World Bank slashes Romania's growth forecast for 2026
The World Bank has significantly downgraded its economic growth projections for Romania this year, lowering expectations to 0.5% from the 1.3% forecast issued at the start of 2026.
The World Bank has significantly downgraded its economic growth projections for Romania this year, lowering expectations to 0.5% from the 1.3% forecast issued at the start of 2026.
The World Bank's Board of Executive Directors has approved a €544 million Development Policy Loan to support Romania's efforts to restore fiscal sustainability, enable private sector-led growth and foster job creation.
Romania's consolidated general budget recorded a deficit of RON 14.23 billion (€2.86 billion) - 0.70% of GDP, in the first two months of 2026, half the RON 30.24 billion deficit (€2.86 billion) - 1.58% of GDP from the same period in 2025.
The joint plenary session of Parliament officially adopted the 2026 state budget and social security budget projects on Friday.
Romania's trade deficit decreased by €673 million to €32.7 billion in 2025, representing a 2% improvement compared to 2024, according to data published by the National Institute of Statistics (INS).
Romania's Ministry of Finance announced that the consolidated general budget execution for 2025 ended with a cash deficit of RON 146.03 billion (€28.65 billion), representing 7.65% of GDP, down one percentage point from the 8.67% deficit recorded in 2024.
Romania's trade balance deficit (FOB/CIF) for January-November 2025 reached €29.77 billion, down €299.6 million (-1.0%) compared to the same period in 2024, according to data published by the National Institute of Statistics (INS).
Romania's government ordinance passted at the end of last year signals to companies that fiscal pressure could ease and the series of tax increases might end in 2026.
Romania's consolidated general budget recorded a deficit of RON 121.77 billion (€23.90 billion), equivalent to 6.40% of GDP, in the first eleven months of 2025, down 0.74 percentage points from 7.15% in the same period of 2024.
Romania's consolidated general budget recorded a deficit of €21.8 billion (RON 108.87 billion) in the first ten months of 2025, representing 5.72% of GDP. This marks a decrease of €110 million compared to the same period in 2024, when the deficit stood at 6.22% of GDP.
Romania's real GDP growth is forecast to remain low over the next two years, primarily due to the necessary fiscal consolidation measures that will slow consumption.
Romania recorded the largest general government deficit in the EU during the second quarter of 2025, reaching -8.7% of GDP.
Romania's consolidated budget deficit has widened to 4.54% of GDP after the first eight months of 2025, an increase from the 4.04% reported in July 2025.
The Romanian government has set a budget deficit target of 8.4% of GDP for this year, as agreed with representatives from the EC, according to PM Ilie Bolojan.
Romania's consolidated general budget execution closed the first seven months of 2025 with a nominal deficit of RON 76.44 billion (€15.34 billion), an increase of RON 5.4 billion.
Romania's inflation rate, already among the highest in CEE at 5.8% as of June 2025, is projected to rise sharply, could potentially reach close to 9% in the coming months.
Romania's budget deficit stood at 3.39% of GDP after the first five months of 2025, a slight decrease compared to 3.41% of GDP in the similar period last year.
Romania finds itself under scrutiny regarding its fiscal position and ongoing macroeconomic imbalances in the European Commission's 2025 European Semester Spring Package.
Romania recorded the highest government deficit among EU member states in 2024, standing at -9.3% of GDP.

The World Bank has significantly downgraded its economic growth projections for Romania this year, lowering expectations to 0.5% from the 1.3% forecast issued at the start of 2026.
Foraj Sonde Videle has announced the acquisition of Raffles Energy, a British holding company that owns two Romanian energy companies active in natural gas and electricity production.
Econergy Renewable Energy has secured approximately €31 million in project financing from Kommunalkredit Austria to develop its 60 MW photovoltaic project in southeastern Romania.
Romanian software company Arobs Transilvania Software has completed the merger by absorption of five subsidiaries - Arobs Development & Engineering, Berg Computers, Nordlogic Software, Infobest Romania, and Centrul de Soft GPS.
The European retail sector faced a cooling period in February 2026, with the latest Eurostat data revealing a divergence between a stabilising Union and a sharply declining Romanian market.