  million  for  direct  environmental 
investments  out  of 
its  total  allocation  (EUR  641.4 
million).165 Romania received EUR 421.5 billion for direct 
environmental  investments  (specifically,  for  water  and 
sewerage  and  some  for  waste)  from  the  EIB  out  of  the 
total  EIB  loans  for  Romania  (EUR  5.3  billion)166.  The 
country ranks 16th in terms pf in total EIB lending. 

In 2020, the EIB provided EUR 24.2 billion to fight climate 
change at EU level, 37% of its total financing  and EUR 1.8 
billion (3% of its financing) for the environment 167 168. 

EU environmental funding 2021-2027 

The 2020 European Green Deal  Investment  Plan (EGDIP) 
calls  upon  EUR  1  trillion  green  investments  (public  and 
private)  by  2030.  The  multiannual  financial  framework 
(MFF) 2021-2027 and the NextGenerationEU will mobilise 
EUR  2.018  trillion  (in  current  prices)  to  support  the 
COVID-19  recovery  and  the  EU's  long-term  priorities, 
including  environmental  protection.169  Following  the  EU 
Green  Deal’s170 
the 
Interinstitutional  Agreement  on  the  2021-2027  MFF171, 
30%  of  the  EU  budget  will  support  climate  efforts  and 

‘do  no  harm’  pledge  and 

162 European Commission, LIFE Programme. 
163 Source: CINEA. 
164 Source: EASME, https://sc5.easme-web.eu/, accessed: 15-12-2021. 
165  Approved  and  signed  EFSI  financing  -  EIB,  2015-2020:  Source: 
https://www.eib.org/en/products/mandates-
partnerships/efsi/index.htm. 
166 EIB loans in EU countries in 2014-2020. Source: EIB Open Data Portal: 
https://www.eib.org/en/infocentre/eib-open-data.htm. 
167  The  EIB  Group  jointly  works  with  the  European  Commission  in 
implementing 
environmental 
implementation: InvestEU,  the  successor  of  EFSI,  Pillar  II  and III  of  the 
Just Transition Mechanism. The EIB Group stands as a key implementing 
partner for InvestEU with responsibility for managing 75% of the overall 
budgetary capacity of the mandate. 
168 EIB 2021 Activity Report. 
169  European  Commission,  2021-2027 
NextGenerationEU. 
170 COM/2019/640 final. 
171 Interinstitutional Agreement, OJ L 433I. 

long-term  EU  budget  & 

several  programs 

finance 

that 

 Environmental Implementation Review 2022 – Romania 

 
  
 
 
                                                                 
                                                                 
Romania  39 

7.5% (as of 2024) and 10% (as of 2026) biodiversity that 
requires  increased  programming  of  financial  resources 
for  biodiversity,  specifically  under 
the  2021-2027 
Cohesion  policy  and  the  2023-2027  CAP  to  reach  those 
targets. 

Sustainable  finance  significantly  increases  transparency 
on environmental sustainability (a goal promoted by the 
EU  Taxonomy)172,  strengthens  non-financial  reporting 
requirements, facilitates green bond issuance (by the EU 
green  bond  standard173).  Reinforced  by  the  Renewed 
Sustainable  Finance  Strategy  (2020)174,  it  will  increase 
investment flows to climate and environment. In support 
of  financing  climate  adaptation,  the  new  strategy  on 
adaptation to climate change175 can facilitate closing the 
insurance  protection  gap  from  non-insured  climate-
related  events176.  The  EIB  will  align  50%  of  its  lending 
with climate and environment by 2025177, with a EUR 250 
billion contribution to the Green Deal Investment Plan by 
2027. 

Table  3  below  provides  an  overview  of  the  planned  EU 
support 
funding 
for  Romania  under  various  EU 
instruments. 

Table  3:  Key  2021-2027  EU  funds  allocated  to  Romania 
(current prices), 2021-2027 

Just Transition Fund 

2 139.5181 

EAFRD/rural 
development  

under  CAP  Strategic 
Plans 2023-2027182 

European  Maritime, 
and 
Fisheries 
Aquaculture 
Fund 
(EMFAF) 

4 835.2183 

162.5184 

and 
Facility 

 14,240 billion (grants) 

14,942 billion (loans)185 

Recovery 
Resilience 
(RRF)  

2021 – 2026 

Measures  supporting  climate  change  objectives 
in 
Romania’s  recovery  and  resilience  plan  account  for  EUR 
11  969.73  million,  which  represent  41.03%  of  the  plan’s 
total allocation of EUR 29 182 million (EUR 14 240 million 
of  grants  and  EUR  14  942  million  of  loans).  This  is  a  bit 
below  the  level  of  45.3%  measured  for  the  EU-27 
member states. However, Romania also stands above the 
37%  climate  expenditure  target,  the  minimum  level 
required under the RRF Regulation186. 

Instrument 

Country funding allocation 
(million EUR) 

Some examples of areas where RRF funding will become 
available can be found below. 

Cohesion policy 

Total: 29 219.2178 

ERDF: 17 069.6  

CF: 3 537.7179 

ESF+: 8 239.3 

ETC (ERDF): 372.6180 

172 

https://ec.europa.eu/info/business-economy-euro/banking-and-

finance/sustainable-finance/eu-taxonomy-sustainable-activities_en   
173 EU Green Bond Standard - 2021/0191 (COD). 
174 COM (2021) 390 Final - European Commission, Strategy for Financing 
the Transition to a Sustainable Economy.  
175 COM (2021) 82 final. 
176  The  strategy  would  support  improved  insurance  gap  coverage 
including through the natural catastrophe markets as reflected with the 
EIOPA  (the  Association  for  European  Insurance  and  Occupational 
Pension  Authorities)  dashboard  on  the  insurance  protection  gap  for 
natural catastrophes. See: The pilot dashboard on insurance protection 
gap for natural catastrophes | Eiopa (europa.eu). 
177 EIB Climate Bank Roadmap 2021-2025, November 2020. 
178  European  Commission,  2021-2027  Cohesion  policy  EU  budget 
allocations. 
179  The  transfer  to  the  Connecting  Europe  Facility  (Transport)  is  not 
included. 
180 
transnational and ETC cross-border co-operation.  

