Government of Romania

Policy topics Government of Romania is active on

What Government of Romania has said (80)

• 2026-07-14 “Thomas, I switch to Romanian now. So we also welcome the presentation of Ireland's priorities, and you can count on us to cooperate closely with you over these 6 months. We also wish the trio Ireland, Lithuania, Greece every success. So they are working towards the goal of a more secure EU. So we also like your focus on value, security and competitiveness. From Romania's point of view, the priorities that we discussed are still on the table, namely protecting the values of the EU and the rule of law, maintaining support for Ukraine as well as for The Republic Of Moldova given Russia's war of aggression. We also need to intensify our efforts when it comes to defense and security. We need to ensure that we have various different initiatives in order to bolster the Eastern Flank and the Black Sea. We also need to support enlargement, and we want to have an ambitious MFF. We want to focus on the important role of cohesion policies in the CAP as well. So a substantial volume of the MFF should go towards this and we also need to ensure that companies should have access to the competitive front. We also need to find solutions for countries in on the Eastern Flank and on the Black Sea. Finally, we need to bolster the competitiveness of the EU and convergence and cohesion. We need to renew our industrial base, support SMEs, and we also need to invest in traditional European industries. Thank you very much. And we wish you every success, of course.”
  EU enlargement
• 2026-07-13 “48:34 - 11:51:59): Chair, commissioner, dear colleagues, Romania appreciates the publication of the initiatives and considers that they must be implemented in an integrated manner. The development of European protein production is closely linked to the competitiveness and resilience of the livestock sector. This sector has a strategic role, and the union must maintain its production capacity for its own needs and avoid replacing production by imports without equivalent standards. We appreciate the focus on disease prevention, bio security, and preventive vaccination and the intention to mobilize financial instruments dedicated to investments in this stock. This sector must remain viable, attractive, and we need a fairer distribution of value in the food chain and adequate financial support. The situation in the milk sector in Romania continues to raise deep concerns without any improvement on the horizon. The prices remain low and disproportionate to the cost of production. And may I thus reiterate the major need for financial support from the crisis reserve? Compared to the provisions on the strategy on welfare norms, we specify the need for a balance between society's expectation and the technical and economic feasibility of the new requirements. The progressive elimination of cages raises legitimate concerns because transition must be based on impact assessments complemented by sufficient adaptation periods. It must be proven that these, the finances and the source of financing must be presented before they become mandatory, and they must be imposed to candidate countries as well. The same concerns we have about eliminating the killing of male chickens. Romania's stance is very clear. Romanian farmers have invested, including through European funds, in modernization of farms. We must not implement measures that lead to the depreciation of investments, reduction of livestock, or even closure of farms. Transition must take into account the payback period for such investments and include additional support for the implementation of new standards and new requirements and the balanced approach is necessary when it comes to animal transport. We support improved conditions. However, we reject disproportionate restrictions, ignore the real, geographical realities, logistical realities, and limit access to internal external markets. Transporting animals to 3rd countries by sea is vital for Romanian economy, and the ambitions concerning digitalization must be underpinned by adequate European financial resources. In addition, the right to access control sharing and secondary use of data should be very clearly regulated. As to the protein plant, Romania has an important agricultural potential and is among the main soybean producers in the union. So reducing external dependencies aims at developing the entire value chain, investing in processing and storage, access to high performance crop varieties, research and innovation. The potential of oilseed crops, rapeseed and sunflower, for example, must also be taken into account because they can contribute to strengthening the European fodder base. The success of all these initiatives will depend very much on a coherent implementation with the funding possibilities of the post 2027 CAP and a concrete focus on investment, innovation and competitive business. Thank you.”
  Animal diseases prevention and management in the EU · EU requirements on animal welfare for farmers
• 2026-07-13 “Thank you chair. Romania supports Italy's request, and we believe it is essential to maintain an ambitious budget for the promotion of policy for agri food products. It is a fundamental tool to ensure the competitiveness of European agriculture and concerning the Visegrad Declaration that Romania is a signatory to. We believe that our farmers are increasingly increasingly confronted with market volatility, rising prices and the reluctant lending policy, as well as extreme weather events such as droughts, floods and hails. And all of these have severe impacts on productivity. So we need more flexible and more efficient risk management tools that would allow member states to launch emergency schemes. We also need a European risk sharing system that would financially protect farmers who face climate disasters. For Romania, it is very important that the scope of the unity safety net should be broadened to also cover damage caused by wild animals, and I have to say that Romania has instituted a system to manage risks that could not be applied because of the restrictions provisioned in the European regulations. Thank you, thank you.”
  Agriculture (green)
• 2026-07-10 “25:23 - 11:27:37): Giles. Thank you very much. Let me congratulate Ireland on taking over the presidency. Your motto, strength with Unity is both timely and relevant now. And, also, like, thanks for Cyprus for the excellent work over the past 6 months. Romania welcomes the ambition of the IRS presidency to continue the work for the rape rapid achievement of an agreement on this file. We have been committed from the start to making rapid progress and reaching a balanced outcome, so we continue to support achieving the general approach as soon as possible. We support the findings ESMA's direct supervision on the basis of clear objective and proportionate significant criterias while ensuring an appropriate division of responsibilities and close cooperation between ESMA and the national competent authorities. Also, we think that we should have in mind to develop an operational model for a direct supervision that provides clarity on the allocation of the responsibilities between ESMA and national competent authorities, makes efficient use of existing supervisory expertise and resources and ensures proportionality, ensuring that the new ESMA intervention and supervisory convergence powers are supported by clearly defined conditions, safeguards, and accountability mechanisms will assure a clear implementation of the new framework. We consider it necessary to put in place appropriate arrangements for budgetary oversights and cost controls while ensuring a balanced financing model for the contributions, key of the national competent authorities. In particular, we reiterate the contributions the contribution key for national competent authorities should be based on objective indicators reflecting the actual size of their markets, thus ensuring a fair and more transparent and proportionate long term front funding framework. We look forward working closely with you and wish you every success.”
  Financial regulation
• 2026-06-29 “And this would allow us, as ministers of labour and social policy to interconnect not just the funding, but also the other types of policy that needs to be put together. Now, what does Romania do right now in order to address that? We are right now clearly clear about the fact that you cannot deal with with with fighting poverty at national level. This needs to be done at local level. And we are right now forming 2000 vulnerable in 2000 vulnerable local communities, integrated community teams dealing with labour, social health and education. That is two thirds of all communities in Romania. All administrative units and at the same time, on digitalization, we are putting together the benefits database with the services database to be able to provide the right assistance and also revamping the public employment service. Romania has actually dropped for from more than 40% poverty rate to just 27.4 2025. Of course, we need to push forward with that, but I think that not only that, the European Commission initiative is well regarded and needs to be encouraged, but also we are also looking at possible legislative measures for activating people because we are really in dire need of having better quality jobs and better people to work in, in the European Union that desires competitiveness. Thank you very much.”
  EU expenditure on social policy
• 2026-06-29 “Thank you very much, dear chair, very briefly I would really like to extend my congratulations for for the good work to the commission, but also to the Co and SPC. I really believe that we should emphasize what executive Vice president has actually mentioned. At the end. What we are doing right now is not just another regular adoption of the European Semester. This is directly linked to the perspective of financing social affairs social policy in 2028 2034. We are right now in the process of simplifying everything, with one fund going towards the type of recovery and resilience approach, investment and reforms, and we need to secure that. The social dimension still remains very well represented. Your fine work that you have actually carried provides us the right tools ahead. With the CSR in the field. I would like to underline that on behalf of Romania and salute the continuation of this work. Thank you.”
  European Semester (social dimension)
• 2026-06-29 “Thank you very much, distinguished chair. Dear, dear colleagues, it's good to be back after ten years as a Minister of Labour in Romania. And it's good to be back after ten years, because ten years ago we were talking about the revision of 83. And finally right now we have it, so it's good. In the next ten years, I mean, I will see the mobility package, you know, done. But maybe we can do that earlier. And I think that we have a champion right now. The executive vice president Manzato has, has made a lot of progress in this particular field. And we are really saluting both finalising this revision. And also it's very, very important looking forward while looking forward, because of course there was a need for a compromise. There were parts of this revision which were negotiated some time ago, and only a couple of aspects that were really complicated to be finalized. But during the negotiation, there were several dimensions that were part of the debate from the perspective of Romania. Of course, we look at mobile workers, of course, from the perspective of, of mobile workers, but also we insisted along the years on the importance of seasonal workers. And I was really happy to hear the Belgian minister explaining that this is an important subcategory. And then, of course, the distinguishing between cross-border telework posted. So there are a lot of things that we need to to take into more details. Given the fact that times have changed. We are right now living in a society and in a European Union where mobility is at completely different levels.”
  Road transport environmental policy
• 2026-06-29 “Distinguished chair. Dear Clara, I'm. Dear colleagues we are right now having the ideal framework to do better what we were supposed to do. And we have done this years. We are provided right now a framework that provides that it's actually holistic. It deals with intersectionality and allows us, in our discussion, in our cabinets to deal better with ministers of finance, economy, health, education and so on. This is not just social policy. This is about competitiveness. It's about addressing the factual evidence that we are losing 1 million people out of the labor market on a net amount each year, and that someone needs to pay, you know, pensions and someone needs actually to do the work in the European Union, provided that we are not just focusing on getting people from outside. So one of the key things that that it's, I think, important to respond to the first question is that this particular anti-poverty strategy needs to be for each of the member states that would like to take on board that as a quintessential part of the National Regional Partnership Plan 2028 2034. In Romania, we've just adopted the roadmap immediately, one day after the European Union has actually the European Commission has launched it. And it is, you know, designed to be part of this, an RRP, the new enhanced on steroids that we are going to have from 2028 onwards.”
  EU policy on aging workforce and pensions
• 2026-06-29 “Thank you very much, dear chair. I mean, all of us in the member states have experienced different models. Romania has used the Recovery and Resilience Plan to push at least on on two main pillars. One is to direct money to universities that were eligible to build dorms and campuses. We had about €260 million on that, and the second pillar was to direct money to local authorities. And there were two things doing there. So housing for young people with two categories vulnerable youth on one hand, and young specialists like doctors, professors and social assistance. Um, and those were in buildings, uh, for the bracket. 1835 and that was really something that went very well in the Romanian RP, and it's good to be replicated in the future. What I think we missed in Romania, and we are looking to see maybe we can develop further models at EU level and here some guidance and some work would be advisable, is to deal a little bit more with the topic that we've been discussing here at EU level a lot social impact bonds, uh, for, for housing or to structure some different types of, you know, hybrid pgps that would actually have a target of at least 40% vulnerable students, let's say. Now, one of my pledges here, and it's not something new for the DG employment and for the executive vice president, is that I will see these things related to student housing and an issue of competitiveness, not an issue related just to social work. And I will pledge that the European Competitiveness Fund will look, when it comes to buildings and, you know, this kind of green housing and green investment, and also looking from the talent hub perspective and talent, attractiveness and labour market, that housing for students should actually be eligible through financial instruments there. So that's an area that I would be more than willing to explore. And Romania, I would really like to see development on social impact bonds and PGP for this particular sector, in addition to the traditional ones that we like to hear. Thank you.”
  EU housing policy
• 2026-06-29 “I would like to insist a little bit on the fact that we are still not there in the sense that in Romania, I'm receiving a lot of petitions in this particular field from citizens that are still trying to figure out how to, to do things better. And I think that if we look at the overall activity related to petitions or questions that are put to authority, and I expect that this should be the case also in other member states, we still need to explain why things are delayed, complicated and need to be improved. And we are right now going towards simplification. One important thing is, in my view, is that of course SC and SS are good paths forward, but we need to focus on the digital wallet and we need to have a very strong social dimension there that will not just include the S plus, but also the skills portability, the qualification recognition part, the child guarantee card. So I really believe that this should be one of our key endeavors. Forward to focus on digitalization and digital wallet s S plus is just a step forward, but it needs to be integrated in something that is much more holistic. One last thing. Of course, the European Labour Authority has done a really good job recently. I think that we should insist in carrying more joint cross-border inspections in order to to make things happen. Enforcement right now after the adoption of the regime will be key. And also looking forward for the details further. Thank you so much and congratulations to us all once again.”
  EU competences on social policies
• 2026-06-26 “03:34 - 10:04:26): Thank you, mister minister. Thank you, European Commission, to commissioner Jorgensen. Very shortly, Romania is also ready to support the general approach on the permitting directive. For us, accelerating permitting procedures is essential if you want to deliver the investments needed for the energy transition, building new grids, renewable energy projects, storage facilities, and charging infrastructure is not only a climate objective. It is also competitiveness and energy security objective. Welcome the balanced approach found on, issues such as tacit approval, digital portals, and permitting deadlines, which respects national specificities while providing a clear European framework to accelerate investments. With these remarks, Romania supports the presidency compromise and the adoption of the general approach. Thank you so much.”
  EU policy on permitting for renewable energy projects
• 2026-06-26 “58:52 - 11:59:52): Thank you so much. Romania aligns itself with the statement presented by the Czech Republic and other cosignatories. We support the objective of methane regulation, but as I mentioned in our previous meetings when I when Romania raised formally the issue, we believe that its implementation must remain technically feasible, proportionate, and fully compatible with the objective of safeguarding the union's energy security and competitive. Romania welcomes the commission's efforts, to put forward the recommendation, but in the current geopolitical context looks insufficient. So we support the postponement with 3 years of those obligations. I also like to encourage a close implementation dialogue with member states and stakeholders to ensure leg legal certainty, predictability, and effective and pragmatic implementation of the regulation. Thank you so much.”
  Natural gas
• 2026-06-26 “19:31 - 11:21:01): Thank you very much. Romania is ready to support the general approach. I would like to take the to thank the presidency, the commission, and all delegations for the excellent work carried, throughout these negotiations. For Romania, the regulation and the broader grids package high are highly relevant as our common objective must be to accelerate the development of cross border energy infrastructure, eliminating remaining bottlenecks and further integrate the European energy market. 2nd, Romania has been supportive of the top down approach for the development of the central scenario. We believe that a common European play planning framework is necessary, but also is equally important that member states remain fully involved in the process and the national and regional specificities are properly reflected. 3rd, regarding congestion income, we consider that the text evolved in the right direction, and we can support the compromise. 4th, we strongly welcome the introduction of the new category on security, resilience, and emergency repairs of electricity infrastructure. Nevertheless, we also welcome the fact that the category covers both PCI and PMI object projects, which is particularly relevant for interconnections with neighboring partner countries, including Republic Of Moldova and energy community contracting parties. Thank you so much.”
  EU energy infrastructure integration
• 2026-06-25 “Thank you, Madam Minister. We recognise the need for further discussions on this topic within the EU. The detailed design of potential future instruments, including criteria for ultra fast fashion modulation mechanisms and possible measures targeting online platforms, would need to be assessed carefully, but this is certainly an area related to which we need to ensure a consistent EU wide approach. Thank you.”
  Sustainable fashion
• 2026-06-25 “Thank you, Madam Minister. The current economic situation requires a realistic approach. Any policy decision must support rather than hinder industrial production in Europe. The European chemical industry faces high energy prices and intense competition from outside the union. At this critical time, companies urgently need stability and predictability. Overall, we appreciate that the decision not to reopen the text of the rich regulation through the ordinary legislative procedure may eliminate short term uncertainty. However, it still carries political and legal risks. Some member states might implement national restrictions for certain chemicals. This would fragment the European single market, forcing companies to navigate a patchwork of conflicting national rules. Furthermore, the decision not to reopen the regulation might must not justify inaction. It is important to move forward swiftly through the comitology process. First, the rich registration requirements must be urgently updated to include the new hazard classes of the CLP regulation. Second, modernisation requires digitalisation. Safety data sheets must be harmonised and digitalised. This shift will reduce bureaucracy for European companies and boost their global competitiveness. However, the biggest challenge remains the compliance gap. The results of the ref 12 control and inspection project are alarming. A third of imported substances from mixtures are not registered and 16% are in breach of restrictions. This is not only a health risk, but also serious, unfair competition for EU companies that do comply with the law. Online trade and direct to consumer postal parcels make classic controls almost impossible. To close this gap, we consider measures such as the following. First, rich obligations should be linked to the reform of the customs Union. Customs must become the first and strongest filter. Second, rich must be linked to the Market Surveillance, regulation and the Future European Products Act. And third, much stricter monitoring of online platforms and express courier is needed. In the absence of a real reform, customs cannot control the millions of parcels that pass through every day. That is why equal rules are needed for all importers. This is how we would support European consumers and businesses. Thank you.”
  Classification, labelling and packaging of chemicals
• 2026-06-25 “Thank you, Madam Minister. Our main lessons learned is that water efficiency cannot be addressed in isolation. We need coordinated action across sectors and governance levels. Climate change is already affecting water availability in Romania through more frequent droughts and increasing flood risks. We therefore support the principle water efficiency first, and we need to take into account national and regional circumstances, including differences in water availability, exposure to droughts and floods, and the structure of water intensive economic sectors. We welcome the forthcoming digitalisation action plan for the water sector. We see significant potential in smart metering, remote sensing, digital twins and real time monitoring systems to improve water efficiency, reduce losses and strengthen resilience. The action plan should support both the deployment of digital solutions and the development of interoperable water data systems, ensuring that water related data are easily accessible, reusable and shared across governance levels. The action plan should also support digital skills, capacity building and knowledge exchange among member states. Given the strategic importance of water infrastructure, cybersecurity should be an integral part of this effort. Water resilience should remain a priority under the next MFF. Public funding remains essential, but it must be complemented by loans, private investment and innovative financing instruments. We therefore welcome the EIB Water Programme and the Sustainable Water Advisory Facility. They can facilitate investments in flood protection, drought resilience through water efficiency, storage and reuse, digitalization, cybersecurity, and nature based solutions. We are advancing work on prioritizing water investments and belief that stronger technical assistance is essential to develop mature and bankable projects, thus accelerating the implementation of the Water Resilience strategy. Thank you.”
  EU policy on water management
• 2026-06-25 “Thank you very much. Warm congratulations to Slovenia on their National Day. We'd like to thank the presidency for their dedicated work on this file, for facilitating constructive discussions and for putting forward a balanced compromise solutions, notably on the labelling of second hand vehicles. We support a review of the CO2 standards framework that contributes both to the union's climate objectives and to the long term competitiveness of the automotive ecosystem in Europe. We believe that the transition towards zero emission mobility must remain credible, economically sustainable and adapted to the realities of the entire European market. The pace of uptake of zero emission vehicles continues to differ across member states, reflecting differences in purchasing, power charging infrastructure and market maturity. In this context, we support the pragmatic and technology neutral approach. We also see merit in exploring appropriate flexibilities that can facilitate compliance. Support affordable zero emission mobility, and help ensure a smooth and balanced transition for industry and consumers alike. Given the increasing competitive pressures faced by the European automotive sector, such measures can support investment, innovation and industrial transformation. They can also help maintain a credible and achievable pathway towards our climate objectives. We consider super credits for small and affordable electric vehicles a useful instrument to support greater consumer uptake, while strengthening industrial activity and value creation in Europe. Further improvements in this vein would be welcomed. At the same time, the overall framework should reinforce the competitiveness and resilience of the automotive ecosystem in Europe, support investment in strategic value chains and help preserve industrial capacity, innovation and skilled jobs across the Union. In this context, we see value in exploring whether the proposed incentives for low carbon steel produced in the EU could also be extended to other strategic materials, like aluminium. Finally, we believe that continued work on this proposal should ensure coherence with related legislative files while providing legal certainty and predictability for industry and investors. Romania remains committed to engaging constructively in the discussions under the incoming Irish presidency, and to working together towards a balanced and workable outcome. Thank you.”
  Road transport environmental policy
• 2026-06-25 “Thank you, Madam Minister. Just one quick word from our side. We appreciate the Commission's hard work so far in preparing guidance, sharing frequently asked questions and reaching out to stakeholders. However, we still need more clarity since there is no complete legal certainty for companies. We are in need of a system that works in a more harmonized way. As it stands, the rules are just too complex and very costly, especially for small and medium businesses. Moreover, we are still waiting for key secondary legislation. In the absence of that, companies cannot plan ahead. Otherwise, different national rules would create a fragmented market. That is the reason why we are making this call today. Thank you.”
  Overall simplification of regulation in the EU
• 2026-06-25 “Thank you, Madam Minister. We see the ecosystem services as the basis of our economic stability. Key economic sectors such as agriculture and forestry depend directly on a healthy, functioning natural capital. Therefore, biodiversity decline is a systemic risk that we have to tackle and reverse to unlock the economic potential of nature. We strongly support the Nature Credits roadmap. It is essential that those on the front lines, farmers and foresters are rewarded through financial mechanisms when they employ environmentally friendly practices in terms of strategies. We must start from the understanding that the transition to an economy that supports natural heritage should not be viewed as an administrative or financial burden on the business and local communities. To be successful, the policy framework must be predictable, fair and based on incentives, not just penalties. We also support streamlining procedures and enhancing administrative capacity for implementing the funding programmes for the 2028 2034 period, with an emphasis on the need for stable and predictable European funding. We support integrating nature based solutions from the get go into large scale infrastructure projects in our country. We also support directing financial flows towards green technologies and using public funds, including those related to the National Nature Restoration Plan, to guarantee or co-finance private investments in large scale environmental projects. In conclusion, we reaffirm our commitment to the objectives of the European Green Deal and the Kunming Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. We are convinced that our collective success lies in the ability to demonstrate that nature protection and economic competitiveness are complementary. Thank you.”
  Nature protection and restoration in the EU
• 2026-06-22 “Thank you, Madam Chair. Romania welcomes the continued regional cooperation within the process to prepare the next Ministerial declaration of meat fish forever. And we also support the objectives to sustainably manage the marine resources, but also to combat illegal fishing, strengthen the scientific basis for the adoption and management measures and the sustainable development of fisheries and aquaculture. We believe that the priorities that are being promoted are also relevant for the Black Sea region, including in the context of the cooperation carried out within the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean, the Gfcm. Romania advocates for a balanced approach that would reconcile resource conservation objectives with the sustainable development of the fisheries and aquaculture sector. Thank you.”
  Environmental regulation of fisheries
• 2026-06-22 “As you well know, we would have supported the partial general approach which we believe to be balanced. And we would like to thank the presidency for all the efforts you've made on this file. And we also welcome the maintenance of a special sectoral framework for the implementation of the Union, support to the Common Fisheries Policy and aquaculture. And we also support clear eligibility conditions in accordance with the norms of the CFP to combat I you you fishing. We also welcome the explicit inclusion of support for fisheries control and for the collection of data. We believe that these are essential if we want the CFP to be effectively applied. However, we believe that including these activities. As a dedicated disposition would have offered additional guarantees to obtain necessary and sufficient resources financial resources to implement such activities at national level. Thank you very much.”
  Funding for fisheries and aquaculture
• 2026-06-22 “Thank you. Madam chair, dear Commissioner, dear colleagues, let me read you some headings. Men from Covasna killed by a bear near the farm. He worked at 34 year old man killed by a bear in Sibiu County. Bear terrorizes a village in Buso. It entered eight houses. Dear colleagues, these are not titles of horror movies, but only some of the news about bear attacks taking place in Romania over the past month. In the past 30 days. I do not want to shock you, but this is tragic and it is morbid than the 21st century, the EU and the EU. My co-citizens should be eaten by wild animals. So I have to draw your attention on a situation that has become increasingly difficult for Romania to manage, namely the significant increase in the brown bear population and their direct impact on people, on rural communities and on farmers. Over the past years, bear attacks in Romania have caused 14 deaths, bringing the number of deaths over the past 20 years to 27 people. And mostly those. Those were farmers and shepherds who were guarding their animals. More than 274 people survived bear attacks, but they were left with severe long term injuries. There are daily calls to the emergency services to report the presence of bears or bear attacks. From an agricultural point of view, between 2024 and 2026 alone, 1806 domestic animals were killed by large carnivores, mainly bears. The Romanian state pays a yearly millions of euros as compensation and farmers bear additional costs for electric fences, security monitoring systems, guard dogs and additional workforce. The bear has become a constant danger for farmers and it affects their income, their safety even. We're not questioning the importance of protecting the brown bear species, but the reality on the ground clearly shows that the current management tools are no longer sufficient.”
  Large Carnivores
• 2026-06-22 “Thank you. Dear Minister, we want to thank the Cyprus presidency for its work that has helped advance these files. Romania expresses its support for a harmonised European framework that can ensure the quality and traceability of plant reproductive material can support innovation and adaptation to climate change Without disproportionate administrative burdens, especially for small operators. As for the value for sustainable cultivation and use with regard to applying the requirements to the vines, we would like to have a gradual and proportionate implementation. We are in favor of flexibility on herbicide tolerant varieties and proportionate derogation, while keeping the traceability, quality and functioning of the internal market with regard to ensuring animal welfare during transport. We want to have balanced rules without disproportionate restrictions that can affect livestock sector, the income and the competitiveness of European producers. The regulation must be calibrated so as to maintain the position on the global market of our farmers and ensure reasonable transition periods for adapting transport. At the same time, in order to avoid unfair competition. Similar standards should be applied to imports into the EU as well. Thank you.”
  EU requirements on animal welfare for farmers · Agriculture (green)
• 2026-06-22 “Thank you Minister. We salute. We welcome the communication from the Commission to launch the annual process for setting fishing opportunities for 2027. We believe that for the Black Sea, the introduction of Multiannual Tacs contributes to increased predictability for the sector and the better planning of fishing activities for Romania. It is essential that the measures applicable to the Black Sea reflect the specificities of this sea basin, including the shared nature of stocks, the need to strengthen the scientific basis for management decisions, as well as the impact of the current geopolitical context on the fishing sector. We also believe that establishing fishing opportunities must take into account also of the socio economical impact on the small scale fleets, fishing fleets and the communities on the coastal areas. Thank you very much for your kind attention. Thank you very much, Mihaela.”
  Environmental regulation of fisheries
• 2026-06-22 “The latest scientific study, based on genetic samples, has showed that the brown bear population in Romania is now of approximately 11,500 individuals, compared to 4000 individuals in 2007 when Romania joined the EU. This figure confirms the favourable conservation status of the species, but also highlights the increasing pressure on local communities, Particularly in mountain and hill areas. Romina is already applying measures such as emergency interventions, providing support for electric fences and scientific monitoring of the bear population. However, this is not enough without active management of the population density, a measure that is often contested by civil society organisations which invoke the strictly protected status of the brown bear. This is why we urge. Together with Slovakia, we urge the Commission to have a more flexible approach to clarify the application of article 16 of the Habitats Directive and to acknowledge the scientifically grounded control of brown bear population density as a legitimate management tool to be used in cases where the favourable conservation status is maintained. We believe it is necessary to shift from individual exemptions to a permanent management framework, similar to the one that is applicable for the species covered by annex five. The EU has already acknowledged in the case of the Wolf, that management tools need to be adapted when conservation objectives have been achieved, and when social and economic costs become significant. A similar approach is also needed for the brown bear, especially as its impact includes not only economic losses, but also direct risks to the life and the safety of our citizens. Thank you very much.”
  Large Carnivores
• 2026-06-22 “Thank you chair. Dear Commissioner, before answering to the questions, I would like to stress that the future of CFP should rely on a balance between the environmental, economic and social objectives while considering the specificities of the regions in the Member States and the sea basins. In this context, we believe it is important that the specificities of the Black Sea, including the challenges from the current geopolitical context, be tackled properly in the future developments of the policy with regard to the first question with Romania believes that the priority is a strengthening of data collection and scientific advice when it comes to controlling illegal fishing, then supporting small scale fishing and aquaculture, and providing financing for the modernization of the infrastructure and the fleet. We believe that the objectives of the CFP should be tackled together. Resource conservation is the basis of the economic viability of the sector, and supporting fishing communities helps increase compliance and long term resilience. As for the second question, Romania believes that we need to have a more flexible and more and better adjusted policy. And in this context, we support the revision of the rules on fleet capacity to facilitate investments in safety, energy efficiency and decarbonisation without increasing pressure on fish resources and without generating disproportionate administrative burden. We need dedicated mechanisms for modernising and decarbonising the fleet we need better access to funding. Strengthening regional cooperation in the Black Sea. And we need to develop more efficient instruments to manage crises and to support the competitivity of this sector. We also believe it is key to have support for the sustainable aquaculture, and we want a reduction of the administrative burden for the economic operators. Thank you.”
  Funding for fisheries and aquaculture
• 2026-06-22 “Thank you. Romania supports the Germany's support and we recognise the importance of these control measures, and we believe that the new requirements have to be proportional, feasible and adaptable to the diversity of fleets and the operational capacities even of SMEs. It is essential that secondary legislation, especially those concerning traceability, remote monitoring and evaluation of engine capacity, should be realised in close cooperation with Member states. It systems must be interoperable. Must be easy to use and especially allow for re-use of data so that double reporting is avoided. And of course there should be a financial support for necessary investments. Thank you.”
  Road transport environmental policy
• 2026-06-16 “This was one of the main concerns that we have expressed, but we need to go even further and identify concrete solutions for these border regions. We welcome the fact that the relevant specific objects are mentioned and the the fact that the Member States have to face major challenges, and the fact that the principle of proportionality has to be observed. And we welcome the fact that the concrete support is mentioned to the farmers two thirds advance, some for agricultural interventions, rural interventions, and the fact that the farmers and fishers will be helped in case of natural disasters from the agricultural reserve. But as I've mentioned, we see many critical elements here. First of all, the structure of the budget and all these issues have to be solved through the Lego box. And when it comes to the agricultural policy, important comments here, the capping of support for farms, the fact that we no longer have full external convergence, the digressive character and so on and so forth. Then the targets for environment and climate. The general percentage percentage of 35% and the 40% percentage for the plan. We have a critical view here. We don't we have a problem with the exception from the climate, uh, target when it comes to internal affairs funds.”
  Agricultural funding
• 2026-06-16 “Thank you very much, Marilena. First of all, we appreciate the efforts made by the Cyprus presidency, as well as the openness shown by all Member States in the last weeks at the technical level and in Coreper. We have worked hard on these files and the texts we see today. Uh, reflect this hard work. Romania can, um, give its agreement to all three pgas on the NP regulation. We believe that a series of major elements requested by Romania have been included in a in a balanced way. For instance, the increase of visibility for the cohesion policy and the cap or reflecting the eastern region. The regulation also includes other, um favorable developments on the drafting and implementation of the single plan. For instance, territorial specificities and the flexibilities linked to the amendments to the plan or the specific needs at the level of the regions. We believe that the continuity of payments is also very important aspect on the cap. Many of the relevant provisions have been transferred to the specific Cap regulation. Nevertheless, there is a room for improvement on the role of this policy that will have to be clarified going forward. Romania has joined the statement on the Common Agricultural Policy.”
  Agricultural funding
• 2026-06-16 “On the basis of the principle, nothing is agreed until everything is agreed on the EU facility. We appreciate the clarification on the application in case of security incidents and crisis on the CF. We welcome the text. We believe it has managed to accommodate a series of requests made by Romania. We would have preferred a more comprehensive solution on a fair pan-European access to ECF, but we believe that the text includes a series of important elements that together contribute to an inclusive approach to the objective of the fund for all Member States. Ecf implementation should be thought of in connection with the objectives of the single market. The single market is based on strong value chains, and European companies should contribute to these value chains. This is the spirit of the letter and Draghi reports. Therefore, we welcome the strengthening of the wording uh, on this at the request of Romania. We also welcome the fact that the specific eastern border regions have been appropriately reflected on the global Europe instrument. We believe the new text will allow the European Union to better project its geopolitical interests and support candidate countries. Congratulations and thank you.”
