- Funding Programme
- Year
- 2023
Business licensing reforms in Romania
The European Commission supported Romania in modernising its business licensing system, strengthening the capacity of its licensing institutions, and aligning it with good OECD countries’ practices. The project aimed at streamlining licensing procedures in the commerce and services sectors to make the business environment more conducive to entrepreneurship.
Context
Efficient licensing procedures play a critical role in attracting investment and fostering growth. When well designed and managed, licensing systems ensure that economic activities comply with safety, environmental, labour, and market standards, without imposing unnecessary burdens. Romania has made notable progress in improving business licensing, including the adoption of a reform streamlining industrial licensing. However, as highlighted in the OECD Product Market Regulation indicators, Romania’s licensing system remains more restrictive than the EU and OECD averages. Entrepreneurs must comply with multiple requirements and do not have access to a single licensing platform. This weakens market development, harm competition and growth.
Support Delivered
Starting in September 2023, the OECD collected information on 502 licences for business activities in the commercial, industrial, and service sectors building a comprehensive Business Licensing Inventory. Meetings with 65 authorities and interviews with business representatives helped identify key barriers and ways to simplify them, with a special focus on the commercial and service sectors. These insights were enriched by a workshop with experts on business licensing reforms from OECD countries. Recommendations and practical actions to simplify and streamline licensing procedures are presented in an OECD report, Business Licensing Reforms in Romania, discussed with stakeholders in Romania in January 2026.
Results achieved
The project’ recommendations support the establishment of a single business licensing framework and a centralised business licensing platform. The framework should support the reduction of administrative burden for businesses in line with the goals of the Romanian Recovery and Resilience Plan, through the simplification of legislation, administrative and licensing procedures. The establishment of a single business licensing platform and a licensing simulator should ensure a more transparent and investor-friendly business environment. As the experience from OECD countries shows, taken together and if effectively implemented, these reforms are expected to make Romania’s business licensing system more conductive to growth and investment.
More about the project
You can read the documents related to the project here: