Foreign Investors Council: Fiscal predictability, energy and strategic investment, priorities for Romania's competitiveness

 The Foreign Investors Council (FIC) has proposed a set of priorities for the future government programme aimed at strengthening Romania's competitiveness, increasing its attractiveness to investors and supporting long-term economic development, according to a press release issued by the organisation and sent on Thursday.'The recommendations focus on five areas considered essential for the economy: fiscal and macroeconomic predictability, a functioning and competitive energy market, clearer regulations and modern tax administration, attracting strategic investment, and genuine digital transformation of the public sector,' the document says.The FIC stresses that Romania is entering a period in which economic decisions need to be better coordinated, more predictable and results-oriented.'Frequent fiscal changes, high financing costs, energy pressures and the slow pace of public and private investment may affect the economy's ability to achieve sustainable growth,' the press releas notes.On fiscal policy, the FIC recommends a multiannual consolidation framework, an annual timetable for fiscal changes and avoiding measures that affect productive investment. In the energy sector, lower prices are essential to increasing competitiveness. This objective depends on a fully functioning market supported by coherent, predictable and long-term regulatory frameworks.The organisation supports accelerating investment in generation capacity, storage, grids and cross-border interconnections, alongside targeted measures to protect vulnerable consumers without distorting market mechanisms.The FIC also proposes improving the regulatory process through genuine public consultations, impact assessments and decision-making transparency. 'Tax administration should make more effective use of data already available through existing digital systems, in order to reduce duplicate reporting and direct inspections towards areas with genuine tax risks,' the press release also says.To attract major investment, the FIC recommends transparent timetables for European funds and state-aid schemes, faster assessment and contracting procedures, and a dedicated framework for strategic projects worth more than 200 million euros aimed at creating new industrial capacity, reducing the trade deficit and increasing economic competitiveness along European supply chains.'Reforming the Romanian Agency for Investments and Foreign Trade into a single point of contact for investors could contribute to better coordination between authorities and strengthen Romania's ability to compete for major industrial projects,' the document also states.Another key priority is the digitalisation of public administration, the organisation's representatives said. Proposed measures include appointing a single coordinator for the digital transformation of the public sector, ensuring interoperability between systems, applying the 'once-only' principle, and developing digital and artificial intelligence skills through education and vocational training.The FIC said the proposed solutions are intended to provide public decision-makers with the expertise of private investors and concrete recommendations for increasing the competitiveness of the Romanian economy.'By implementing these measures, Romania can reduce investment risk, accelerate the use of European funds, increase productivity and strengthen business confidence. The FIC remains willing to continue its dialogue with the authorities to turn these recommendations into applicable public policies,' the organisation's representatives said.The Foreign Investors Council (FIC) represents approximately 120 of the largest companies in Romania.