initial  allocations  per  Member  State 

including  ETC 

Interreg 

It  includes  reforms  to  phase-out  coal  power  production 
by 2032, unlock renewable energy and energy renovation 
sustainable  mobility,  water  and  waste 
potential, 
management  and  biodiversity,  which  are  essential  steps 
for  decarbonisation  and  for  strengthening  the  circular 
economy.  Investments 
in  renewable  energy,  energy 
efficiency  of  public  and  private  buildings,  environment, 
and  dedicated  measures  on  the  circular  economy  will 
also  enable  the  green  transition  in  key  sectors  of  the 

181  European  Commission,  2021-2027  Cohesion  policy  EU  budget 
allocations. 
182 CAP strategic plans | European Commission (europa.eu). 
183 Annex XI to Regulation (EU) 2021/2115 of the European Parliament 
and of the Council of 2 December 2021 establishing rules on support for 
strategic  plans  to  be  drawn  up  by  Member  States  under  the  common 
agricultural  policy  (CAP  Strategic  Plans)  and  financed  by  the  European 
Agricultural  Guarantee  Fund  (EAGF)  and  by  the  European  Agricultural 
Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) and repealing Regulations (EU) No 
1305/2013  and  (EU)  No  1307/2013,  PE/64/2021/REV/1,  OJ  L  435, 
6.12.2021, p. 1–186.  
184  Annex  V  to  Regulation (EU)  2021/1139  of  the  European  Parliament 
and of  the  Council  of  7  July  2021  establishing  the  European  Maritime, 
Fisheries  and  Aquaculture  Fund  and  amending  Regulation  (EU) 
2017/1004, OJ L 247, 13.7.2021, p. 1–49. 
185  Recovery  and  resilience  plan  for  Romania  |  European  Commission 
(europa.eu). 
186 Regulation (EU) 2021/241 

 Environmental Implementation Review 2022 – Romania 

 
 
 
                                                                 
 
 
                                                                 
economy.  Green  challenges  are  addressed  in  the  plan 
mostly  under  components  1  to  6  –  dealing  with  water, 
waste management, forests and biodiversity, sustainable 
transport,  renovation,  and  energy.  Similarly,  under 
component  10  (Local  Fund  -  part  of  the  social  and 
territorial  cohesion  pillar),  the  measures  to  support 
sustainable  urban  mobility,  the  renewals  of  public 
transport  fleets,  and  infrastructure  for  more  sustainable 
and  more  secure  urban  mobility,  are  also  expected  to 
contribute to the green transition. 

Overall, the plan ensures that direct actions can be taken 
at local levels for the green transition, while protecting or 
restoring  the  environment,  and  in  compliance  with  the 
Do No Significant Harm principle187. 

Figure 40: Climate expenditure in RRPs, 2021-2026188 

Romania  40 

to 

via  the  InvestEU192.  They  will  also  support  the  green 
transition, and in particular the LIFE programme which is 
exclusively  dedicated 
the  environment,  nature 
conservation  and  climate  action.  Furthermore,  they  will 
support, among others, research and innovation activities 
for  environmental  protection  (Horizon  Europe),  clean 
transport (the Connecting Europe Facility) or sustainable 
infrastructure (InvestEU)193. 

National environmental protection 
expenditure 

Total  national  environmental  protection  expenditure 
(including all relevant current and capital expenditure)194 
in  the  EU27  was  EUR  272.6 billion  in  2020,  representing 
2%  of  the  common  GDP  being  quite  stable  over  time. 
While  absolute  expenditure  is  concentrated  in  a  few 
countries,  as  a  share  of  GDP,  most  countries  spend 
between 1-2%, with Romania spending 0.8%. 

Of  the  above  total,  the  EU-27's  capital  expenditure 
(Capex)  on  environmental  protection  (i.e.,  investment) 
amounted  to  EUR  56.3  billion  in  2018,  lowering  to  EUR 
54.5  billion  in  2020,  representing  around  0.4%  of  GDP. 
Most  Member  States  invested  0.2-0.5%  of  their  GDP  in 
environmental  protection,  while  Romania  dedicated 
0.3%.  During  2014-2020,  this  amounted  to  around  EUR 
376  billion  of  environmental  investment  in  the  EU-27, 
and to EUR 6.13 billion in Romania. 

Under  NextGenerationEU,  the  Commission  will  issue  up 
to  EUR  250  billion  of  EU  green  bonds  (one  third  of  all 
bonds  issued  under  NextGenerationEU)  until  2026  that 
will  comply  with  the  general  spirit  of  the  ‘do  no 
significant harm’ principle. However, this EUR 250 billion 
in  green  bonds  will  not  be  subject  to  the  currently 
developed  delegated  acts  related  to  the  EU  Taxonomy 
and  will  not  fully  align  with  the  proposed  EU  standards 
for green bonds. 

In  addition  to  EU  funds  earmarked  specifically  for 
Romania  for  the  2021-2027  period,  there  are  other  EU 
level funding programmes which are open to all Member 
States  on  a  competitive  basis.  These  include,  among 
others,  LIFE  programme  189  (EUR  5.4  billion),  Horizon 
Europe  (EUR  95.5  billion)190,  the  Connecting  Europe 
Facility (EUR 33.7 billion)191 or the funds to be mobilised 

187 European Commission, Technical Guidance on the DNSH Principle  
188 European Commission. The contributions to climate objectives have 
been calculated using Annex VI of the RRF Regulation (EU) 2021/241. 
189 European Commission, LIFE Programme. 
190 European Commission, Multiannual Financial Framework 2021-2027 
(in commitments) - Current prices. 
191  Regulation  (EU)  2021/1153  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the 

Council  of  7 July  2021  establishing  the  Connecting  Europe  Facility  and 
repealing  Regulations  (EU)  No 1316/2013  and (EU),  No 283/2014  (Text 
with EEA relevance), OJ L 249, 14.7.2021, p. 38–81. 
192 European Commission, Multiannual Financial Framework 2021-2027 
(in commitments) - Current prices. 
193 European Union, InvestEU. 
194    At  economy  level,  including  final  consumption,  intermediate 
consumption and  capital  expenditure  of  households,  corporations  and 
governments related to environmental protection goods and services. It 
excludes  EU  funds,  while  may  include  some  international  expenditure 
beyond  domestic.  Data  source:  Environmental  Protection  Expenditure 
Accounts (EPEA), Eurostat. EPEA accounts are based on the CEPA 2000 
classification, excluding climate, energy and circular economy. 