  EU Single Market harmonisation
• 2026-06-16 “Thank you very much. Marilyn. I'll continue in Romanian. We welcome the presidency's efforts during the semester in order to advance the nego box. It is important that for the first time, the leaders will have a whole view on the situation so that the discussion can advance. We are in the initial phase of the process. We need to work more in order to have a budget who realistically reflects our ambitions? The major principle is that nothing is agreed until everything is agreed. When it comes to the numbers, we would have rather that the negotiations today do not start based on cuts. We need at least a budget at the level of that proposed by the Commission. Nevertheless, we believe that this approach has, up to a certain point, taken into account of what the Friends of Cohesion have said through their statement. Recent statement. This document reconfirms the importance of cohesion policy and the agricultural policy within the budget. The modernisation solutions. A correct allocation could lead to an efficient policy in practice. Romania is open to examine new own resources. When it comes to non-financial aspects. We identify positive elements here, but also less positive ones. We welcome the inclusion to the regions on the external border of the EU.”
  Size of EU budget
• 2026-06-16 “Two more critical elements. First of all, we need a realistic decommissioning rule and plus three. This is major for us. Then we need cofinancing rules which are more favourable for both policies, agricultural policy and cohesion policy as well. And when it comes to the Competitiveness Fund, we believe that we need to ensure an extended access of member states to this instrument. And this remains a major issue for us from our point of view. Two things need to be solved in the Lego box. First of all, the effective access of companies and member states to the fund as part of an integrated approach on the market, with value chains covering many, if not most member states. And then we need to bear in mind the specific situations of the member states at the eastern border. We shouldn't just bear in mind the economic competitiveness. We should also think about the safety and resilience of the whole European Union. As a conclusion, we do have a positive approach for the future of the negotiations. We hope to find balanced solutions for the financial dimension and for the architecture and implementation rules. Thank you.”
  EU industrial funding (mechanism level: EU-pooled vs nationally-financed) · Cohesion and rural funding
• “Thank you. Chair. Commissioner colleagues Romania supports improving environmental conditions and human health by reducing water pollution in urban areas. Significant efforts have been made and are still being made to improve urban wastewater collection and treatment in our country. The extension of the scope of this directive to agglomerations of under 2000 population equivalent will pose additional challenges to Romania. Almost 50% of our population live in rural areas, where in general we have low density and limited capacity for water and sanitation services. Moreover, the general trend of decreasing number of inhabitants makes our national context even more complex. Thus, we believe that we need more flexibility in order to avoid deploying infrastructure that will not be used at all or that will not be used effectively. We will also need to mention the fact that the 2030 target is almost impossible for us to reach, particularly because we will need to invest in existing facilities so as to reach the new benchmarks. As for the introduction of an additional treatment step for agglomerations of over 10,000 P, we think that this will mean additional retrofitting of treatment plants, which will lead to higher maintenance and operational costs, and this will have an impact on the price paid by people and on the sustainability of services for certain citizens. This will mean higher subsidies that local authorities will have to A grant. In this regard, we support the introduction of the extended producer responsibility for products containing micropollutants, but we would like to see this mechanism, including calculating the contributions of relevant industries set up at EU level. We are aware that setting up and operating a large number of treatment plants, and this higher level of treatment of wastewater, will lead to a significant increase of the energy used. That is why we believe that we use we need to use renewables as much as possible. However, it is not clear how exactly we will reach energy neutrality and the proposed targets are far too ambitious since other economic sectors will also focus on renewable energy. To conclude with, Romania can support this draft directive provided that the objectives are feasible and that it allows for flexibility according to national International specificities. We should also consider realistic deadlines that would not lead to enormous financial efforts. Thank you.”
  Water pollution
• “Romania shares the concerns of the member states that have expressed the precarious situation on the dairy market. Dairy farms are more and more vulnerable because of the energy crisis. With high production costs, farmers have to make more and more efforts to keep their animals and to cover the production compared with the average in the EU. The average cow's milk in the farm was in 2024, six by 8% And in 2025 14.4% lower. Furthermore, the increase of the amounts of milk and dairy resulting from the intra community exert another pressure for small and medium sized farms. So we need European support to support the farmers that are affected. Thank you.”
  Agricultural funding
• “Thank you, My dear President, Dear Commissioner, Dear colleagues, thank you for the effort of the European Commission in putting forward a concrete legislative proposal. We need this market reform in order to limit the contagious effect of gas prices in determining the electricity prices and to allow member states to act decisively and immediately in case of an energy crisis. We need instruments and tools capable of protecting consumer households SMEs industry from excessive and volatile energy prices. I will refer to three main issues where we see the need for focused discussion and additional changes. Pba's contract for difference and the conditional for declaring an electricity price crisis. Romania supports measures to incentivise a wider use of EPAs and contract for difference. Member States should decide on how to use those instruments on PPA and the use of state backed guarantees. The current text does not allow Member States to support EPAS that purchase generation from fossil fuels. Here we should be more flexible in our support, at least for generation from natural gas. Secondly, the guarantee scheme for PPA should cover not only renewable sources but also electricity from other low carbon sources. Therefore, Member States should have the flexibility to design at a national level. A legal framework. A legal framework that allows low carbon electricity generators to reserve a percentage of their production for sale through PPA benefits from a guarantee scheme. The second issue is the contract for difference, where we see the need for more flexibility for Member states on deciding on how to use the revenues collected when the market price is above the strike price.”
  EU approach to electricity market and prices
• “President. Commissioner. Dear colleagues, the vision for agriculture and food is a starting point in developing the Cap after 2027, and we would like to welcome all the efforts of the Commission in this respect. It is important to identify, in due time, the guidelines of the future Cap in order to adapt to a social, economical and environmental context that is continually changing. Nevertheless, we should carefully scrutinize the principles and to make a well-grounded impact assessments to take into account the specific needs of the Member States. It is essential for Europe to have a new cap that is adapted to the real needs. That should make it possible to appropriately fund the agriculture and the rural areas. An obvious priority is a more substantial separate budget with simplified rules, easy to understand and to apply by the farmers. It is of the utmost importance to continue the external convergence that can reduce the gap among farmers in various member States. The way in which the guidelines presented in the vision will be reflected and applied by the European Commission in specific legislative proposals is essential, and we are very open to support the Commission. But we strongly express our belief that in order to ensure the competitiveness and resilience of the European agricultural sector faced with a the global competition and various shocks, and in order to develop rural areas, it is essential that the CPP to continue to maintain its two main pillars. The Cap is based on three essential dimensions economic, environment and social, and the balance among these dimensions should be maintained. Without a profitable agriculture and a continuous development of the rural areas, we shall not be able to speak of an attractive and sure European agricultural environment. Thank you very much.”
  Agricultural funding
• “Thank you, president. Commissioner. Dear colleagues, we would like to congratulate the Hungarian presidency for organizing the conference. We appreciate the conclusions on the need to give urgent financial support to beekeepers who are currently affected by honey imports, and in order to reward them for the benefits they bring to the ecosystem. We think we should rapidly develop precise methodologies for testing the authenticity of honey. We need to make efforts to improve traceability. Labeling is essential. For example, in the case of honey imports from Ukraine, the EU measures did not have the results we were expecting because of the extremely low price for Ukrainian honey, some of which was counterfeit. The measures we took were not efficient because the text we imposed for the imports was only 17.3%. This did not limit the imports from Ukraine. So we think it is both necessary. And welcome to identify new measures in order to protect pollinators and bees. Also, we need to support and protect European producers who are threatened by illegal imports, who might also be a risk for consumers health. Thank you.”
  Agricultural trade: Ukraine imports
• “Chair. Commissioner. Colleagues, Romania would like to thank the Hungarian presidency and congratulate it for the very balanced and fair approach to this extremely important file, both for production and international trade of the EU, as well as for the protection of European citizens health and the environment. The efforts of the Hungarian Presidency to approach all these issues are the essential elements of the proposal. Grouped in the nine areas of interest have demonstrated that we need debates and analysis that may lead Need to identifying solutions to improve the text while respecting the principle. The cautionary principle, and maintaining the aim that the EU food system is the safest system in the world. Romania does keep its red lines, uh, and we remind everybody that guaranteeing access of products on third markets has to be done without generating additional costs for farmers. Uh, and the consequences of uh, issuing uh, patents, uh, has not, have not been sufficiently clarified. The EU is constantly making efforts to ensure full transparency of labeling information, which are doubled by setting up detection and identification methods that can confirm correct labeling. And we would like the same approach to be kept in the in respect of products.”
  Food labelling harmonisation at EU level
• “Chair. Commissioner. Colleagues, I would like to thank friends for raising the issue of conditionality in the context of the implementation of strategic plans. However, [00:04:30] the flexibility requested by France does not cover Romania's needs, which is why I like to bring to your attention the possibility of adopting derogations from seven and eight at least for the year 2024, as we have advocated at previous agri councils for Romania. The French proposal to include nitrogen fixing species, including in the 3% of non productive areas and characteristics of the 7% in Gaec eight, is not advantageous as [00:05:00] the area cultivated with these species in 2023 is approximately 560,000 hectares, with an upward trend considering their inclusion in eco schemes. Now, at the same time, we would like to reiterate our request to identify a possibility to apply the aid requirements at national level, as Romania has a fallow area of approximately 2000 hectares. Now it's worth mentioning that reduced rainfall resulting in soil moisture deficit between 75% and 98% in [00:05:30] the period September to October, especially in areas devoted to autumn cereal crops. It's worth mentioning that the current geopolitical context has not improved. Russia's aggression towards Ukraine is still having a negative impact on the agricultural sector, and Romania has not taken a unilateral decision on the import of cereals from Ukraine. So in this extremely difficult context, Romania would like to maintain its request for the application of the derogation from GAC seven and eight also for the year 2024. Thank you very much.”
