As part of the Romanian Government's agenda to strengthen the Strategic Partnership with the United States, today, Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan hosted a roundtable with representatives of the U.S. Embassy and leaders of American companies, AmCham members.

In this dialogue with the Prime Minister, we highlighted both the business community’s concerns related to regulations and enforcement and the sectors with the highest potential to attract investments, to position Romania as a regional leader, and to foster overall economic development.

AmCham Romania President Vlad Boeriu emphasized two key messages on behalf of the AmCham community: “The business community understands the challenging economic situation and is ready to be part of the solution, yet in a joint effort, equally shared by the public sector.  The long-overdue and much-needed structural reforms must start.  After a prolonged period of political instability, companies and investors need predictability and stability to focus on business consolidation. The launch of various scenarios and potential measures targeting companies only fuels concern— and for the businesses, the concerns translate into caution, into postponing or cancelling investment plans.”

Among the areas with strategic potential to position Romania as a regional leader, AmCham representatives mentioned emerging technologies, cybersecurity, hosting research, development, and innovation-friendly environment through various measures, including the Patent Box system, and the undertaking of large-scale, cross-sectoral strategic projects, such as the AI Giga Factory. The SAFE Initiative is an opportunity for Romania to position itself as a leader in cybersecurity.

On the broader economic agenda, business leaders at the meeting addressed key aspects such as the need to have a clear, concrete and long-term country offer to attract investments, the need remove the minimum tax on turnover, digitalization of public administration, including ANAF, the of reform the healthcare system, predictability in EU funding, coherent strategy for the agricultural sector, and support for Romania’s accession to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). This status, along with upgrading the capital market, is essential for attracting capital and additional investment.

On this occasion, AmCham Romania also shared with the Prime Minister the upcoming initiatives and events AmCham will organize as part of our efforts to contribute to deeper economic and investment cooperation.

We thank Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan, Head of the PM Chief of Staff,  Mihai Jurca, and U.S. Embassy officials – Charge d’Affaires Michael Dickerson and Deputy Senior Commercial Officer Laura Gimenez- for facilitating this valuable exchange, a great occasion to align priorities ahead of an intense U.S. relations agenda coming up this fall.

>> Read more in the Government Press Statement, here.