 Environmental Implementation Review 2022 – Romania 

 
 
 
                                                                 
 
 
                                                                                                        
Figure 41: Direct and indirect environmental protection 
investments  in  the  EU-27  (2018,  EUR  million  and  %  of 
GDP), 2018195 

Figure  42:  EU-27  Member  States'  environmental 
protection  investments  (Capex)  by  institutional  sectors 
(Total economy = 100%), 2018196 

Romania  41 

By institutional sector, government provided around 45% 
of  the  country’s  environmental  protection  investments, 
while  specialist  producers  of  environmental  protection 
services  (e.g.  waste  and  water  companies)  provided  8%, 
and  the  classical 
industry  (or  business)  sector  that 
normally  pursues  environmental  activities  as  ancillary  to 
their  main  activities  provided  47%.  At  EU  level,  37% 
comes from governments, 33% from specialist producers 
and 30% from industry (business). 

195 Eurostat, Environmental Protection Expenditure Account, 2021.  

A  breakdown  of  investment  by  environmental  topic  is 
available  only  partially,  at 
institutional  sector-level 
(rather than at economy-level), due to different reporting 
patterns  At  Romania’s  general  government  level,  the 
priority  of  environmental  protection  investments  was 
wastewater (75%), followed by waste management (22%) 
in  2018.  Specialist  producers  also  focused  on  waste 
management,  with  95%  of 
their  environmental 
protection  investments.  For  industry  (business),  the  key 
priority  was  the  protection  of  air  (58%),  followed  by 
water and soil protection (24%) and wastewater (11%), to 
name the most significant items. 

The  total  annual  European  green  bond  issuance  197  in 
2020  was  USD  156  billion  (EUR  137  billion198),  growing 
from  USD  117  billion  (EUR  105  billion)  in  2019,  also 
including  some  non-EU  European  countries.  By  EU-27 
Member  States  only,  the  2020  annual  green  bond 
issuance  was  EUR  124  billion.  83%  of  the  green  bonds 
issued by European countries served energy, buildings, or 
transport  objectives  between  2014-2020,  8%  supported 
water and waste, with further 6% supporting land use  – 
with  links  to  ecosystem  conservation  &  restoration, 
based  on  the  Climate  Bonds  Taxonomy  being  broadly 

196  Eurostat,  Environmental  Protection  Expenditure  Accounts 
(env_epe).  
197  Green  bonds  were  created  to  fund  projects  that  have  positive 
environmental  and/or  climate  benefits.  The  majority  of  green  bonds 
issued  are  green  or  asset-linked  bonds.  The  very  first  green  bond  was 
issuance  from  multilateral 
issued 
institutions, the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the World Bank. 
198 At Eurostat’s annual average EUR/USD exchange rates. 

in  2007  with  the  AAA-rated 

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Romania  42 

similar  to  the  EU  Taxonomy199.  Of  this  2020  annual  EU 
green  bond  issuance,  Romania  had  no  issuance  (data 
available for 16 EU Member States, see Figure 43). 

Figure 44: Environmental taxes in the EU27, 2020201 

Figure 43: Annual EU green bond issuance in 2020 (EUR 
billion)200 

The  2019  European  Green  Deal  underlines  that  well-
designed  tax  reforms  can  boost  economic  growth  and 
resilience, foster a fairer society and a just transition, by 
sending the right price signals and incentives to economic 
actors.  The  Green  Deal  creates  the  context  for  broad-
based  tax  reforms,  fossil  fuel  subsidies  removal,  shifting 
the tax burden from labour to pollution, also accounting 
for social considerations. The application of the ‘polluter 
pays  principle’  (PPP)202  stipulating  that  polluters  should 
bear  the  cost  of  measures  to  prevent,  control  and 
remedy  pollution;  is  facilitated  by  the  EU  Commission’s 
TSI flagship203 on greening taxes. 

There  is  potential  for  increased  environmental  taxes  in 
Romania.  For  instance,  by  putting  in  place  ‘pay-as-you-
throw' schemes to increase rates of reuse and recycling. 
Romania  has  introduced  a  deposit  refund  system  for 
reusable packaging. It has also put in a place a system of 
water supply and sewage tariff204. 

The  Romanian  recovery  and  resilience  plan  recognised 
the  need  for  a  shift  in  taxation.  To  make  this  happen,  it 
foresees  the  entry  into  force  of  the  legislative  acts 
necessary  for  an  operationalisation  of  a  unitary  waste 
management, 
legislative 
package for the implementation of a new distance-based 
charging  system  for  heavy  duty  vehicles  (trucks),  and 
higher  ownership  taxes  for  most  polluting  passengers’ 

landfill  tax,  a 

including  a 

201 Eurostat, Environmental taxes accounts (env_eta). 
202  Article  191(2)  of  the  Treaty  on  the  Functioning  of  the  European 
Union:  “Union  policy  on  the  environment  (…)  shall  be  based  on  the 
precautionary  principle  and  on  the  principles  that  preventive  action 
should  be  taken,  that  environmental  damage  should  as  a  priority  be 
rectified at source and that the polluter should pay”. 
203  European  Commission,  Greening  taxes-  applying  polluter  pays 
principle in practice,  green budgeting TSI participation. 
204 European Commission, Ensuring that polluters pay. 

Green budget tools 

Green taxation and tax reform 

Romania’s revenue from environmentally related taxes in 
absolute  terms  remains  around  the  lowest  at  the  EU 
average  in  2020,  as  the  graph  shows.  Of  this  amount, 
energy  and  transport  taxation  represent  the  highest 
share  with  92.43%  and  7.35% 
in  2020,  while 
pollution/resource  tax  was  0.22%.  In  terms  of  the 
percentage  of  GDP,  environmental  taxes  were  1.92%  in 
2020 (EU average 2.24%). 

Interactive  Data  Platform  at  www.climatebonds.net.  Further 
Taxonomy: 

199 
Bonds 
information 
https://www.climatebonds.net/standard/taxonomy.  
200 Climate Bonds Initiative, 2022. 

Climate 

on 

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Romania  43 

vehicles  (cars/buses/coaches)  based  on  the  ‘polluter 
pays’  principle  and  green  taxation  principle.  An  analysis 
of the tax framework in view of expanding green taxation 
and  shifting  taxation  towards  green  taxes,  taking 
distributional impact into account, is also planned. 

