- Nearly eight in ten Romanian firms are investing, with many planning to expand capacity, but overall sentiment remains more pessimistic than in the EU.
- Companies are adopting advanced digital tools and artificial intelligence, as well as reshaping supply chains to boost resilience.
- Most firms face climate-related losses and are investing to adapt, yet see new climate rules more as a risk than an opportunity.
The European Investment Bank (EIB) released the EIB Investment Survey 2025 – Romania overview, showing that 78% of Romanian firms invested in the past year, up from previous editions, but still below the EU average of 86%. Looking ahead, 44% of Romanian firms plan to focus their investment on expanding production capacity over the next three years, significantly more than the EU average of 26%, even as businesses report a more negative view of the economic, political and regulatory environment than their peers across the Union.
The survey highlights that Romanian firms are both embracing change and managing multiple pressures, from geopolitics and supply chain disruptions to climate risks and tighter regulations. As the largest multilateral lender in the country, the EIB Group sees these insights as relevant for its financing and advisory support so that Romanian firms can invest in innovation, digitalisation and climate action, while maintaining competitiveness and good-quality jobs.
”Romanian firms are investing and modernising, even in an increasingly uncertain environment,” said EIB Vice-President Ioannis Tsakiris. "Companies clearly recognize opportunities in the Romanian market, especially as EU funds and public investment drive major improvements in infrastructure and public services. This survey is a reminder that Romania’s businesses need predictability, efficient administration and easier access to finance. We remain fully committed to respond to these needs on the ground and supporting Romania’s transition to a more competitive and green economy."
”The investment survey provides a representative picture of how Romanian and European firms are investing, innovating and coping with change,” said EIB Chief Economist Debora Revoltella. "Acknowledging the perception of the transition to a low-carbon economy mainly as a risk and turning it into a sense of opportunity will be critical for long-term, sustainable growth. This survey is helping all policymakers to direct their support where it will have the greatest impact."
The full country report about Romania is available here https://www.eib.org/en/publications/20250218-econ-eibis-2025-romania
The main findings of the survey concern investment and investment outlook, digitalisation and AI, trade and supply chains, gender and, of course, climate. Despite a large net share of Romanian companies expecting economic, political and regulatory deterioration, the positive balance of firms planning to increase investment is comparable to the EU, driven especially by infrastructure and large firms. The share of firms using multiple advanced digital technologies has jumped to 48%, now in line with the EU, with 30% making systematic use of generative AI to improve processes. Romanian users of AI are particularly active in marketing and sales, where they are ahead of the EU average. Around 64% of Romanian firms are engaged in international trade, and many are reconfiguring supply chains to cope with new regulations, customs changes and logistics disruptions. Half of importers are diversifying the countries they source from and 41% of firms are investing in digital tracking of inventories and inputs, both well above EU averages. Regarding climate and gender, most firms report losses from climate change, with 65% already taking steps to strengthen resilience to physical risks, but fewer than the EU average have invested to cut emissions. Romania stands out positively on gender balance in leadership, with 40% of firms reporting that women represent at least 40% of senior management, well above the EU’s 25%. For more information on the EIB Investment Survey and to access the full Romania country overview, visit www.eib.org/eibis.
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, it finances investments that pursue 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, signed nearly €89 billion in new financing for over 900 high-impact projects in 2024, boosting Europe’s competitiveness and security.
Around half of EIB financing in the European Union goes to cohesion regions, where per capita income is below the EU average, while almost 60% of annual EIB Group investments support climate action and environmental sustainability.
About the report
The EIB Group Survey on Investment, which has been carried out since 2016, is a unique annual survey of some 12,000 firms. Data for the latest edition was collected in mid-2025 from companies in all EU Member States. The survey also includes a sample of businesses in the United States. The survey collects data on company characteristics and performance, past investment activities and future plans, sources of finance, financing hurdles and other business challenges such as climate change, digitalisation and international trade.