  Agriculture (green)
• “Chair. Commissioner. Colleagues. Romania does not consider that the text is stable enough, but we believe it still requires important changes in order to avoid implementing measures which might lead to the bankruptcy of European farmers. Taking into account the additional expenses and red tape, which would be the effect of implementing the provisions of the regulation proposal for the sector of animal husbandry, for operators and for transporters, there needs to be enough time dedicated to debates, including on the viewpoints expressed by breeders associations and transporters associations. We need a balanced text of the proposal for a Regulation to guarantee a high level of animal welfare in the trade of live animals throughout the single market and in the exports to third countries, without imposing undue limitations, which would gravely impact work in the sector of animal husbandry in Europe. Animal husbandry for many European states is an essential sector for the development of their rural areas, and for avoiding the de-population of those areas. Moreover, we believe that along with the adoption of this piece of legislation by the European Parliament and the Council, we also need to identify and adopt appropriate support measures for farmers. Thank you.”
  EU requirements on animal welfare for farmers
• “Once again, I would like to congratulate our French colleagues for the success framework for nuclear energy in the European Union. Many thanks, first to Bulgaria and Hungary that have already indicated their support, and we hope that other member states would resonate with our proposals as well. We would like to thank the European Commission for the instruments made available in terms of market design, state aid, industrial development, and we witness a growing interest from the private sector to support nuclear projects. However, we believe that more can be done to further improve the financing frameworks for nuclear energy in the EU along the whole value chain. The principle of technology neutrality should be better reflected in energy and climate policies, which I think the European Commission should could help more. The nuclear projects, by carrying out a comprehensive evaluation of the accessibility of EU financing instruments, including loans, guarantees and blended finance mechanisms. European Commission could also provide member states with a toolbox of predefined instruments and blueprints that can be used under state aid procedures and extend the cooperation and joint efforts with the AIB regarding the risking instruments for nuclear projects for Romania in particular. Accessing grants under the Modernisation Fund, in coordination with AIB and DG clima, would also diversify the financing financing sources. These messages are derived from previous calls of the Nuclear Alliance and we believe that in the current context, we have a good opportunity to explore further ways in which nuclear energy can be better supported in European Union. Thank you so much.”
  Nuclear energy
• “Also, the public procurement agreement and free trade agreements. Romania supports maintaining open markets and avoiding excessively protectionist or discriminatory approaches when it comes to trusted partners. We also need a better correlation between all framework documents addressing the European industry, net zero industry and Critical Raw Materials Act, ETS, Cbam and the Future Industrial Decarbonisation Bank should ensure a fair access to all Member States and add to the existing tools, such as the modernisation fund and the cohesion policy. Any modernisation should bring simplification and not new legislation. Layers. The Industrial Accelerator Act should also contribute to industrial convergence within the Union. We. Investments should not only be concentrated in very few regions, we should have balanced benefits for all member States, and we need also financial steps in order to make sure that the strategic approach is a success in the whole of Europe. The Future Competitiveness European Competitiveness Fund will be especially relevant. Romania supports Czechia, Poland and what other colleagues have said on low carbon criteria, and also the fact that we need to make sure that no member states is excluded from the single market because because of unfair criteria related to carbon content. Thank you.”
  EU industrial funding (mechanism level: EU-pooled vs nationally-financed)
• “Thank you very much, Maria. Romania appreciates this initiative and considers that the region labeling of food products is essential to protecting local producers, ensure traceability, but also to support informed consumer choices. The evolution of the European regulatory framework from a mere indication of the place of packaging to the increasingly detailed requirements reflects the importance of transparency in the food chain, especially for processed products where raw materials like milk and meat are concerned. By doing so, short supply chains will be strengthened, and European farmers will be supported, also giving consumers the possibility to choose products with a reduced environmental footprint. Thank you.”
  Food labelling harmonisation at EU level
• “Thank you. Chairman. Commissioner. Dear colleagues. Romania welcomes [00:49:00] the approval of the strategy, a long term vision for the EU's rural areas, particularly in light of the diverse and multidimensional challenges facing these areas. One of the elements on which we should particularly focus on when it comes to the development of the rural and agrifood sector, is generational renewal. An objective of major importance in the European Union? At the same time, the development of infrastructure, creating job opportunities and access to [00:49:30] services can make rural areas attractive for employment and sustainable development. I would also like to stress the importance of extending the European Union's rural observatory. Drawing up strategic policies is an activity based primarily on data and how to interpret them. These policies can be applied in a timely manner according to the specific needs of Member States. Last but not least, I [00:50:00] would also like to bring to your attention the importance of encouraging digital innovation and agriculture based on efficient use of natural resources. Thank you.”
  Cohesion and rural funding
• “57:41 – 11:58:40): Thank you, minister. For rail transport to truly become the backbone of sustainable mobility in the EU, we need strong regulatory stability. To ensure the success of ERTMS projects, we need to act strategically on 2 pan, parallel levels, institutional reform in the case of the European Railways Agency and technical predictability. We need a structured dialogue. The introduction of a mandatory pre application consultation process and the publication of detailed road maps for the TNT corridors will provide the industry with the necessary certainty for investment planning. In addition, financial mechanisms must support technical stability. Financing through instruments such as the Connecting Europe facility or InvestEU should use smart conditionality protecting projects from sudden legislative changes and providing dedicated support for technological upgrades. Thank you.”
  EU support of rail transport
• “Thank you, Madam Chair. I would start by thanking both the Spanish Presidency [00:50:30] and the Commission for their work so far, and saying that we fully support the presidency to pursue its objectives for reaching a balanced agreement on the 2024 EU budget during the conciliation period, preferably today. But of course, at the latest Monday 13th of November. It would be an important positive signal for all our citizens in the current difficult economic and geopolitical context. I also believe that the potential agreement on the EU budget for 2024 with the European Parliament should be based exclusively on the current MFF provisions, so not to prejudge the decision on the MFF revision. Also, this agreement should be as close as possible to the council position, especially on heading seven administration. Regarding the flexibilities for 2024 budget, we would support resorting to special instruments only in strictly justified cases, preferably not for administrative expenditures. We [00:51:30] would like to thank the Commission for the first draft element for joint conclusion. For us, it is a good starting point in the negotiation as a positive element. We appreciate the inclusion of the Declaration on Payments as part of the package. This is a crucial element for us, especially in the current context. We consider the level of payments set in the council position as a starting point, in order to avoid accumulating further backlog in the future. We should assure sufficient funds for migration, southern and eastern neighbourhood [00:52:00] and humanitarian aid. This is why we appreciate the Commission proposal for a MDG, which is €100 million, from which €30 million from eastern neighbourhood, mainly for Republic of Moldova. I would add that also we could support some other proposal for reinforcement, such as those impact requested by Bulgaria, Bulgaria, a UAE requested by Italy and EPO by Luxembourg. Thank you.”
  Size of EU budget
• “President, Commissioner. Dear colleagues, Romania supports Latvia's initiative and shows interest for the proposal of the Czech Republic regarding the UDR. As we've mentioned on previous occasions, member states need flexibility and simpler rules in order to efficiently implement the regulation. It's important that we be aware of all the stages we need to go through in order to make sure that the implementation is easy throughout the EU. We believe that an integral and uniform postponement of these provisions is the best solution to provide clarity to both authorities and operators. A differentiated postponement would confuse and create an attitude. Um, a shared um transition deadline would allow all the parties to adjust their logistics. This preparation stage is all the more needed as the regulation will directly impact the supply chains, especially in terms of imports of soybeans and animal feed. Raw materials with impacts on the EU's food security. Thank you.”
  Import of agri-food products in the EU
• “President. Commissioner Romania understands the difficult situation in Slovenia and Greece, and we stand together with the farmers which were seriously affected by these phenomena. In Romania, we are also confronted with the effects of extreme climate phenomena such as drought and which [00:20:00] affect our producers. We reiterate the need to support farmers from European funds. Romania also supports the requests by Slovenia and Greece and expresses its support for the farmers seriously affected by the flooding this year. Thank you.”
  Agricultural funding
• “Chair. Commissioner. Dear colleagues, Romania can fully support the arguments and justifications brought by Hungary on the need to refocus the European policies in the field of animal health and animal welfare, so that the European Union can live up to the very diverse challenges that she's faced with and the increasingly complex global market, the difficulties in eradicating African swine fever, the impact of foot and mouth disease on member states trade relations, the evolution of avian influenza, small ruminants, past bluetongue, or the high prevalence of Newcastle disease, can only confirm the stringent need to explore vaccination possibilities. Vaccines should be seen as a main solution in preventing animal diseases. It goes hand in hand with robust biosecurity and surveillance measures. We need to intensify our efforts to look at all barriers coming between health policies and sustainable practices, be they commercial, financial innovation, research, development or having to do with regulation. Rethinking European policies in the field of vaccination as a tool for preventing animal diseases will contribute to a holistic approach to health challenges, with an impact on more extensive objectives such as lowering antimicrobial resistance or food security. Thank thank you.”
  Animal diseases prevention and management in the EU
• “Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Please allow me to express solidarity with the Member States affected by the foot and mouth disease outbreak. We are among those concerned about the evolution of this outbreak, which is close to our borders. In this context, we have undertaken measures to prevent the introduction of the virus in our country. These measures have been established by the National Centre for Disease Control and communicated to the territorial structures. Press releases were also issued, instructions were sent to the territory and meetings were organised with livestock breeders associations. The measures consist of adopting restrictions in accordance with the provisions of the Commission implementing decision for 96 of the 11th of March this year on certain provisional emergency measures relating to foot and mouth disease in Hungary. We also had to take some additional national measures regarding the movement of live animals and products in order to reduce the risk of infection with the virus. Of course, just to confirm that these additional measures will be gradually lifted based on how the epidemiological situation would evolve. Thank you.”
  Animal diseases prevention and management in the EU
• “Romania Romania is in favor of the proposal initiated by Germany and Italy, which is aimed at improving our response strategies to African swine fever and bluetongue disease. These diseases are significant challenges to the livestock sector and require coordinated and efficient measures. Romania argues in favour of making restriction periods more flexible in those regions that are not directly impacted by African swine fever in order to mitigate economic pressure on farmers while maintaining an effective control of the disease. Certified biosecurity comes with guarantees that should be more efficiently integrated in regulations that are applicable to regionalisation. We need to intensify our efforts to promote scientific research that is aimed at developing safe methods to inactivate virus. Methods that are compatible with trade, and these are essential in order to manage outbreaks and to continue trade. We also underline the need to have a new level of support for preventive vaccination programmes against bluetongue disease. We are in favour of accelerating a vaccine authorisation processes in order to Make effective solutions available in a timely fashion in order to mitigate disease risks. Romania is in favor of developing pragmatic solutions in order to face the challenges linked to African swine fever and bluetongue disease. We welcome discussions going on, and we welcome measures meant to support the resilience of the sector of livestock farming. Protecting public health and economic stability. Thank you.”
