Romania Risks Losing EU Billions Without Reforms

Romania risks missing out on billions in EU funds unless it accelerates key reforms, warned Cristian Popa, a member of the central bank's Board of Directors, in a LinkedIn post, CE Report quotes AGERPRES

The country was allocated €28.5 billion in grants and loans under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR)—nearly 9% of its 2023 GDP, putting it among the EU’s top five recipients relative to economic size. Yet, as of May 2025, only €9.44 billion has been absorbed—just one-third of the total—falling below the EU average absorption rate of nearly 50%.

Popa highlighted that Romania will no longer be able to implement over €6.3 billion worth of projects by the August 2026 deadline, putting that funding at risk. This will likely force the government to redirect money from the state budget, increasing spending and complicating fiscal consolidation.

Despite these setbacks, there is hope. The European Commission has proposed a €2 trillion budget for 2028–2034, with Romania potentially receiving €60 billion—€10 billion more than in the current cycle.

However, Popa emphasized that accessing these funds depends on timely reforms and meeting EU milestones. “Europe gives us fishing rods, not fish,” he noted, calling for action rather than blame.