Environmentally-harmful subsidies 

Addressing  and 
removing  environmentally-harmful 
subsidies  (EHS)  is  a  further  step  towards  wider  fiscal 
reforms205 206. 

investments 

Fossil  fuel  subsidies  are  costly  for  public  budgets  and 
adversely  impact  the  achievement  of  the  Green  Deal 
objectives. In many cases they also go against incentives 
in  green  technologies,  and  do  not 
for 
contribute  to 
levelling  the  playing  field.  Fossil  fuel 
subsidies vary around EUR 55 billion in the EU since 2015. 
They rose by 4% between 2015 and 2019, however some 
countries,  such  as  Latvia,  Lithuania  Sweden,  Greece,  or 
Ireland, managed to decrease subsidies for fossil fuels. In 
the EU, subsidies on petroleum products, in sectors such 
as  transport  and  agriculture,  kept  on  growing  over  this 
period, whereas subsidies on coal and lignite decreased, 
largely  owing  to  diminishing  role  of  solid  fuels 
in 
electricity  generation.  As  a  share  of  GDP,  fossil  fuel 
subsidies ranged from 1.2% in Hungary to less than 0.1% 
in  Luxembourg  in  2019  (being  0.4%  on  EU  average).  In 
2019 
fuel  subsidies 
amounted  to  EUR  0.8  billion,  representing  0.36%  of  the 
GDP. 

for  Romania,  the  total 

fossil 

In  2020,  the  EU27’s  total  amount  of  fossil  fuel  subsidies 
decreased  to  EUR  52  billion  (due  to  falling  consumption 
trends  amid  the  COVID-19-related  restrictions)  which, 
without  Member  State  actions,  are  likely  to  rebound  as 
economic activity picks up from 2020207. 

Regarding environmental harmful subsidies in Romania: 

Figure 45: Trends in natural gas subsidies in Romania208 

% GDP  

 2015  2016 

2017 

2018 

2019 

2020 

Natural gas subsidies 

0,47 

0,29 

0,36 

0,31 

0,29 

0,20 

Romania  has  some  bad  practices  with  regard  to 
environmental  harmful 
the 
agricultural,  energy  and  transport  sectors.  Romania  has 
allocated  more  than  the  EU  average  to  fossil-fuel 
subsidies,  and  all  of  these  are  higher  than  renewable-
energy subsidies209. 

subsidies,  notably 

in 

Green budgeting practices  

Green  budgeting  encompasses  various  climate  and 
environmental  tagging  and  tracking  practices  in  budgets 
and  some  EU  Member  states  already  use  certain  green 
budgeting  practices  210.  Green  budgeting  helps  identify 
and  track  green  expenditure  and  green  revenues  to 
increase transparency on the environmental implications 
of  budgetary  policies.  This  is  aimed  at  improving  policy 
coherence  and  supporting  green  policies  (including 
climate end environmental objectives) 211. 

EU climate proofing and sustainability proofing guidance 
have  also  been  developed,  as  tools  to  assess  project 
eligibility  and 
its  compliance  with  environmental 
legislation  and  criteria212.  The  European  Commission 

205  European Commission, Study on assessing the environmental  fiscal 
reform potential for the EU 28, 2016.   
206  European Commission, Study on assessing the environmental  fiscal 
reform potential for the EU 28, 2016.   
207 COM(2021) 950 and Annex. 
208 OECD, Fossil Fuel Subsidy Tracker. 

209  European  Court  of  Auditors,  Energy  taxation,  carbon  pricing  and 
energy subsidies, 2022. 
210 European Commission, Green Budgeting Practices in the EU: A First 
Review,  2021,  Green  Budgeting  in  the  EU  Key  insights  from  the  2021 
Commission survey  and  OECD,  Public  Governance  Directorate,  Climate 
Change  and  Long-term  Fiscal  Sustainability,  Working  Paper,  February 
2021. Climate Change and Long-term Fiscal Sustainability (oecd.org) 
211 OECD Paris Collaborative on Green Budgeting initiative, 2017. 
212 European Commission, Technical guidance on sustainability proofing 
for the InvestEU Fund. 

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Romania  44 

established  a  green  budgeting  reference  framework  213 
and  launched  a  technical  support  (TSI)  project  on  green 
budgeting in 2021 to assist Member States in developing 
or 
further  developing  national  green  budgeting 
frameworks to reap the benefits for policy coherence and 
for  the  green  transition.  Romania  participates  in  the 
European  Commission’s  green  budgeting  project  started 
in 2021. 

Romania does not have yet a meaningful green budgeting 
system  in  place.  It  currently  makes  no  use  of  green 
budgetary practices. To be noted however that a reform 
is  foreseen  in  this  area  in  the  Romanian  RRP.  The 
objective  of  this  reform  is  to  allow  the  monitoring  of 
green budgetary expenditure and the assessment  of the 
environmental and climate impact of fiscal policy. Under 
this  reform,  the  Ministry  of  Finance  shall  develop  and 
impact  of 
apply  a  methodology  for  assessing  the 
individual  budget  lines  on  environmental  objectives.  is 
the  reform  is  expected  to  increase  the  capacity  of  local 
implement  green  budgetary 
public  authorities 
practices. 

to 

Overall financing compared to the needs 

The EU’s overall financing for environmental investments 
is estimated to have been 0.6-0.7% of GDP in 2014-2020 
comprising  both  major  EU  funds  and  national  financing. 
This  ranged  from  0.3%  (Ireland)  to  1.91%  (Bulgaria), 
depending  on  the  level  of  environmental  challenges  in 
different  Member  States.  In  2021-2027,  it  is  estimated 
that the EU’s environmental investment needs will reach 
over  0.9-1.5%  of  projected  common  GDP  (2021-2027), 
suggesting  a  potential  environmental  financing  gap  of 
0.6-0.8%  of  GDP  at  EU  level,  compared  to  previous 
financing levels. 214 

Figure  467:  Total  environmental  financing  baseline 
(2014-2020)  and  estimated  needs  (2020-2030)  in  the 
EU27 (% of GDP)215 

