Postponing bill payments or capping energy prices will trigger chain negative effects, and the adequate solutions are VAT cutting or VAT exemption for gas and energy, the Romanian Power Suppliers Association (AFEER) said in a release on Friday.AFEER has taken note of the set of measures announced by the European Commission for EU member states to apply in order to reign in the impact of the explosive rise in energy prices. It falls on the authorities in each country to decide which measures in the set unveiled by the EC will be implemented, in accordance with their own policies."We reiterate our stance that both short-term and long-term solutions are urgently needed, but their impact must be properly assessed. Although they could appear as a support for eligible consumers, measures such as price capping and/or postponing the payment of consumer bills are not the most appropriate and beneficial because they will trigger chain harmful effects after application. We say this because the consumers who will defer their electricity and/or gas payment obligations in the next period will pile up large debts that will add to next year's consumption. Moreover, we have all seen that a measure such as postponing bill payments, which was applied during the state of emergency, did not resolve the situation. On the contrary, it has led to rescheduling of payments for consumers and great cash flow difficulties for suppliers," the release states."AFEER came to the aid of the authorities with concrete proposals to lower consumer bills. Cutting the VAT on electricity and gas or a VAT exemption for these utilities, the excise exemption and the partial coverage of the utility bills by the prompt enforcement of the Vulnerable Consumer Law are the association's proposals for the immediate reduction of consumer bills," the cited source states.The representatives of the power suppliers also argue the VAT reduction or VAT exemption for energy will indirectly impact all consumers, lowering the increase in final product prices.
Bucharest’s shopping centres posted mixed financial results in 2024, with major discrepancies between the city’s largest malls and mid-sized retail centres, according to financial analysis platform RisCo.ro. The data shows contrasts in profitability and turnover, as well as significant losses among some of the capital’s biggest retail projects. AFI Cotroceni recorded the highest turnover of […]
Nearly nine in ten Romanians expect to spend less or no more than last year on Christmas shopping, according to a new survey by tbi bank that highlights the impact of rising prices on household budgets ahead of the winter holidays. The nationwide poll, conducted in October on a sample of 1,011 respondents, shows that […]
A total of 77% of homeowners who answered a survey by ING and Ipsos said they implemented measures in the past three years to improve energy efficiency. The need to save on energy bills was the main driver of household modernization, the survey showed. Most respondents (62%) said they did so to reduce energy costs, […]
The Romanian Constitutional Court (CCR) has ruled that a series of tax increases, including higher levies on housing, land, cars based on pollution norms, and stock market gains, may take effect starting January 1, 2026, Biziday.ro reported. The Court rejected a challenge filed by the opposition party AUR against the government’s fiscal reform law, on […]
A major animal-welfare campaign is happening in Iași this weekend, where one of Romania’s biggest charitable events dedicated to shelter animals will take place this Saturday, December 13. Now in its 18th edition, Ai cumva o păturică? (Do you happen to have a blanket?) aims to expand nationally starting in 2026. This year’s event begins […]
Cluj-Napoca, in western Romania, will host next year the first edition of the Central European Olympiad in Artificial Intelligence (CEOAI), an annual competition for secondary school students, Edupedu.ro reported. The event will be held from July 14 to July 19, 2026, at Babeş-Bolyai University in Cluj. The...
