On the interbank market, the euro has already reached the 5.35 lei level, but by the end of the week Romania retained its investment-grade credit rating.
Turda Salt Mine could gain new attractions. Meanwhile, businesses have received another six months to update their CAEN codes, and applications for Start-Up Nation entrepreneurship courses reopen on October 6. ONRC has highlighted a fee discount linked to share-capital increases, ANAF is examining private luxury spending financed with company money, and the suspension of AnimaWings flights is affecting the plans of thousands of passengers. There is no shortage of investment news either: a solar power project in Arad secured significant financing, while Heineken is preparing to buy industrial property in Ungheni.
1. Euro jumps to 5.35 lei, but Romania avoids a downgrade: On October 1, the euro's rate on the interbank foreign-exchange market approached 5.35 lei, while the official BNR rate published earlier that day was 5.2777 lei. The two figures reflect different times and quotations. The central bank's foreign-exchange reserves fell to EUR 60.06 billion by the end of September, from EUR 64.865 billion in August; government foreign-currency payments also contributed to the decline.
By the end of the week, S&P's decision had also arrived: Romania kept its BBB– rating with a negative outlook, remaining in investment-grade territory. The rating agency nevertheless warned of risks from political uncertainty and fiscal adjustment. For businesses, the exchange-rate movement is already tangible: goods, rents or loan repayments denominated in euros can become more expensive relative to revenue collected in lei.
2. Businesses get another six months to update CAEN codes: The government approved another six-month transition period for the introduction of CAEN Rev. 3. During this period, old and new activity codes can be used in parallel for non-statistical administrative purposes. The extension affects many businesses: according to ONRC data cited by the government, only 37.24% of the relevant operators had completed the changes by September 25.
The exact deadline differs materially from early reports. Initial announcements mentioned March 25, but the promulgated text of Government Decision 788/2026 counts the six months from the date of entry into force; with a start date of October 1, this means April 1, 2027. The obligation to update remains. The extension mainly gives more time to businesses that must align their activities with permits, official registers and other company documents.
3. Up to 250,000 lei to start a business, with a new application round from October 6: On Tuesday, October 6 at 10:00 a.m., applications reopen for Start-Up Nation's free entrepreneurship courses. The new round offers 17,600 places for young people aged 18–29, with applications submitted through minimis.imm.gov.ro. Completing the 40-hour course is a prerequisite for participants to later apply for financing for their businesses.
In the next stage, newly established companies may receive up to 250,000 lei in support, covering up to 90% of eligible expenditure. Registering for the course therefore does not automatically mean that funding is awarded. The program may also be available to young people in Szeklerland and to those returning from abroad: eligibility for the target group is not determined by current employment status. According to the announcement, the application period lasts 30 days, with the possibility of an extension.
4. Private luxury paid with company money? ANAF launches targeted inspections: ANAF is preparing targeted inspections of companies that bought luxury goods or developed leisure facilities at company expense where the economic justification is questionable. Particular attention will be paid to investments made at the homes of owners and managers. The tax authority is checking whether the assets genuinely serve income-generating activities and how the related costs and VAT were accounted for.
The inspections will also cross-check data from tax returns, SAF-T and RO e-Factura. ANAF stresses that, for example, an asset genuinely used for tourism, sports or rental activity can be deductible under the appropriate conditions. The problem arises from the absence of a business purpose and incorrect tax treatment of private use. Businesses that identify unjustified deductions in their own accounts can correct the discrepancy by filing an amended tax return before an inspection begins.
5. Share-capital increases at SRLs: 50% publication-fee discount until year-end: According to ONRC information issued in early October, the publication fee is reduced by 50% for companies that complete the legally required share-capital increase by December 31, 2026. Under Law 239/2025, SRLs with net turnover above 400,000 lei in the previous financial year must have minimum share capital of 5,000 lei. For a newly incorporated SRL, the initial minimum is 500 lei.
The discount applies to the fee for publication in the Official Gazette and is available only if the amendment to the articles of association contains solely the share-capital increase required by law. Existing affected companies have up to two years from the law's entry into force to comply. However, those acting by the end of December can save on the publication fee.