213  European  Commission,  Green  Budgeting  Reference  Framework, 
based  on  the  review  of  the  OECD  Paris  Collaborative  on  Green 
Budgeting initiative, 2017. 
214  DG  Environment  data  analysis.  EU  financing  sources  covered:  ESI 
Funds  (ERDF,  CF,  ESF,  YEI,  EAFRD,  EMFF),  Horizon 2020,  LIFE,  EFSI  (EU 
amount),  EIB  loans.  National  financing:  total  national  environmental 
protection capital  expenditure  (investments).  Sources: ESI  Funds  Open 
Data (cohesiondata.ec.europa.eu, European Commission, Eurostat.   
215 Eurostat, ESI Funds Open Data, 2021 

Romania’s  environmental  financing  for  investments  was 
estimated at 1.11% of GDP per year (EU average: 0.7%) in 
2014-2020,  being  balanced  between  EU-  and  domestic 
sources.  The country’s overall environmental investment 
needs  in  the  2021-2027  period  are  found  to  reach  over 
1.6%  of  GDP 
(covering  needs  with  country-level 
breakdown  available),  suggesting  an  environmental 
potential  financing  gaps  of  at  least  0.49%  of  GDP  (over 
baseline levels). This is likely higher when also accounting 
for needs currently estimated at EU level only (e.g. water 
protection, higher circularity, biodiversity strategy etc.).  

In the 2019 EIR, Romania received three priority actions 
for  environmental  financing.  The  first  one  was  to 
mobilise  investments,  including  through  EU  funds,  so  as 
to  prevent  waste,  encourage  separate  collection  and 
recycling;  reduce  air  pollution;  promote  sustainable 
water management, and protect biodiversity and develop 
green  infrastructure.  The  second  one  addressed  the 
necessity  so  ensure  that  projects  are  better  prepared, 
better  operated,  and  better  prioritised  so  that  EU  funds 
can  be  used  more  effectively  and  are  better  absorbed. 
The  third  one  concerned  the  need  to  ensure  that  the 
rural  development  programme  and  greening  measures 
boost  biodiversity  and  contribute 
to  achieving  a 
favourable  conservation  status  of  habitats  and  species. 
So  far,  not  much  progress  has  been  achieved,  and  it 
seems  that  under  the    2014-2020  programming  period, 
absorption issues remain and projects are delayed which 
again  show  difficulties  to  prepare  and  develop  projects. 
However,  the  evaluation  will  depend  very  much  on  the 
closure  of  that  programming  period  and  the  capacity  of 
the  Romanian  authorities  to  correct  and  address  the 
issues  identified  in  the  2021-2027  programming  period. 
The  implementation  of  the  Romanian  RRP  in  terms  of 
reforms and investments for the green transition will also 
be  essential.  These  will  certainly  be  considered  in  the 
next EIR. 

 Environmental Implementation Review 2022 – Romania 

 
 
 
                                                                 
 
Romania  45 

field, but  has real absorption issues that would need 
to be addressed urgently. 

  Look  more 

closely 

the  possibility  of 
into 
environmental    financing  from  private  sources  ,  as 
currently public sources provide almost two-thirds of 
such financing.  

2022 priority actions 

  Devise  an  environmental 

financing  strategy 

to 
maximise  opportunities  for  closing  environmental 
implementation  gaps,  bringing  together  all  relevant 
administrative levels, and addressing issues in project 
conception, development, and implementation, while 
using technical assistance when necessary to increase 
administrative  capacity.  Romania  has  benefited 
substantially  from  EU  funds  in  the  environmental 

 Environmental Implementation Review 2022 – Romania 

 
 
 
 
Romania  46 

6. Environmental governance 

Information, public participation and access to 
justice 

Citizens  can  more  effectively  protect  the  environment  if 
they  can  rely  on  the  three  ‘pillars’  of  the  Aarhus 
Convention:  
(i) access to information;  
(ii) public participation in decision making; 
(iii) access to justice in environmental matters.  
It is of crucial importance to public authorities, the public 
and businesses that environmental information is shared 
efficiently  and  effectively216.  Public  participation  allows 
authorities  to  make  decisions  that  take  public  concerns 
into account. Access to justice is a set of guarantees that 
allows  citizens  and  NGOs  to  use  national  courts  to 
protect the environment217. It includes the right to bring 
legal challenges (‘legal standing’)218.  

Environmental information 

across 

authorities 

This section focuses on Romania’s implementation of the 
INSPIRE  Directive  aims  at 
INSPIRE  Directive.  The 
establishing  a  European  spatial  data  infrastructure  for 
information  between 
sharing  environmental  spatial 
public 
in 
policymaking  across  boundaries  and  facilitating  public 
access  to  this  information.  Geographic  information  is 
needed  for  good  governance  at  all  levels  and  should  be 
readily and transparently available219. Data identification 
and  documentation  have  made  good  progress, 
implementation  levels  need  improvement.  More  efforts 
are needed to: 

assisting 

Europe, 

  make the data more widely accessible, and 
  prioritise  environmental  datasets  in  implementation, 
identified  as  high-value  spatial 
environmental 

implementing 

especially  those 
datasets 
legislation220. 

for 

216  The  Aarhus  Convention,  the  Access  to  Environmental  Information 
Directive  (Directive  2003/4/EC)  and  the  INSPIRE  Directive(Directive 
2007/2/EC)  together  create  a  legal  foundation  for  the  sharing  of 
environmental  information  between  public  authorities  and  with  the 
public. This EIR focuses on the INSPIRE Directive's implementation.  
217 These guarantees are explained in the Commission Notice on access 
to  justice  in  environmental  matters,  OJL  275,  18.8.2017  and  a  related 
Citizen's Guide. 
218  This  EIR  focuses  on  the  means  implemented  by  Member  States  to 
guarantee  rights  of  access  to  justice,  legal  standing  and  to  overcome 
other major barriers to bringing cases on nature and air pollution. 
219 https://inspire.ec.europa.eu/INSPIRE-in-your-Country/RO. 
220 European Commission, List of high value spatial data sets. 

