Capping the price of gas was a useless measures and, worse, will determine new price increases starting with April, according to an analysis conducted by the Intelligent Energy Association, sent, on last Monday."The median price of natural gas at the end consumer in November 2021, according to INS [the National Institute of Statistics] data, is around 220 RON/MWh. Thus, apparently, the capping of the final price of natural gas at a value of 370 RON/MWh and 310 RON/MWh starting with February 1 is useless in this period," showed the representatives of the association."In fact, the capping had a very important effect, it determined, according to the ANRE [the National Energy Regulatory Authority] website, the increase of gas prices offered on the market from a minimum level of 220 RON/MWh to a level of minimum 420 RON/MWh in November 2021 and to 640 RON/MWh in January 2022. Thus, all contracts that reach their deadline in this period or the coming period will be concluded at prices higher than 600 RON/MWh," according to the mentioned source.The association emphasizes that, for many home consumers, the capping has no effect at this time (according to a study of the association, 80% of the household gas consumers will not benefit from price caps), but will bring a higher gas price for final consumers in 2022.Moreover, starting April 1, 2022, increases in the transport and distribution tariffs are to take place, 2022 being the year when a new regulation period concludes. According to experts, there will be important increases in prices due to the free connection imposed by the authorities (the promised gratuity will be done by increasing prices paid by other consumers), increasing the cost of gas losses and technological consumption, useless or inefficient investments in the sector and others."In 2020, the authorities have enacted the Gas Release Program, which had the declared purpose of decreasing the price of gas, the real result was the start of increasing gas prices in Romania. In 2021, authorities enacted the Price Cap for gas, which had the declared purpose of decreasing gas prices, the real result was increasing prices on all offers. In conclusion: Taxes do not increase, but energy bills increase! For people, the same poverty!," mentioned the association's representatives.
Participation in cultural education activities continues to be limited, with the main barriers being difficult access, insufficient knowledge, and cost, the recently released Cultural Consumption Barometer 2024 shows. The report showed that many Romanians still associate culture with entertainment rather than with personal development or furthering their knowledge. The need for relaxation dominates in cultural […]
Roughly 84% of Romanians say that the pace of the state’s digitalization is slow or very slow, according to an Edge Institute & AtlasIntel study presented at the Digital Governance Summit 2025, which took place on Tuesday, November 25, at the presidential palace in Bucharest. The survey aims to capture the way citizens relate to […]
Romania’s Superior Council of Magistracy (CSM) issued a negative opinion on the new bill regarding magistrates’ pensions. The move is only the latest development concerning a heated issue that led to tensions between the executive and the judiciary branch. CSM’s opinion is consultative, and the government led by Ilie Bolojan can still take responsibility for […]
Romania took the presidency of the Central European Initiative (or CEI) on Wednesday, November 26, according to a press release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE). The organization is a regional intergovernmental forum established in 1989, following the fall of the Berlin Wall. It gathers 17 Member States in Central, Eastern, and South-Eastern Europe […]
Trade between Romania and Poland continues to grow, with annual bilateral exchanges in goods now valued at more than EUR 12 billion, according to figures presented by the Polish-Romanian Bilateral Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PRBCC). The data was released during a reception in Bucharest marking Poland’s Independence Day and Romania’s National Day. Polish investments […]
As Romania moves closer to implementing the EU Pay Transparency Directive, local employers are preparing for one of the most consequential shifts in workplace regulation in over a decade. The directive, set for transposition by June 2026, introduces strict new rules on salary disclosure, pay reporting, and equal-pay verification, aiming to close persistent gender gaps […]