6. Forty percent fewer parcels arriving from outside the EU: Following the introduction of the new charges, the number of parcels ordered by Romanian consumers from outside the EU has fallen by around 40%. The figure was presented by Cristian Pelivan, executive director of the Romanian Association of Online Stores (ARMO), at the Profit E-commerce conference, citing the tax authority's anti-fraud directorate. The shift is significant, as Chinese platforms had previously accounted for an estimated 15–20% of the local e-commerce market.
With Black Friday approaching, the key question is how much of the lost order volume Romanian and other EU retailers can capture. According to ARMO, the pressure that Asian platforms exerted on online advertising costs has also eased. This may create a more favorable competitive environment for domestic online stores, but the decline in parcel volumes does not in itself prove that the same amount of demand is moving to them: some consumers may simply be buying less.
7. AnimaWings flights halted, more than 9,300 tourists being rebooked: AnimaWings requested the opening of insolvency proceedings and announced the temporary suspension of its flights from October 2 to 24. The company says it intends to resume flying from October 25 with a revised schedule; for now, this remains a plan. The news was particularly unexpected from a company that only a few days earlier had been talking about ambitious growth targets.
According to Christian Tour's October 5 update, the reorganization affects 9,355 tourists and 114 charter departures in the final three months of the year. The tour operator said it had found another airline for every affected departure and would absorb the additional cost itself. Accommodation, transfers and services included in the package will remain in place, although departure times may change. This commitment applies to the affected Christian Tour packages; separately purchased AnimaWings tickets need to be handled separately.
8. Arad's Dama Solar secures EUR 561 million in financing: Rezolv Energy signed a financing agreement of up to EUR 561 million for the Dama Solar project in Arad County. The project has a peak capacity of 1.3 gigawatts and is backed by fourteen financiers, including the European Investment Bank and several international development and commercial banks. The announced figure is the size of the financing package.
Planned annual generation is 1,800 GWh, equivalent to roughly 36% of Romania's total solar-power generation in 2025. Commissioning is planned for the second half of 2028, while around 1,500 people could work on the project at the peak of construction. According to the investor, once completed it could be the EU's largest onshore renewable-energy project. The significance of the current development lies in securing financing and making it possible to begin construction; production results will come later.
9. Heineken plans another industrial property purchase in Ungheni: Heineken is preparing to buy property next to its existing brewery in Ungheni, Mureș County. According to documents reported by Profit.ro, the deal covers a 6,161-square-metre plot and a 1,628.8-square-metre industrial hall, with construction-materials company Premaco as the seller. The stated minimum price is approximately EUR 1.12 million in total.
The plan fits into Heineken's production and logistics development in Romania. A modernization program worth around EUR 12 million across the company's Ungheni and Craiova plants also includes high-capacity heat-pump systems that recover industrial waste heat. The company has not yet disclosed details of how the newly purchased property would be used. Acquiring land next to the existing brewery could nevertheless further strengthen the company's local presence.
10. Turda Salt Mine to expand with a new mine area in a EUR 25 million investment: Turda Salt Mine is to be expanded and modernized in an investment of around EUR 25 million, with Banca Transilvania contributing EUR 14 million in financing. The centerpiece is bringing the Joseph Mine, or Mina Iosif, currently visible only from a distance, into the route accessible to tourists. The plans also include panoramic lifts and visitor walkways, as well as modernization of the treatment facilities.
The works are expected to last about two years, while the salt mine will remain open to visitors. The bank financing is supported by a guarantee from Romania's Investment and Development Bank. The expansion gives visitors another reason to come to the already well-known Transylvanian attraction: it may draw back previous visitors and could also benefit local accommodation and hospitality businesses. The latest announcement pairs the tourism plan with concrete bank financing.
Summary
The week from September 28 to October 5 brought several immediate action points for businesses. The CAEN extension provides more time to sort out administrative updates, the new Start-Up Nation round opens an upcoming application opportunity, and ANAF's announcement highlights the need to clearly separate company and private expenses. For share-capital increases, the fee discount available until year-end gives businesses a reason to prepare, while exchange-rate movements require attention in day-to-day cost planning.
Even amid weaker predictability, new investments are moving ahead: financing for the Arad solar project, Heineken's plans in Ungheni and the expansion of Turda Salt Mine show concrete investment intentions of different scales. For retailers, the decline in parcel traffic from outside the EU could create a new situation ahead of the year-end shopping season.
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