Table  4:  Country  dashboard  on  the  implementation  of 
the INSPIRE Directive, 2016-2020221 

2016 

2020 

Legend 

■  Implementation  of 
is  well 
this  provision 
advanced  or 
(nearly) 
completed. 
Outstanding  issues  are 
can  be 
minor  and 
addressed 
easily. 
Percentage: >89% 

■  Implementation  of 
has 
provision 
this 
started and made some 
or  substantial  progress 
but  is  still  not  close  to 
complete. 
be 
Percentage: 31–89% 

■  Implementation  of 
this  provision  is  falling 
behind. 
significantly 
are 
efforts 
Serious 
close 
necessary 
to 
implementation 
gap. 
Percentage: <31% 

Effective  coordination  and 
data sharing 

Ensure 
effective 
coordination  

sharing 

Data 
without 
obstacle  

INSPIRE 
indicators 

■  ■  

■  ■ 

performance 

i.  Conformity 
of metadata   ■  ■ 

ii.  Conformity 
of spatial data 
sets222 

iii. 
Accessibility 
of spatial data 
through 
sets 
and 
view 
download 
services 

iv.  Conformity 
network 
of 
services 

■  ■ 

■  ■ 

■  ■ 

Public Participation 

and 

Environmental 

information 
(EIA) 

The  relevant 
legislation  obliges  the  environmental 
protection  agencies  to  publish  announcements  and 
Impact 
on 
relevant 
Assessment 
Environmental 
Assessment  (SEA)  processes  on  the  central  website. 
However,  the  website  is  not  organised  in  ways  which 
facilitate  searching  and  identifying  relevant  cases.  It  is 
also difficult to identify  relevant  cases in time to submit 
comments, particularly as comments are required at the 
screening stage and there are only 20 days allowed, from 

Strategic 

221 INSPIRE knowledge base. 
222 The deadlines for implementation of the spatial data interoperability 
were  in  2016  still  in  the  future:  23/11/2017  for  Annex  I  data  and 
21/10/2020 for Annex II and III data. It must be also considered that this 
conformity indicator will in many cases never reach 100% conformity as 
the  majority  of  the  countries provide  as-is-data sets in addition  to  the 
INSPIRE harmonised data sets. 

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the  announcement  of  a  request  for  an  EIA  permit,  to 
submit  comments,  and  relevant  documentation  is  in 
certain cases not available during that period. 

the 

local  projects,  plans  or 
Information  about 
programmes  subject  to  EIA/SEA  procedures  is  published 
on each local environmental agency’s website, under the 
Regulations domain. 

Information  about  the  national  EIA/SEA  procedures  is 
published  on  the  website  of  the  central  public  authority 
for environment  protection following the path: Domains 
→ Impact Assessment223. 

No  information  is  published  by  Romania  on  the  number 
of  EIA  and  SEA  processes,  or  on  the  level  of  public 
participation, either in individual cases or in aggregate. 

In  2019,  as  part  of  the  project  “The  elaboration  of 
guidelines  for  improving  the  administrative  capacity  of 
the environment protection authorities with the purpose 
of  achieving  a  uniform  application  of  the  environmental 
impact assessment procedure”, new EIA guidelines were 
developed,  and  also  dissemination  and  training  sessions 
were organised, including public participation aspects. 

The 2019 EIR recommended  Romania to facilitate public 
participation in the implementation of EU environmental 
law.  Since  2019,  Romania  has  made  limited  progression 
this area. 

Access to justice  

NGOs  do  not  have  to  demonstrate  a  special  interest  in 
order  to  have  legal  standing  in  an  environmental  court 
case  or  in  cases  which  have  significant  effects  on  the 
environment. 

There  are  some  difficulties 
in  challenging  plans  or 
programmes  either  under  SEA  or  outside  its  scope. 
Romania  does  not  have  an  exhaustive  list  containing  all 
the plans and programmes that can be challenged or not. 
This  can  only  be  established  based  on  a  plan’s  or 
programme’s specific content. If the plan or programme 
is  not  within  the  scope  of  SEA,  it  will  fall  under  Law  No 
52/2003  on  the  transparency  of  the  decision-making  of 
public  authorities  regarding  the  public  consultation 
procedure,  and  other 
Such 
administrative acts can be challenged in accordance with 
the general provisions from Law No 554/2004. 

legislation. 

sectoral 

There  is  a  system  of  regular  supervision  of  regulatory 
legally  binding  acts,  but  it  is  barely  accessible  for  the 
members  of  the  public  and  NGOs.  They  can  only  bring 
cases to the attention of those bodies or officials who are 

Romania  47 

entitled 
procedure. 

to 

initiate  an  extraordinary 

supervision 

and 

Water 

The national rules on environmental access to justice and 
how to challenge an administrative decision are available 
in  a  special  section  on  the  website  of  the  Ministry  of 
Environment, 
Forests 
(http://mmediu.ro/categorie/modalitatea-de-contestare-
a-deciziei-si-formularele-aferente-pentru-reclamatie-
administrativa/158).  An  informative  brochure  for  the 
general  public  on  public  access  to  environmental 
information  was  put  together  in  2019  in  the  form  of  a 
online 
available 
FAQ 
(http://www.mmediu.ro/categorie/accesul-la-informatia-
de-mediu/242) and on paper at the headquarters of the 
Ministry of Environment, Water and Forests). 

flyer 

bot 

There  are  some  difficulties  in  challenging  SEA  decisions 
(either  the  plan  or  programme  or  the  environmental 
report or both). 

In the 2019 EIR, Romania received several priority actions 
on access to justice, namely, to provide broader standing 
to  the  public  and  to  better  inform  them  about  their 
rights. It has made some progress on informing the public 
and  only  limited  progress  on  providing  broader  legal 
standing. 

2022 priority actions 

in 

datasets 

environmental 

  Make  spatial  data  more  widely  accessible  and 
prioritise 
the 
implementation  of  the  INSPIRE  Directive,  especially 
those  identified  as  high-value  spatial  datasets  for 
implementing environmental law. 
Improve  the  functioning  of  the  website  for  EIA  and 
SEA  processes,  and  ensure  that  the  public  has 
adequate  information  to  identify  cases  of  concern, 
and adequate opportunity to make comments. 

 

  Publish regular information on the number of EIA and 
SEA  processes  and 
including 
information  on  the  level  of  public  participation  and 
the extent to which public comments were taken into 
account in the final decisions. 

their  outcomes, 

  Better  inform  the  public  of  their  access  to  justice 
rights,  in  particular  by  referring  them  to  judicial  and 
administrative  portals  and  to  the  Commission  e-
Justice 
in 
sheets  on  access 
environmental matters224. 
Improve access to courts for the public concerned for 
them to challenge decisions, in particular  in the areas 
of planning related to water, nature and air quality. 

justice 

fact 

to 

 

223 www.mmediu.ro. 