  Animal diseases prevention and management in the EU
• “Commissioner, dear colleagues. Romania considers that the sustainable management of national resources, of the security of food system and of the implementation of bioeconomy should be supported through promotion policies and adequate financial measures. This will bring us step to step closer to a sustainable recovery of the EU agricultural sector. The use of biomass can play an important role in bioeconomy. The development of the supply chain can increase the uptake of biomass as raw material in industry. It can also create and keep jobs. The development of bioeconomy can bring about supplementary income for farmers. The EU support mechanism for bioeconomy policies that will later feed into the development of national strategies and the development of entrepreneurship. Programmes should be adapted to each member state and bear in mind. Macro, regional, regional and local characteristics. Thank you.”
  Agricultural funding
• “Commissioner. [00:01:30] President. Colleagues, I would like to draw your attention to the huge challenges faced by Romanian farmers as a result of the war in Ukraine, as well as of extreme weather conditions and inflation, which led to a hard to bear soaring import prices. I would also like to propose the adoption of measures aimed at lowering [00:02:00] the negative effects of all these risk factors to avoid the bankruptcy of many farms. As you know, the intervention possibilities are very low and the losses undergone by farmers are significant. Many farmers are faced with the danger of being unable to continue business, which is a major risk for the food security of the EU and beyond. For instance, in Romania, farmers have been faced with [00:02:30] a major water deficit after two years of drought. This year, although in most areas the amount of rainfall has been satisfactory, yields are still below the expected level. In some areas, production losses are possible and even for the autumn crops, such losses may drop by 50, may may rise to 50% as compared to the average of the last five years. This is a major challenge [00:03:00] for our farmers who will not be able to cover their production costs, which continue to be very high. You also know that imports from Ukraine have caused a drop in grain and oilseed prices, thus causing large losses to Romanian farmers who found themselves in the very difficult situation of selling their products at prices lower than production costs. [00:03:27] We welcome the intervention of the European [00:03:30] Commission, which adopted certain measures aimed at supporting the impacted farmers. However, unfortunately the support granted continues to be low when compared to the losses incurred by the producers and only partially solves the difficult situation in which they find themselves. Unfortunately, the national budgets were also unable to lower the farmers losses, which is why we believe that [00:04:00] solutions and derogations continue to be necessary if we want to help farmers to avoid bankruptcy. To that effect, we propose a derogation from the implementation of the seven and eight requirements in 2024 two in order to allow farmers to compensate at least partially their large losses and to take away from the pressure to which they are subjected. We [00:04:30] believe that continuing these derogations is a matter of consequence since the war in Ukraine too, unfortunately continues. Moreover, the environmental impact of such a derogation is only minimal. As a matter of fact, Romania has already made and is making huge efforts for biodiversity. We have a million hectares of field which is no longer used for agriculture to which [00:05:00] more areas in amount of 850,000 hectares is used for irrigations. Moreover, Commissioner and Dear colleagues, Romania believes that we need the Commission to be permanently concerned with identifying innovative solutions in support of farmers outside of the budget of the Cap. Considering the fact that the challenges that [00:05:30] we are faced with are largely from outside the agricultural sector. Thank you.”
  Agricultural trade: Ukraine imports
• “Thank you. Dear president, dear Commissioner, dear colleagues, we welcome the vision of the European Commission to Make the high speed rail transport one of the pillars of the European mobility. Romania has a strategy for making um for improving this, and we want to make sure that it develops, uh, that it leads to a quick development of rail infrastructure. We also, um, request, uh, financial allocations under the future MFF post 2028, as well as the current funds, uh, CEF Cohesion Funds and Recovery and Resilience Plans. Successful implementation requires stable funding and efficient institutional coordination. The Ministry of Transport has recently. Made some changes in order to consolidate Date. European rail industry. The and it will improve the integration of the European rail transport at the European level. It will also improve the transport of goods in the European Union. Thank you.”
  Energy (green transition)
• “Thank you. Chair. As regards the conference organised by Cyprus on the theme of water, we completely agree that we need to guarantee water for the agriculture we are. Romania is faced with a third consecutive year of drought which creates great difficulties for farmers. Therefore, we feel it is necessary to identify appropriate solutions to support livestock breeders and crop farmers so that they can continue their activity. As for Bulgaria's point, we see a similar tendency in Romania of increased imports from the Ukraine. We have seen considerable imports from Ukraine, so we understand very well Bulgaria's position and its request. We ask the Commission to analyse the situation of these imports. And as for Belgium's point, we support it. Thank you.”
  Agricultural trade: Ukraine imports
• “Thank you very much, madam president. Agora is an essential instrument for supporting culture, the media sector, and democratic values. Its credibility will depend directly on the level and structure of its funding within the future MFF. At this stage, allocations and the distribution of resources across the program's trends are not yet defined. We consider it essential that this distribution is clearly established and that it reflects in a balanced way the program's objectives, including by ensuring an adequate share for the cultural dimension in line with its economic and societal contribution. At the same time, cohesion policy must remain the main investment tool of the union beyond 2027, including for culture, with a key role in financing infrastructure and reducing regional disparities. In this context, a clear distinction between centrally managed programs such as Agora and structural funding is necessary as well as avoiding fragmentation of instruments. A simple and coherent financial architecture is essential for effective delivery. Finally, with thanks to the presidency, I confirm that we support the partial general approach on the regulation on Agora with a focus on clear allocations, a balanced distribution across trends, and strong alignment with cohesion policy.”
  EU and national cultural identities
• “Thank you. President. Madam. Commissioner. Colleagues. Romania takes the view that it is important. To take due account of the impact of other sectors when it comes to the European Union's CO2 emissions in these broader discussions. In 2022, the agriculture part of the total GHG emissions, according to the European Environmental Agency, amounted to 10.8%, which is well below that of other sectors where emissions are more than twice as high. For instance, the energy sector 27%. Transport. Residential housing, commercial property, agriculture can contribute to a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, but only through a unified and balanced approach between different sectors, which is not destabilizing to food production. An analysis of how the Cap can finance this, and the role of technology to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the agricultural sector, should also take into account the levels of greenhouse gas emissions in the agricultural sector. From member state. Thank you.”
  Climate efforts
• “Thank you very much. President. Commissioner. Dear colleagues. [00:17:00] Developing new standards and the timetable of implementing the new measures should be realistic and sustainable. Microphone for the speaker. The implementation of these high standards will generate additional costs, mainly because of the investments necessary in facilities, equipment and technologies. These costs will reflect in the price of foodstuffs with an [00:17:30] impact upon the consumers. Against the background, it is essential to have a balanced approach and each measure should be accompanied by the appropriate financial support, taking into account the economic impact upon the farmers, producers and transporters. Furthermore, a sufficiently long period of transition is necessary in order to facilitate an economically viable transition in parallel, some mirroring [00:18:00] measures so that it will not affect the competition position of European farmers and producers. Thank you.”
  Agriculture (green)
• “Thank you very much indeed, and many thanks for putting this very important topic on today's agenda. Given the complex geopolitical, geopolitical and economic situation, it's clear that the future framework for 2040 should reflect the lessons learned from the implementation of the fit for 55 package, and should also answer current and future challenges. Fulfilling 2030 objectives is crucial when it comes to this, the implementation of this future framework. Now, the success of this whole process will depend on achieving certain milestones. A clear and equitable framework, especially from a financial point of view. It's important to define objectives which are both consistent and realistic by looking at the climate objective of reaching climate neutrality by 2050, as well as the current exceptional circumstances. The negative effect generated by Russia's war of aggression in Ukraine obliges us to take this into account when it comes to the various implications of this conflict in a number of strategic areas such as energy, manufacturing, industries, agriculture and transport. The contribution of these sectors, which have been profoundly affected by the current international context, should be very balanced. We need solid financial mechanisms which should underpin innovation and implementation of clean technologies across the different member states. Now, additional support should be given to certain regions which would need to deploy greater efforts, as well as member states which are geographically near conflict areas. Net technological neutrality and adaptability there's no one size fits all approach. Each country, each member state, each industry has specific characteristics.”
  Energy (green transition)
• “President. Commissioner. Dear colleagues, we appreciate the efforts of the European Commission to simplify modernise the legislative framework. But this should be accompanied by accuracy and proportionality in order to ensure that the objectives are met. Against the current backdrop of the economy and geopolitics, it is essential to increase the efficiency of resources. We welcome the Commission's initiatives on the omnibus package for the food safety Food and stuff, and also the ongoing assessments of the sanitary, veterinary and biocide legislation. At the same time, we point out that although the motivation of introducing some amendments is correct, we should make it sure that the cumulative effect should not compromise or undermine the EU competitiveness, and that no actor is left behind. Especially the exchanges in the field of animal welfare should be calibrated in order to be realistic, applicable and proportional. Since we have some concerns, recent concerns on the possible effects of these standards. To conclude with, we support the Commission objective to ensure a high level of public health, food safety and animal health. But we insist upon a balanced approach that should not undermine the competitiveness of European producers. Thank you.”
  EU requirements on animal welfare for farmers
• “Commissioner. Colleagues, we need a balanced and proportionate approach in drafting legislation because the efforts of our producers to increase animal welfare are not rewarded enough. In Romania, significant investments have been made in livestock farming farms, and this has generated additional costs and constraints. And if we continue like that, there might be an impossibility of continuing farmers activity. We need to focus on, um, better animal welfare standards, of course, but we also need to ensure predictability and clarity for European farmers. We need indeed, um, a comprehensive impact assessment. And we also have to additionally support European farmers under the cap. Thank you for your attention.”
  EU requirements on animal welfare for farmers
• “Thank you very much. Um, first of all, uh, thank you. Uh, and thanks to Danish presidencies and the previous presidencies for all the hard work that has been done on this, uh, major file after more than four years of complex negotiations. I think we are now closer to a compromise text. We're getting there. We're close to to reach a compromise, but not there yet to reconcile the, uh, climate ambitions with the economic competitiveness, regional cohesion and fiscal fiscal flexibility. We expressed during this time legitimate concerns regarding the automatic indexation, the taxation of aviation and maritime sectors, and we acknowledge that these have been reflected. We know that a number of member states still have open issues. We empathize with Poland and Italy on the issue of gas and LNG. Romania will become a major producer of gas, uh, in 2027 with the Neptun deep in the Black Sea. And we are reflecting this future reality for Romania. And on the other hand, we are also witnessing a different situation than 2021 because we had a very sharp increase of prices in this summer. The prices for electricity, after phasing out the electricity cap that we had increased 60%, which has been reflected in the inflation and has a major effect. And this has become a very sensitive issue for Romania. And we also are looking at the prolongation of the transition period for the coal generation up to 2040 instead of 2032. Uh, I think, uh, together with all these these things, with these fixes, we can we can, uh, slowly but steadily reach a compromise. Thank you very much.”
