EIB Investment Survey: Romanian firms as likely as others in EU to tackle impacts of weather and reduce carbon emissions

Around three in 10 Romanian firms reported innovation activity, in line with EU average. Romanian businesses are also on par with other EU-based companies in use of digital technologies. Romanian firms perform better than counterparts elsewhere in EU in gender balance   Most Romanian firms – 90% – have acted to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, in line with companies elsewhere in Europe, according to a European Investment Bank (EIB) Group survey. Companies in Romania have taken steps such as curbing waste, recycling, saving energy and embracing cleaner technologies, new country results from the EIB Group Investment Survey (EIBIS) show.   Romanian firms are more likely than other EU-based businesses to have limited waste, recycled and invested in less-polluting technologies but less likely to have pursued energy efficiency, according to the national data.   EIBIS is an annual report based on polling of approximately 13,000 firms in all EU Member States plus a sample from the United States. Its main results were released in October 2024, showing that EU businesses lead way in investments in climate mitigation and adaptation.   The detailed country reports for individual member states were also released . Key takeaways for Romania include: Investments stand at 27% above pre-pandemic levels. The share of investing firms is 70%, below an EU average of 87%. The share of innovative firms in Romanian is like the EU average, with three in ten reporting innovation activity. Uncertainty about the future, energy costs and an insufficiency of skilled staff remain key concerns for businesses in Romania.   "Romanian businesses are demonstrating resilience and optimism, even amid global economic uncertainties," said EIB Vice-President Ioannis Tsakiris. "The EIB Group remains committed to supporting the country’s investment ambitions, ensuring that local businesses on the ground in Romania have access to the financing they need to thrive in a competitive global landscape."   Survey results feed into the annual Investment Report, the flagship publication of the EIB Group’s Economics Department, gauging the investment outlook for Europe’s economy. The next Investment Report will be released on 5 March 2025 during the annual EIB Group Forum in Luxembourg.   The annual Forum brings together key stakeholders from the government, business and finance domains to exchange views on investment priorities that support Europe's policies, including industrial decarbonisation, artificial intelligence, the Capital Markets Union, security, housing and EU enlargement. The theme of this year’s event is Investing in a more sustainable and secure Europe.   Background information The European Investment Bank (ElB) is the long-term lending institution of the European Union, owned by its Member States. Built around eight core priorities, we finance investments that contribute to EU policy objectives by bolstering climate action and the environment, digitalisation and technological innovation, security and defence, cohesion, agriculture and bioeconomy, social infrastructure, the capital markets union, and a stronger Europe in a more peaceful and prosperous world.  The EIB Group, which also includes the European Investment Fund (EIF), signed nearly €89 billion in new financing for over 900 high-impact projects in 2024, boosting Europe’s competitiveness and security.     (Source:https://www.eib.org/files/documents/lucalli/20240238_econ_eibis_2024_romania_en.pdf)