224 
https://e-
justice.europa.eu/content_access_to_justice_in_environmental_matter
s-300-en.do. 

Environmental Implementation Review 2022 – Romania 

 
                                                                 
 
                                                                 
Compliance assurance  

to  ensure 

Environmental compliance assurance covers all the work 
undertaken  by  public  authorities 
that 
industries,  farmers  and  others  fulfil  their  obligations  to 
protect water, air and nature, and manage waste225.  
It includes support measures provided by the authorities 
such as: 
(i) compliance promotion 226;  
(ii) inspections  and other checks that they carry out, i.e. 
compliance monitoring 227;  
(iii)the  steps  that  they  take  to  stop  breaches,  impose 
sanctions  and  require  damage  to  be  remedied,  i.e. 
enforcement228.  
Citizen  science  and  complaints  enable  authorities  to 
liability229 
focus  their  efforts  better.  Environmental 
ensures tat the polluter pays to remedy any damage.   

Compliance promotion and monitoring 

The  lack  of  detailed  management  plans  for  Natura  2000 
sites  in  Romania  is  reflected  in  a  lack  of  detailed 
information  for  farmers  and  land  managers  on  how  to 
comply with their nature protection responsibilities. The 
situation  is  however  more  encouraging  for  the  Nitrates 
Directive,  with  information  provided  by  the  common 
agricultural  policy  paying  agency  on  practical  measures 
for  complying  with  the  nitrates  aspects  of  the  Good 
Agricultural and Environment Condition requirements230, 
and  a  website  and  farmer  helpdesk  provided  by  the 
Ministry of the Environment, Water and Forests231. These 
are  supplemented  by  Knowledge  transfer  networks, 
organising discussion groups and workshops for farmers. 
However,  the  percentage  of  farms  reached  by  these 
mechanisms  may  be  limited,  both  by  the  scale  of  the 
agricultural  sector,  and  by  limited  use  of  digital  services 
in rural areas. 

Each  installation  subject  to  the  Industrial  Emissions 
Directive is covered by an inspection plan, based to some 
extent  on  the  risks  posed  by  the  installation.    However, 
these plans do not  happen to be published. In principle, 
inspection reports should be made available to the public 
within 4 months of the inspection. However, reports are 

225  The  concept  is  explained  in  detail  in  the  Communication  on  EU 
actions  to 
improve  environmental  compliance  and  governance 
COM(2018)10  and  the  related  Commission  staff  working  document, 
SWD(2018)10.  
226 This EIR focuses on the help given to farmers to comply with nature 
and nitrates legislation.  
227 This EIR focuses on inspections of major industrial installations.  
228  This  EIR  focuses  on  the  availability  of  enforcement  data  and  co-
ordination between authorities to tackle environmental crime. 
229  The  Environmental  Liability  Directive,  2004/35,  creates  the 
framework. 
230 See http://www.apia.org.ro/files/pages_files/Brosura_Cod__C3.pdf. 
231 See https://infonitrati.apanoastra.ro/. 

Romania  48 

information 

not proactively published and may be available only upon 
is  published232  on  a 
request.  Statistical 
monthly and an annual basis, but  it is limited  to general 
information  on  the  overall  number  of  inspections,  the 
fines  imposed,  the  amount  of  fines,  and  proposals  to 
suspend  permits.  No  site-specific  information  is  made 
available. 

Complaint handling and citizen science 

In principle, information on how to submit  complaints is 
made  available  on  the  websites  of  the  relevant 
authorities,  for  example  the  environmental  protection 
agencies233, the Ministry of the Environment, Water and 
Forests234. These provide general information on how to 
submit  complaints,  model 
for  complaints, 
information about what complaints should focus on, and 
the  contact  information  for  submitting  complaints.  No 
data  are  available  about  complaints  on  environmental 
issues and their handling. 

formats 

There  does  not  appear  to  be  any  active  encouragement 
of  citizens 
to  alert  authorities  on  environmental 
problems,  other  than  from  NGOs  and  other  civil  society 
organisations. Nor does there appear to be any national 
policy  on  encouraging  the  use  of  citizens’  science  in 
respect  of  enforcement  or  any  other  environmental 
issue. 

Enforcement  

effectively. 

information 

No 
is  available  on  the  prosecution  of 
environmental  crimes,  and  concerns  persist  about  the 
capacity of the judicial system to deal with environmental 
cases 
and 
Criminal 
prosecutions  are  generally  not  made  public,  and  it  is 
difficult  for  concerned  individuals  or  civil  society  groups 
to  investigate  whether,  and what  action  has  been  taken 
by  the  authorities  in  cases  of  specific  breaches  of 
environmental legislation. 

investigations 

There are existing formal arrangements for  coordination 
among the bodies responsible for enforcing penalties for 
environmental  damage  or  environmental  crimes.  The 
protocols published a long time ago do not seem to have 
produced a functioning system. 

Environmental Liability Directive  

In  principle,  details  of  Environmental  Liability  Directive 
cases  are  published  annually  in  a  database  on  the 

232 See https://gnm.ro/note.php. 
233 http://www.anpm.ro/web/guest/contact. 
234 http://www.mmediu.ro/categorie/petitii/52. 

Environmental Implementation Review 2022 – Romania 

 
                                                                 
                                                                 
website  of  the  National  Environmental  Protection 
Agency235. 

2022 priority actions 

  Provide  information  to  farmers  on  how  to  manage 
their  land  to  improve  biodiversity  outcomes,  and 
information  once 
more  detailed 
management  plans  are  available  for  Natura  2000 
sites. 

site-specific 

  Encourage  and  monitor  public  participation 

in 
enforcement, through activities to raise awareness of 
the  options  for  reporting  environmental  problems; 
more generally, establish active plans for making use 
of citizen science. 

  Make more information available on the enforcement 
of  environmental  law,  including  by  providing  regular 
information  on  the  prosecution  of  environmental 
crimes, 
formal 
arrangements  for  cooperation  between  responsible 
public bodies. 

information  on 

as  well 

as 

  Make 

information  available  on  environmental 
damage, including information on penalties and other 
financial measures. 