  Fossil fuels
• “Thank you. Chairwoman. We support the council conclusions and feel that the document adequately reflects the current challenges and solutions in this area. We highlight the beneficial potential of digital technologies such as access to information, support and online therapies, but also the risks it can pose to young people's mental health. The document highlights the need for urgent action to promote safer and healthier use of technology. This requires close cooperation between authorities, industry educators, health professionals, families and young people. Thus, Romania agrees with the adoption of the document, considering it useful also for the benefit of the younger generation, as it can help mitigate the negative effects on mental health and promote a safer, balanced environment online environment for children and adolescents. Thank you.”
  EU policy on mental health
• “Thank you. The European Steel and Metals Action Plan represents an important step towards strengthening European industrial resilience. However, from Romania's perspective on that of the steel industry, the current framework is not yet sufficiently comprehensive to fully address global competitive pressures. The Romanian steel industry remains a strategic pillar for European value chains, from construction and the automotive sector to energy and defence, yet it is still simultaneously facing high energy costs, demand volatility and competition from imports produced under different, less stringent standards. However, its implementation needs to be accelerated and financial instruments must become more accessible for member states with emerging industrial capacity. Thus, Romania supports firm implementation of Cbam to prevent carbon leakage and ensure fair competition for European industry, including the steel sector, reform of the ETS and support for energy intensive industries, including extended compensation for indirect energy costs. Secure and affordable access to raw materials aligned with circular economy principles, in order to reduce external dependencies and support sustainable production. Competitive energy prices reducing disparities between EU member states and limiting market volatility. Investments in energy infrastructure interconnectivity and securing security of supply. A European label for green steel based on the actual climate performance of production, with a clear methodology and strict emissions criteria, while rejecting a sliding scale approach that could dilute standards and undermine fair competition. On the second question, to prevent deindustrialization and production relocation and to strengthen strategic autonomy, the EU must act urgently through reducing the energy cost gap and ensuring a level playing field regarding carbon costs, reducing internal market fragmentation by establishing a coherent and predictable legislative framework with simplified permitting procedures, avoiding overlaps between horizontal and sectoral initiatives, and eliminating major differences in authorization, classification and labelling requirements.”
  Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM)
• “Thank you. Chairman. We would also like to thank the European Commission for adopting the SME relief package, which also includes the revision of this directive. We are in favour of the general objective to improve the payment discipline on the internal market and [00:30:30] to protect enterprises, particularly SMEs, from the negative effects of late payments in commercial transactions. We believe a directive is the appropriate choice of legal instrument. Using the directive would allow us to implement necessary developments in the national internal civil law. And also, uh, there are there is an impact on the national regime of obligations which would, uh, plead [00:31:00] in favour of choosing a directive. As for the maximum payment period of 30 days. We believe that this would be a disproportionate limitation on contractual freedom, and we need a much more flexible mechanism. According to Romanian civil law, freedom of contract is a central element of the obligations regime. The parties are free to enter into a contract and to determine their content, including the payment deadlines. As [00:31:30] for the dispute resolution mechanism, our national authorities are still looking at this, taking into account the effects on the civil courts as well as the efforts, including financial efforts that would, uh, come together with such a mechanism. Thank you.”
  EU rules on late commercial payments
• “Thank you very much. On your first question, one first example of a more pragmatic approach would be energy policy for Romania tackling the high energy prices and the discrepancies among member states is a priority. We would like to thank the Commission for the measures included in the Action Plan for Affordable Energy. It is important to tackle the missing links in the energy infrastructure. We need to facilitate a better integration of energy union. We would like to insist on the affordability, on interconnection and the security of supply, which are essential for a long term growth of the industry, along with an efficient use of indigenous energy resources. It is also important to implement cbam firmly and fairly, and to expand indirect energy cost compensation to cover sectors such as cement and chemical substances. We should also correlate, um, the critical access to critical raw materials with the objectives of circular economy. In order to ensure access to resources at affordable prices, while reducing external dependencies and supporting sustainable innovation. We believe that it is important to insist on capture and storage of CO2, and we would we would like to support clear rules for, um, electrical vehicles, including strengthening the European mechanisms for commercial defence in the face of unfair practices which affect the competitiveness of the automotive industry. On your second question, firstly, we need to develop a modern energy infrastructure allowing for the integration of renewable resources in the industrial energy mix. Secondly, the costs of technological transition are very high. Energy efficiency, digitalisation and clean technologies require major investments and without an adequate financial support, many companies may not be able to live up to the new environmental requirements. Then the volatility of energy prices, which directly affects competitiveness, may lead to relocation and industrial loss. Fourthly, the lack of fair competition conditions, especially because of imports at dumping prices from outside the EU, puts additional pressure on the European industry and undermines our efforts for a sustainable transition. Thank you.”
  Energy (green transition)
• “Avoiding additional burden. Avoiding the doubling of efforts or the doubling of activity with other instruments. So Romania pleads to uphold the balance between ecological ambitions of the union and the feasibility, the economic realities of the farms. Real simplification, but also respecting the competences of member States as to establishing their own assistance mechanisms which reflect the national characteristics. As to the second question, Romania holds that in the absence of an explicit obligation to reserve different allocations for the eco measure, the green measures within the cap ensuring fair competition between farmers is quite a provocation, and if there will not be a minimal shared standard, then difficulties will ensure and there will be big gaps between the ecological Surgical performance of the Member States. There will be a difference in the competitivity of farmers across the EU, and this is why we believe that fair competition can be ensured only if there is a minimum standard framework and a very clear coordination of the ambitions of the Member States, which will then be combined with flexibility in the application implementation, but also adequate financing for those farmers who are within the transition period. Thank you for your kind attention.”
  Agriculture (green)
• “Thank you. Luis. Commissioner. President. Dear colleagues, Romania welcomes this proposal and appreciates that any measures meant to consolidate and make more efficient the efforts to fight and reduce food waste are timely and necessary. Romania is among the first EU member states that has regulated the specific legal framework needed for fighting and reducing food waste. In agreement with the objectives and priorities of the Farm to Fork strategy and the commitment of Member States to reach the 50% reduction of wood waste by 2030. We think that we need a European legal framework to instate measures dedicated to reducing food waste. This needs to be done on the whole agro agri food chain, not only at the consumer level. We think that it is important to analyze measures to safeguard food waste in the reduction of food waste for certain categories of products, where consumption is covered from internal production in practice. We see that for vegetables, particularly where there is a high degree of perishability, there [00:22:30] is a high level of waste because of the imports from outside the European Union. Regulation could also help the joint efforts of the member States to prevent food waste and achieve transition to sustainable food systems by a rational use of national natural resources. Let me also say that some of the [00:23:00] food waste prevention programmes proposed by the Commission are already regulated in Romania, and they include measures addressing the whole agri food chain, such as education and information campaign to increase awareness on the importance and necessity of preventing food waste, or the regulation and implementation of a food donation mechanism, as well as granting fiscal relief to compensate [00:23:30] the costs generated by food donations, thus supporting the actors of the social economy. Thank you.”
  Food waste
• “Thank you, chair. We salute this discussion, and we thank the presidency for the very clear framework, which is excellently and very well structured for reflections. We believe that the work program has shown fully its utility, and it contributes to a better correlation between European priorities and national cultural policies. For the next cycle, it is vital to have better priorities and to have a better orientation towards palpable results to avoid fragmentation and have real impact. Romania believes that the added value of the action at European level is evident more than evident as far as access to culture is concerned, also for vulnerable groups. The role of culture in education and in developing good competencies. Thirdly, contribution of culture to territorial and cultural consolidation and unity. As far as the open method of coordination is concerned, we believe that these impacts can be consolidated to better use results, including practical hands on instruments and easily applicable instructions, which can then help national policy drafting public policy drafting. Digital transformation must take first stage place in the work plan. And in Romania, the digitalization of the cultural heritage is a priority, which are then upheld by national programs and European financing. We believe that it is essential that this plan should explicitly address AI, both what chances are concerned, creation, access, but also the challenges. They have to be very clear. Copyright transparency, the protection of cultural diversity are all priorities. And then correlation with the cultural compass, it is very important that the guidance should be transposable into operational goals which are clear and the results should be measurable. At the same time, it is utmost import of it's utmost important to be flexible in challenge in face of all these challenges. It is essential to better connect to other policies, to other instruments of the union, including cohesion policy and national, partnerships for resilient regional resilience at national level. Thank you very much.”
  EU and national cultural identities
• “Chair. Commissioner. Dear colleagues, Romania welcomes the Polish presidency's efforts to bring this topic to everyone's attention and to harmonise the positions of Member States. We believe that the discussions have led to acceptable results for most Member States and that the works will continue, including during the Danish presidency. Romania has granted the presidency the negotiation mandate for the negotiations with the parliament, even though we would have preferred option number two, which referred to exempting unauthorized producers organizations from the competition rules. Those organizations that are not authorized but do meet the conditions to be authorized for what follows. We expect a simple and clear legislative provision that does not contribute to unjustified administrative burden. Given the fact that we would like to consolidate the farmers position within the food chain and to, um, to create a win win relationships among all actors along the food chain. Thank you.”
  EU policy on farmer–buyer relations in the agri-food supply chain
• “Thank you very much, Luis. Commissioner chair, [00:02:30] dear colleagues, against the background of all the various crises that our fishing sector is undergoing, we are faced with even more difficult situation because of the war in Ukraine. Romania would like to request the commission to extend the period for eligible expenses, thus allowing us to grant financial compensation to fishing vessel owners based on the EU decision 2022 per 500. [00:03:00] We would also like to request an extension of the eligibility of Emff expenses, as well as the fishing operational programme to the 31st of December 2024. Thank you.”
