Romania has received, via the European Union's Modernisation Fund, a first disbursement worth almost EUR 1.1 billion for investing in the development of energy distribution networks, rehabilitation/modernisation of district heating networks, natural gas transmission network, as well as investment in energy-efficient rolling stock, according to a press release of the Ministry of Energy issued on Tuesday.The amount also includes funds for future projects established under contracts for difference. Romania has been allotted the largest share now, 37% of the total disbursement.The other member states benefitting from the first disbursement of 2024 are Bulgaria (EUR 65.2 million), Croatia (EUR 52 million), Czechia (EUR 835.2 million), Estonia (EUR 24.1 million), Hungary (EUR 76.8 million), Latvia (EUR 26.8 million), Lithuania (EUR 59 million), Poland (EUR 697.5 million), and Slovakia (EUR 35 million)."The Modernisation Fund is an essential instrument for Romania's green transition and the modernisation of its national power grid. I have committed myself from the very beginning to putting these financings to work, launching programmes and state aid schemes, funding much-needed investment. Through the efforts of the team at the Ministry of Energy and the Romanian government, Romania is emerging as the main energy player in the region. The payment made today by the European Commission confirms that Romania's potential in developing new energy capacities is huge, which is why the motto of my tenure remains: investment, investment, investment. In the 12 months of my term of office at the Ministry of Energy, the investment financed for the energy system via the Modernisation Fund and the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) exceeded EUR 25 billion. We are continuing at the same pace. We are focusing on promoting the calls already launched via the Modernisation Fund and PNRR for own-consumption, battery storage, electricity network rehabilitation, modernisation of the district heating network and, but also on starting new calls offering the opportunity to the private and public sectors to win funding for the implementation of energy efficiency projects, as well as on the release of a Contracts for Difference (CFD) scheme," Energy Minister Sebastian Burduja is quoted as saying in the release.The Ministry of Energy also announced that it is preparing the launch of the first tender for Contracts for Difference. The last details will be soon established for sharing the funds allocated for investment in wind and solar energy, depending on the existing portfolio of projects funded under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) and the Modernisation Fund.The Modernisation Fund supports investments in the generation and use of energy from renewable sources, energy efficiency, energy storage, modernisation of energy networks, including district heating, pipelines and grids, and just transition in carbon-dependent regions.
The fund Cultura Face Bine, a national funding mechanism for cultural projects backed by private-sector financing, will begin supporting local cultural organizations in 2026. The fund aims to support grassroots cultural initiatives with a proven impact in their communities and which need resources to continue, develop, or transform their activities. The funding mechanism has been […]
The European Commission (EC) announced on Thursday, December 11, that it is referring Romania to the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) for failing to meet obligations under Ambient Air Quality Directives. According to the Commission, Romania has not ensured that its national air quality monitoring network complies with legally required standards on […]
The Bucharest Court of Appeal (CAB) held an unprecedented press conference on Thursday, December 11, in response to allegations raised in a recent media investigation published by Recorder, with court president Liana Arsenie firmly rejecting the claims. However, at the start of the press event, a judge from within the institution publicly stated that the […]
Romania’s Superior Council of Magistracy (CSM) issued its first response to the Recorder documentary alleging systemic manipulation within the justice system, calling the investigation an amplification of a “campaign to destabilize judicial authority.” The council said on Thursday, December 11, that it will evaluate what measures need to be taken following the report. In a […]
MedLife, Romania’s largest private medical services network, announced on Wednesday, December 10, that it reached a market capitalization of EUR 1 billion on the Bucharest Stock Exchange (BVB). The milestone secures its position as “the most valuable healthcare company” in the country. The achievement came nine years after MedLife’s listing on BVB in December 2016, […]