The Ministry of European Investments and Projects (MIPE) announces the signing of a new financing agreement with the European Investment Fund (EIF) for the launch of the Innovation Romania Programme, with a total funding of 106.7 million EUR.According to a press release of the relevant ministry sent on Thursday, the programme is supported by Smart Growth, Digitization and Financial Instruments Programme 2021-2027 (PoCIDIF), from European Structural and Investment Funds."This initiative emphasizes the crucial role that the Romanian State and the EIF have in supporting the investment and innovation ecosystem in Romania. The efforts started in 2012, with the first venture capital fund financed through the JEREMIE Initiative, have continued through the use of structural funds from the 2014-2020 period and subsequently through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR). The new Innovation Romania Programme, conceived as a fund of funds, aims to create financial instruments adapted to the needs of the local market and which, until now, have been insufficiently developed. Thus, three types of equity funds will be launched: the Technology Transfer Fund - aimed at capitalizing on the results of research and innovation through partnerships with research and development organizations; the Business Angels Co-investment Fund - aimed at strengthening the community of private investors and facilitating their involvement in the development of Romanian entrepreneurship; Entrepreneurship Acceleration Fund - dedicated to supporting start-ups and stimulating their growth," notes the MIPE."By signing this agreement, we reconfirm Romania's commitment to support innovation, entrepreneurship and sustainable economic development. The Innovation Romania programme is an important opportunity to boost the creation of new technologies and to support small and medium-sized enterprises, which are the engine of our economy. Together with the European Investment Fund, we aim to develop a strong investment ecosystem that will attract both local and international capital," the Minister of European Investments and Projects, Adrian Caciu, was quoted as saying in the above-mentioned press release.The programme will encourage investments in SMEs and midcaps with a focus on innovation and competitiveness. Selected projects will have to meet specific eligibility criteria, aligned with the specific objective of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) : "Enhancing sustainable growth and competitiveness of SMEs and job creation in SMEs, including by productive investments".
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 […]
A young Romanian has developed a new system that allows people to return entire bags of recyclable packaging at once, replacing the traditional method of inserting bottles one by one into reverse-vending machines. The concept, called IZI, was created by Ștefan Parascanu, who returned to Romania after studying and working in the United Kingdom. The […]
JTI, the global owner of both Winston and Camel, announced on Thursday, November 27, a plan to build a new, state-of-the-art factory in Ștefăneștii de Jos, Ilfov County. Designed to replace the current Bucharest production site, which is operating under space constraints, the facility is scheduled for completion in 2027. Ground works at the new […]
The City Hall of Oradea, in northwest Romania, has begun installing new smart parking meters as part of its ongoing modernization and digitalization of the municipal parking system. The first batch of devices has already been placed in central areas, and the entire system is expected to become operational by the end of the year. […]
