SAF-T: a new challenge for reporting in 2025

The Standard Audit File for Tax (SAF-T) is a standardized electronic document used by taxpayers to disclose extensive financial information to the Romanian tax authority ANAF. Large and medium-sized taxpayers already know and use it; from 2025, around 1.9 million companies will also have to prepare these reports.


New regulations in Romanian company law enable simplification and flexibility

The Romanian Parliament has recently adopted important amendments to the Companies Law (Law no. 31/1990 - hereinafter “CL”), which adapt the framework for the functioning of companies to the technological realities and the current needs of the business environment. Law no. 299/2024 amending and supplementing the Companies Act (published on December 3, 2024 in the Official Gazette of Romania) introduced, among other things, new conditions for the use of electronic means for voting, casting votes and adopting resolutions at general meetings and shareholders' meetings. The amendments came into force on December 6, 2024 and are basically aimed at three main directions:


DAC7 - Reporting obligation for digital platforms

In the context of the enormous increase in digital trade, the EU has also turned its attention to platform operators. Online platforms outside the EU, in particular, were previously difficult or impossible to identify for taxation purposes. As an implementation of the DAC 7 Directive, Romania introduced reporting obligations on January 31, 2024 with Ordinance 16/2023.


New European Directive on liability for defective products - implementation requirements

Directive (EU) 2024/2853 on liability for defective products (“the Directive”) was published in the Official Journal of the European Union on 18.11.2024. All member states, including Romania, must transpose the directive into national law by December 9th, 2026. The following is an overview of the key principles.


RetuRO - SGR - Recycling system - The calculation of fees

Following its introduction in October 2023 and the initial delays, the so-called SGR recycling system in Romania has gained momentum. It was not until 10.10.2024 that the Ministry of the Environment published procedural rules on the calculation of (i) the administrative fee and (ii) the processing fee for operating the SGR system. These have been in force since 14.10.2024.


Minimum salary - new regulations implement EU law

Romania has to implement the European Minimum Salary Directive until the 15th of November 2024. According to the press, the corresponding law (draft PL-x no. 568/2024 - hereinafter the “Law”) has already been passed by the President and only needs to be published. In addition, the draft of a government resolution on the procedure is under discussion. What does this mean for companies in Romania, and what does the future hold?


Legal obligation to organize internal auditing

All Romanian companies whose annual financial statements are subject to statutory auditing must organize an internal audit in accordance with the applicable legal standards. However, this can also be beneficial for others.


Competition law: focus on abuse of a superior negotiating position

In June 2024, the Romanian Competition Council announced for the first time an ex officio investigation into the alleged abuse of a superior bargaining position by a supplier of liquid oxygen to the detriment of a hospital. This was followed shortly afterwards by an unannounced audit of a company in the pharmaceutical industry. The Competition Council also focused on other situations, such as car repair shops, whose repair invoices must be accepted in full by the insurer in the context of liability insurance claims, in accordance with the law. Until recently, only the abuse of a dominant market position fell under the jurisdiction of the Competition Council. In addition, there is now the exploitation of a “superior negotiating position".


Prolongation/relocation of registered offices - a difficult procedure?

It is often the “simple” issues that can cause problems in practice. This concerns, among other things, the duration of the right to use a company's registered office in Romania. If this expires, the Romanian tax authorities can quickly take drastic measures with regard to the company. The same applies to the relocation of the registered office that has to be entered in the commercial register. Currently, however, the extension or relocation of a company's registered office has become more difficult.


Electronic signature in employment relationships

The urge for flexibility in labor relations, which has been omnipresent since the coronavirus at the latest, has led to an increasing number of legal transactions in labor law being concluded in absentia. In this context, electronic signatures are playing an increasingly important role. Although new basic regulations regarding e-signatures came into force on 08.10.2024, some special regulations apply in employment law.