Effectiveness of environmental 
administrations  

in 

involved 

implementing 

Those 
environmental 
legislation at EU, national, regional and local levels need 
to have the knowledge, tools and capacity to ensure that 
the  legislation  and  the  governance  of  the  enforcement 
process bring about the intended benefits.  

Administrative capacity and quality 

Environmental  policy  developments 
in  Romania  are 
mainly  driven  by  EU  directives  and  regulations,  and  the 
relevant EU rules are generally transposed in time.  

Implementation  remains  the  main  challenge,  with 
application  on  the  ground  proving  difficult.  Romania 
faces  many  infringement  procedures  in  all  the  areas  of 
the  EU  environmental  law.  Their  number  is  on  the  rise 

http://www.anpm.ro/noutati1/-

235 
/asset_publisher/wve2JVQ0Mmuk/content/rapoarte-informatii-
prezentari/10197?_101_INSTANCE_wve2JVQ0Mmuk_redirect=http%3A
%2F%2Fwww.anpm.ro%2Fnoutati1%3Fp_p_id%3D101_INSTANCE_wve
2JVQ0Mmuk%26p_p_lifecycle%3D0%26p_p_state%3Dnormal%26p_p_
mode%3Dview%26p_p_col_id%3Dcolumn-
2%26p_p_col_count%3D3&redirect=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anpm.ro%2
Fnoutati1%3Fp_p_id%3D101_INSTANCE_wve2JVQ0Mmuk%26p_p_lifec
ycle%3D0%26p_p_state%3Dnormal%26p_p_mode%3Dview%26p_p_col
_id%3Dcolumn-2%26p_p_col_count%3D3  

Romania  49 

and solutions take a lot of time to be implemented.  The 
concerns  expressed  in  the  2019  EIR  remain  valid  as  the 
situation has not really improved. Romania currently has 
a  high  number  of  environmental 
infringement 
it  and  an  average  number  of 
procedures  against 
complaints being dealt with by the Commission. 

 In  terms  of  the  institutional  setup,  the  main  problems 
identified  are  a  poor  co-ordination  of  the  tasks  among 
the  institutions,  delays  in  programme  development  at 
national  level  due  to  weak  local  public  administration, 
heavy  political  interference  as  demonstrated  by  the 
continuous changes to objectives and policies within the 
civil  service  bodies,  poor  capacity  in  the  field  of  project 
management, and weak strategic planning. 

To make full use of EU funds for building environmental 
infrastructure  and  protecting  nature,  it  will  be  crucial  to 
boost  administrative  capacity  and  project  preparation, 
and 
implementation  across  all  environmental  areas. 
Romania  needs  to  make  the  most  of  the  technical 
assistance  available,  but  political  ownership  is  essential, 
and this is currently lacking. 

Coordination and integration  

As  mentioned  in  the  2017  EIR,  the  transposition  of  the 
revised  EIA  Directive236  into  national  law  provides  an 
opportunity  for  countries  to  streamline  the  regulatory 
framework for environmental assessments. Romania has 
notified  the  transposition  of  the  Directive  in  December 
2018. 

The  Commission  encourages  the  streamlining  of  the 
environmental  assessments  to  reduce  duplication  and 
avoid  overlaps  in  environmental  assessments  applicable 
to  projects.  Moreover,  streamlining  helps  to  reduce 
unnecessary  administrative  burden  and  accelerates 
done  without 
decision-making, 
is 
compromising 
the  environmental 
assessment  procedure161.  Romania  has  already  begun  to 
streamline the environmental assessments under the EIA, 
the  Habitats,  the  Water  Framework,  and  the  Industrial 
Emissions Directives, thereby enabling funds to be used. 

it 
provided 
the  quality  of 

Reforms through the Commission’s Technical 
Support Instrument (TSI) 

The Commission supports environmental implementation 
and  the  green  transition  through  the  EU  financing 
programmes.  But 
it  also  gives  support  by  granting 
technical assistance such as through the TSI and peer-to-
peer learning through Taiex peer-to-peer exchanges. 

236 OJ L 124, 25.4.2014, p. 1–18. 

Environmental Implementation Review 2022 – Romania 

 
 
                                                                 
 
                                                                 
Romania  50 

The  TSI  has  supported  several  environment-related 
projects in Romania. Under both the 2019 and 2021 TSIs, 
the  Commission  supported  projects  on  a  structural 
reform in the waste management sector. Under the 2019 
TSI , it supported a project wto increase the institutional 
capacity  of  the  Ministry  of  the  Environment,  Water  and 
Forests and its structures to integrate flood risk reduction 
into  all  relevant  sectors.  The  2021  TSI  supported  one 
project  to  strengthen  the  economic  regulation  of  the 
solid  waste  sector  and  another 
the 
development of the circular economy strategy. Under the 
2022 TSI,  three projects have been selected: one on the 
reform of water charges in line with the polluter and user 
pay  principles,  one  on  support  for  setting  up  and 
operationalising  a  central  government-led  corporate 
governance mechanism, and a third on implementating a 
sustainable finance framework.  

related 

to 

TAIEX EIR Peer to Peer Projects 

The  TAIEX  EIR  Peer-to-Peer  tool  has  been  launched  in 
2017  by  the  Commission  to  facilitate  peer-to-peer 
learning between environmental authorities237. 

During the reporting period, Romania has participated in 
two  multi-country  workshops  on  ammonia  reducing 
technology  and  measures  (2021)  and  on  zero  pollution 
(2022). 

In March 2022, a workshop was organised, at the request 
of  Romanian  authorities,  to  provide  examples  of  good 
practice  for  sustainable  forest  management.  The  focus 
was  directly  related  to  the 
implementation  of  the 
Directive 2001/42/EC on the assessment of the effects of 
certain  plans  and  programmes  on  the  environment  (the 
SEA  Directive)  and  the  Council  Directive  92/43/EEC  on 
the  conservation  of  natural  habitats  and  of  wild  fauna 
and flora (the Habitats Directive). According to the  COM 
(2019)149  Communication,  Romanian  authorities  should 
do  more  to 
improve  coordination  and  consistency 
between Natura 2000 and forest management plans. This 
peer-to-peer  exchange  has  been  supporting  national 
authorities in their work to incorporate sustainable forest 
management into policymaking. 

237  TAIEX  -  Environmental  Implementation  Review  -  PEER  2  PEER  - 
Environment - European Commission (europa.eu). 

Environmental Implementation Review 2022 – Romania