  Funding for fisheries and aquaculture
• “Madam president, allow me to briefly refer to what we see as the main priorities at this stage. Strengthening health promotion activities. Improving and completing existing systems for monitoring consumption behaviours and applying them more frequently. Also assessing the needs for research interventions. Resources and capacity building and strengthening in public health systems, then developing a plan to address those needs based on a resource allocation for 3 to 5 years. And last but not least, institutionalizing the evidence based decision making process in the field of public health. Basically, to talk about public health informed decision making regarding the activities that could be carried out at EU level. We would highlight the following. Reviewing the EU legislation on tobacco and new tobacco and nicotine products. Reviewing the EU legislation on alcohol as a priority for the Commission to include consumption, labelling. Taxation, advertising. Coordinating research activities in the field of behavioural determinants of health, and creating a surveillance system for behavioural risk factors at EU level. Integration of public health activities, with all other activities at the level of EU health in all policies, um, research, innovation, digitalization, environment, social etc. and coordination of all that. Finally, the evolution of addictions in contemporary life is very dynamic to classic addictions. One could also add screens, gambling or social networks regarding concrete measures within the EU. We believe that reducing the share of those affected and avoiding initiation should be priorities for all health systems. The response to these problems also requires coordinated interventions at international level, to allow for the implementation of existing examples of good practices at European level, the creation of a service to coordinate interventions on behavioral determinants could increase the effectiveness of the interventions. Another direction could be the continued funding of joint health promotion interventions in the field of health determinants. We also see the need for setting up European networks for relevant public health institutions at member state level to include ministries of health, public health institutes, insurance institutions, um, as well as a formal framework for collaboration on various priority public health topics. Thank you very much.”
  EU measures on lifestyle-related behaviours (smoking, drinking, eating, etc.)
• “Thank you. Chair. Romania considers that strengthening customer protection and ensuring fair competition in e-commerce must be prioritized at EU level. First, digital platforms need higher transparency, including clear information on recommendation algorithms and a ban on manipulative practices. We also support stronger but smarter control of products sold online, especially those imported from outside of EU. Second, online subscription requires stricter rules. Rules rules. Simple cancellation mechanism and the elimination of abusive automatic renewals. Fair competition also depends on harmonising tax rules, including consistent VAT application and action against evasion. Evasion. Uh by non-EU traders. Third, customer education is essential. Eu wide campaign of identifying fake reviews, misleading offers and checking product authenticity can significantly reduce the risk. Marketplaces EU and non-EU must also be held accountable when they fail to meet their legal obligation. Finally, we need a stronger cooperation between member states, faster information exchange, coordinated controls and harmonised sanctions. Only through a unified approach can we prevent Unsafe product removal in one member state from remaining available in others. Thank you.”
  Liability for online marketplaces
• “Thank [00:24:00] you. Chairman. Commissioner. Colleagues. Artificial intelligence can bring about significant benefits in our day to day lives, especially when it comes to access to culture and knowledge. Algorithms for recommendations may expand people's cultural horizons by promoting less well-known works of art. Also, AI can be used in order to preserve and to translate important cultural and literary works, therefore [00:24:30] contributing to the worldwide dissemination of culture. Romania has given a great deal of importance to the impact of AI on the cultural and creative sectors. We are aware of current opportunities and challenges, especially on cultural expression and diversity. We have made serious efforts to stimulate the cooperation between cultural and creative professionals and technology, so that they co-design AI solutions [00:25:00] and therefore encourage them to harness the potential of AI and to create internal capacities. We have supported a horizontal cooperation and exchange of good practices. I would also like to mention that in Romania, we already have an AI strategy in the field of communications, and we are looking into the opportunity to have a specific strategy for culture. Another aim we should be, uh, looking at is [00:25:30] to acquire appropriate skills so that cultural professionals are able to understand and to tap into the AI potential in their fields. The skills gap often stems from a limited awareness of AI's capabilities within the cultural and creative sectors and in related education institutions, thus leading to fewer applications of AI in creative settings. Romania therefore supports [00:26:00] formal academic education that is also beneficial to AI strategies. At national level. We are also organizing a series of workshops, training programs, upskilling programs, information campaigns, internships, and exchange of good practices in order to develop advanced skills in this field. And last but not least, wisely and ethically, we can use AI as an instrument in order to [00:26:30] enrich and diversify people's cultural and literal literary experience, thus creating a brighter and more sustainable future for all. Thank you.”
  EU and national cultural identities
• “We need to have better working and, uh, life conditions in the EU. And this pillar should guide us when coordinating our social and employment policies in the EU. And we believe that the EU semester can already maximise the potential of existing mechanism. It can limit new reporting instruments and reduce the national administrative burden. So consequently, we believe that permanently introducing in the European Semester an analysis on the implementation of the pilot stage of the convergence framework should be based on a very thorough analysis. And, uh, I have to say that this analysis was made shortly after the pilot phase, so we don't really have a full, complete understanding of this framework. We don't really understand its, uh, real added value and the, the administrative burden. We cannot really have a bird's eye view on the needs for adjustments. So this is why we agree with Imco and SPC. They said that the valuation, the assessment should be made after a longer period of implementation of this instrument. And we agree. Thank you.”
  European Semester (social dimension)
• “Thank [00:04:00] you. President. Commissioner. Dear colleagues. We are currently facing major challenges relating to climate change, and the European Environment Agency's report and the Commission Communication on Managing climate Risk reflect these this reality. We should take everything into account, especially [00:04:30] when we talk about the future 2040 climate target. On this climate target. We would like to thank the Commission for presenting the lines of action to take in order to reach climate neutrality in the EU. Every member state has its own development model, and as such, some steps that at EU level may seem [00:05:00] positive, might also be negative in their impact at a national level. So this is a complex analysis that we need to carry out. And member States need their time to reflect and to discuss. For Romania, a critical aspect is represented by social acceptability in a current context, which is complicated and with purchasing power declining. It's important [00:05:30] to ensure that transition towards a climate neutrality is just and inclusive, and takes into account the social, social and economic impact. There are other important principles as well, such as cost efficiency, industry competitiveness, affordable prices for energy and the flexible approach to take into account different national circumstances. Strengthening industrial competitiveness within the transition to [00:06:00] climate neutrality continues to be a critical point for Romania. In order to support the industry. We need a coherent and predictable framework, facilitating also access to the necessary financial resources and. As such, most of our industry, especially energy intensive industry, but also for other sectors, we will need to identify adequate and sufficient financial tools in [00:06:30] order to mitigate the impact of the transition on to vulnerable households, and also in order to reap economic benefits of the transition. It is vital that these financial instruments ensure a fair regional distribution. Given the limited time that have available, and the fact that we are also still discussing at the national level, I will only underline some sensitive aspects identified [00:07:00] in the sectors that are challenging for Romania. For agriculture, especially rural areas are often dependent on agriculture, and changes in this sector might have important consequences on on to the communities there. So it's essential that we develop and implement adequate measures supporting these communities in their transition. It's important to learn from the experience so far, and to see how we can improve the way in [00:07:30] which European agriculture can remain competitive at an international level, and to see how the population in agriculture can have can lead a better life. Agriculture is a vital sector for our food security. Any measure we take needs careful assessment then for transport. The analysis we've made for the National Long Tum strategy have identified the sector as a, um, hard to abate sector. [00:08:00] And we still have an old car fleet. That's a problem. And that's due to a low purchasing power of people. And electric cars continue to be too expensive for average income households. Transport is one of those sectors where, at the national level, we will need to invest massively in the future, in the next period, especially in the railway sector. We will need to find specific financial tools [00:08:30] for that. On energy decarbonising energy is crucial in the transition towards climate neutrality. But even more important, we need to respect the decision of every member state on their energy mix. And from this point of view, it will be very important for Romania to have a neutral approach from the point of view of the technologies that will be used, and I will end by underlining the importance and the necessity [00:09:00] of having dialogue with all interested stakeholders. Thank you very much.”
  Climate efforts
• “Firm use of trade defence instruments trade agreements that secure supply chains and open new export markets, supporting critical industrial capacities and ensuring access to financing for SMEs. Tax incentives and dedicated innovation instruments. On the third question for Romania, the automotive sector means jobs, investment, innovation and strategic autonomy, which is why competitiveness and decarbonisation must advance together. Firstly, we need legislative predictability and coherence. European initiatives should form a stable architecture, avoiding fragmentation and cumulative burdens along the value chain. Secondly, technological neutrality is essential. Multiple technological solutions can contribute to emissions reduction, and maintaining optionality is key to innovation, industrial resilience and preserving production capacities in Europe. Thirdly, affordability must be safeguarded. If vehicles become unaffordable, fleet renewal will slow down, affecting both climate objectives and social acceptance. Lastly, European preference must be built on a balanced and gradual approach grounded in solid structural analysis on the EU's real production capacity in order to avoid distortions to competition and the single market. Thank you.”
  Energy (green transition)
• “Thank you. We recently had the visit of the commissioner and we had extensive discussions, and we thank her for her involvement and, uh, A team that put into this project. We also would like to express the support and engagement of the Cypriot presidency. Romania strongly supports advancing the Savings and Investments Union, recognising its key role in mobilising private capital and channelling investments towards productive investments, including the support of the green and digital transitions. We consider that deeper capital markets integration needs to go hand in hand with maintaining financial stability, strengthening investor protections and enhancing the global competitiveness of the EU market. In this context, we support the strengthening of the supervisory framework at the union level, including by reinforcing the role of the European Securities and Markets Authority with a view to ensuring consistent and effective application of EU legislation across Member states. Romania considers that Esma's governance framework should be further enhanced to be efficient, agile and market oriented while maintaining strong technical expertise and adapting the emerging trends, including digitalisation. An executive board can support faster, more coherent decision, while the Board of Supervisors preserve a strong role to ensure adequate involvement of the level of the national authorities. The ESMA national authorities relations could follow a mixed model with a clearly defined and complementary responsibilities, supported by a strong operational cooperation mechanism, efficient information sharing procedures and a clear allocation of responsibilities, including during transitions. Romania supports strengthening cooperation between asthma and the national authorities, and the avoidance of overlaps and excessive administrative burdens that remains essential. The supervisory reforms should minimise the costs and avoid duplications, and we should not create the burdens of additional costs for market participants and should include effective cost control mechanisms, monitoring and transparency of supervisory expenses. Thank you.”
  Financial regulation
• “Madam chair. Commissioner. Dear colleagues. Now, taking into account that 81% of the national fishing fleet is consists of vessels under 12m, Romania fully supports Germany's initiative. Concerning the need to clarify, but also simplify the Union's fishery legislative framework, especially the provisions on weighing, so that errors in estimating catches below the 50 kilogram mark should not be considered serious infringement. Thank you.”
  Environmental regulation of fisheries
• “Thank you. Romania. Romania is with Hungary and Italy emphasizing the major difficulties on the milk market. Um, higher costs, higher with utilities, um, dropping in farmgate milk prices. All this creates a significant pressure, uh, conforming to, um, environmental norms and droughts led many farms to fold or reduce production. Many farmers can no longer make or break even. The small farms are the most vulnerable, especially for supporting rural economies. So we need support measures allowing them to continue their activities. So we support um, quite crisis reserve um activated to improve the farmers situations. Thank you, thank you.”
  Agricultural funding